Samsung Exynos 1680: Powering the Galaxy A57 and Beyond
Samsung has officially unveiled the Exynos 1680 chipset, the core of its newly released Galaxy A57 smartphone. While positioned as an iterative upgrade over the Exynos 1580 found in the Galaxy A56, the Exynos 1680 brings improvements to CPU performance, graphics processing, and on-device AI capabilities. This launch signals Samsung’s continued commitment to in-house chip development for its mid-range devices.
Core Specifications and Improvements
The Exynos 1680 is built on a 4nm manufacturing process, maintaining the same fabrication node as its predecessor. However, Samsung has refined the core configuration. The new chip adopts a 1+4+3 core layout, differing from the Exynos 1580’s 1+3+4 configuration. This adjustment swaps one compact core for a medium core, aiming to enhance multi-core performance for tasks like video encoding and emulation. Android Authority details these core changes.
GPU and NPU Enhancements
Graphics performance receives a boost with the inclusion of the Xclipse 550 GPU, based on AMD’s RDNA 3 technology. Samsung claims a 16% performance increase over the Xclipse 540 GPU in the Exynos 1580, despite both GPUs featuring two work group processors. Android Authority reports on this GPU upgrade.
The integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) also sees an upgrade, reaching 19.6 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second) compared to the previous generation’s 14.7 TOPS. This improvement, while not substantial, aims to deliver more robust on-device AI experiences.
Connectivity and Camera Support
The Exynos 1680 supports faster RAM and storage standards, utilizing LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. It also incorporates Bluetooth 6.1, an upgrade from the Bluetooth 5.4 found in the Exynos 1580. Android Authority highlights these connectivity improvements.
In terms of camera capabilities, the chipset supports up to 200MP single camera setups, 32MP+32MP dual-camera systems, and 4K/60fps video capture, alongside support for FHD+ displays with a 144Hz refresh rate.
Galaxy A57 and Future Implementations
Currently, the Exynos 1680 powers the Galaxy A57, which also boasts an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance and a 13% larger vapor chamber for improved thermal management. GSM Arena details these features of the Galaxy A57.
Samsung is expected to extend the use of the Exynos 1680 to other devices in its A-series lineup, potentially including future iterations of the Galaxy A3x series. Android Authority suggests this possibility.
Galaxy A57 5G
The Galaxy A57 5G also utilizes the Exynos 1680 processor, delivering smooth and responsive performance for gaming and multitasking. Samsung US confirms this.
The Exynos 1680 represents a solid, if not revolutionary, step forward in Samsung’s mid-range chipset offerings. It provides a noticeable performance uplift for the Galaxy A57 and sets the stage for future A-series devices.