I don’t need more CPU speed anyway: why GPU improvements matter more

So, a leaker just spoiled the fun (somewhat) about the potential specs of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, stating it will focus more on energy efficiency and GPU than on boosting CPU speed. Honestly, I couldn’t be happier about this. These days, even mid-range phones are super fast when it comes to CPU performance. I think it’s about time we start paying more attention to other parts of our phones, especially the GPU.

CPU power: where are we at?

Think about it: when was the last time your phone felt slow because of its CPU? For most of us, probably never. Or at least, definitely not recently. Modern phones can handle anything you throw at them – scrolling through social media, checking emails, video calls. Even heavy tasks like photo editing or running complex apps aren’t a big deal for today’s CPUs. So, do we really need even faster CPUs? I don’t think so.

I’m including the Galaxy A54 here, as we considered it a “somewhat stuttery” phone, just to give you a point of reference:

Why do GPU improvements matter more?

You guessed it right, I can think of a lot of scenarios where you need more GPU power rather than CPU.

• Gaming: Mobile gaming is huge now, especially with the younger folks. Games like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Genshin Impact do look pretty fancy but they need a strong GPU to run smoothly. Better graphics, higher frame rates, and cool visual effects are all powered by the phone’s GPU. A stronger GPU can give you a great experience without lag.

• AR and VR: Apple is trying to make AR/VR become mainstream with the Vision Pro, and although this has yet to happen, there are many people who are AR or VR fans. Also, we have Snapchat filters (and the like) or visualizations that also use AR and VR, and those need powerful GPUs to work well.

• Generative AI. An article on tech without mentioning Generative AI probably doesn’t exist anymore, so here I am, mentioning it. In fact, as I said above, Generative AI features rely on a good GPU to work well, especially if we’re talking about smart photo editing. Mind you, we’re seeing just the beginning of Generative AI, and I expect to see even more realistically edited photos, fantastical generated images and videos, and what have you in the near future. And those will need strong GPUs, for sure.

Even the simple background blurring or automatic enhancement of a photo relies heavily on GPU. If the GPU isn’t performing as well, not only do you get your results slowly (and nobody has time for slowness nowadays), but it can even drain more battery or overheat the phone.

• Media consumption: we’re all streaming videos, especially in HD or 4K. The GPU in our phones ensures that the video plays smoothly, and a better GPU can ensure our Netflix binge-watching goes uninterrupted.

• GPU-intensive apps: those are more niche cases, but people who use Adobe Lightroom or Premiere Rush on their phones are in for a treat with a stronger GPU. Those heavy apps can make my iMac break a sweat (that is if I overdo it), and could be quite slow on phones with a weaker GPU. Although I do most of such editing on my iMac, I still use my phone here and there and I can imagine why people would be happy to learn they are able to edit a 4K video on the go with the new Snapdragon chip.

• 5G and livestreaming. We’re in the era where a lot of the interesting stuff happens during live streams, video calls are a daily life thing, and cloud gaming is very popular. We have 5G now, and the faster internet connection means we can watch a live stream in 4K. For that, you need a powerful GPU more than you need a faster CPU. And we’re even talking about 6G nowadays, so there’s that.

The hidden benefit and my personal favorite: energy efficiency

If you know me, I’m all in for longer battery life, and when I hear energy efficiency being the center of attention of a chipmaker, I am more than pleased. Energy efficiency ensures longer battery life but also makes the phone have less issues with excessive heat. And we know very well that when a phone is overheating, it doesn’t perform (and gets uncomfortable to hold if you’re gaming!).

If the rumors are true and Qualcomm is focusing on energy efficiency, the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip would promise to keep devices cooler and extend battery life, making those long gaming sessions in the middle of the night much more enjoyable.

Bring on the GPU power

I believe we’ve reached a point where faster CPUs aren’t really making a big difference for most of us. The choice to focus on better energy efficiency and stronger GPUs is exactly what we need. As someone who loves high-quality photos, editing photos and videos, and is very hyped about the future of AI, I’m more excited about GPU improvements than a small bump in CPU speed.

In the end, I don’t need more CPU speed. What I need is a phone that renders beautifully looking videos or graphics, has fast AI, stays cool, and lasts longer on a single charge. Qualcomm’s reported new direction with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 seems like exactly what I’m dreaming of.

I know some might be demanding more CPU speed. But I’d take the current CPU speeds to have a more efficient energy use and a stronger GPU anytime. So, if the rumors are true, kudos to Qualcomm for figuring the important things out just when it needs to.