Samsung Exynos 1680

Introduction and market context

The Exynos 1680 is a system on a chip (SoC) developed by Samsung, strategically positioned in the mid-range category. This processor is part of the company's silicon solutions ecosystem, designed to offer an optimal balance between computational performance and energy efficiency, essential characteristics for current mobile devices that aim to extend battery life without compromising processing power.

The introduction of this chip to the market addresses the need to equip mid-tier smartphones with sufficient computing power to handle demanding applications and local advanced processing tasks while maintaining controlled power consumption. Its debut as the central component in the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G marks its entry into the flagship product line of the A series, consolidating its role as the engine of the user experience in this specific segment.

CPU Architecture and Configuration

The Exynos 1680 features a 64-bit central processing unit (CPU) composed of 8 cores operating on 8 threads. This configuration follows a big.LITTLE microarchitecture, designed to optimize the balance between computational power and energy consumption through core specialization.

The CPU structure is divided into two main groups. The performance group consists of 5 Cortex-A720 cores, while the efficiency group comprises 3 Cortex-A520 cores. Within the performance architecture, a primary (Prime) Cortex-A720 core reaches a maximum frequency of 2.9 GHz, accompanied by 4 intermediate (Mid) Cortex-A720 cores operating at 2.6 GHz. The 3 Cortex-A520 efficiency cores run at a frequency of 1.95 GHz, intended to manage lower-demand tasks with reduced energy expenditure.

The maximum CPU operating frequency is set at 2.91 GHz, enabling the processor to respond agilely to the demands of operating systems and mid-range applications.

Manufacturing process and power efficiency

The Exynos 1680 is manufactured using a 4 nm lithography process. This advanced node technology enables a higher transistor density compared to previous generations, resulting in a significant improvement in the power efficiency of the system on chip (SoC).

In terms of power consumption, the chip features a nominal Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 5 W. This technical reference value indicates that the design is optimized to maintain a balance between computational performance and heat dissipation, allowing the device to operate stably without requiring complex cooling systems, a characteristic typical of processors aimed at the mid-range segment.

Memory and Storage System

The Exynos 1680 incorporates support for LPDDR5X RAM, a technology that optimizes both energy consumption and performance in mobile devices. This configuration enables an operating frequency of 3200 MHz, facilitating rapid data transfer between the central processing unit and main memory.

Regarding the memory architecture, the system utilizes a bus width of 32 bits, organized in a dual-channel configuration of 2x 16 bits. This structure allows for a maximum bandwidth of 25.6 Gb/s, ensuring a sufficient data flow for mid-range and multimedia tasks. The SoC supports a maximum installed memory capacity of 16 GB, offering device manufacturers the flexibility to configure the amount of RAM according to the target market segment.

In terms of internal storage, the Exynos 1680 is compatible with UFS 3.1 and UFS 4.1 standards. The inclusion of UFS 4.1 support is notable for its ability to provide significantly higher read and write speeds compared to previous generations, contributing to faster loading times for applications and operating systems, as well as greater durability and efficiency in long-term data management.

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

The Exynos 1680 features the Samsung Xclipse 550 as its integrated graphics processing unit. This architecture is designed to handle visual workloads in mid-range devices, offering a balance between rendering capability and energy efficiency.

In terms of its internal structure, the GPU comprises 128 shading units distributed across 2 pipelines. This configuration enables parallel processing of pixels and visual effects, resulting in a total of 256 shaders available for executing graphic routines.

The computational capacity of the Xclipse 550 reaches 1228.8 Gigaflops, a metric that indicates its raw power for performing floating-point operations per second. This performance level is suitable for running modern mobile games and applications that require intensive graphical acceleration.

Furthermore, the graphics processing unit supports DirectX 12.1, ensuring compatibility with the latest rendering features and software optimizations designed for this graphics API.

Neural Processing Unit (NPU)

The Exynos 1680 incorporates a Samsung Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that integrates a Vector Engine. This architecture is designed to efficiently manage advanced processing workloads directly on the device, eliminating the need to rely on external servers.

In terms of computational capacity, the NPU achieves a performance of 19.6 TOPS (trillion operations per second). This level of power allows for the acceleration of local advanced processing tasks, optimizing real-time data processing and improving energy efficiency by delegating these specific operations to the dedicated unit.

Wireless Connectivity and Modem

The Exynos 1680 integrates a suite of wireless connectivity solutions designed to provide broad coverage and high data transfer speeds. In terms of network connectivity, the chip supports 5G and Wi-Fi 6E, allowing devices equipped with it to access next-generation networks with greater stability and lower latency.

The central component of data connectivity is the integrated Shannon 5348 modem. This modem offers support for 5G in both main bands: FR1 (Frequencies Below 6 GHz) and FR2 (millimeter waves). In the FR1 band, it achieves download speeds of up to 5.1 Gbps and upload speeds of 1.28 Gbps. In the FR2 band, the maximum speeds are 4.84 Gbps for download and 0.92 Gbps for upload. Additionally, the modem is compatible with LTE networks of category 18 (Cat 18), which allows for download speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps and upload speeds of 211 Mbps on 4G networks.

Regarding short-range connectivity, the Exynos 1680 includes support for Bluetooth 6.1, a version that improves energy efficiency and connection stability compared to previous iterations. For satellite navigation, the system is compatible with multiple global constellations, including GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, and QZSS, ensuring robust positioning accuracy in various geographic regions.

The following table summarizes the key technical specifications of the connectivity subsystem:

Multimedia and Camera Capabilities

The Exynos 1680 incorporates a multimedia subsystem designed to manage high-resolution data streams, enabling the use of large image sensors. The processor supports camera configurations reaching 200 MP in single-camera mode, as well as dual-camera combinations with 32 MP sensors each. This flexibility allows mobile device manufacturers to integrate advanced photographic systems without exceeding the SoC's processing limitations.

Regarding video, the integrated graphics processing unit and video engine allow for the capture and playback of content at 4K resolution at 60 FPS. This capability ensures a smooth experience both when capturing high-definition scenes and when playing back next-generation multimedia files, maintaining system stability during extended sessions.

Audio support covers the most widely used formats in the current market, ensuring compatibility with the majority of streaming applications and local files. The supported audio codecs include:

• AAC
• AIFF
• CAF
• MP3
• MP4
• WAV

Display Support and Interface

The Exynos 1680 is designed to deliver a smooth visual experience in mid-range devices, supporting a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz. This capability allows compatible displays to render smoother transitions and more responsive touch input, which is particularly beneficial for navigating user interfaces and mobile gaming.

Regarding data connectivity, the system on chip incorporates a USB 2.0 interface. This specification defines the data transfer standard used for communication with external peripherals and charging, establishing the speed limits for information transfer between the device and other equipment.

Security Features

The Exynos 1680 incorporates a set of security features designed to protect the integrity of the operating system and user data at both the hardware and firmware levels. These measures aim to mitigate the risks of unauthorized access and ensure the authenticity of the software executed on the device.

Key characteristics include:

• TrustZone: A hardware security technology that creates an isolated and trusted environment within the processor, allowing sensitive operations to be executed and critical data to be protected from the rest of the system.
• Secure Boot: A mechanism that verifies the digital signature of the firmware and the operating system during the boot process, ensuring that only authentic and unmodified code is executed.
• Samsung Knox: A comprehensive Samsung security platform that extends protection across the entire device lifecycle, including vulnerability detection and system integrity management.

Technical Assessment and Performance

The performance of the Exynos 1680 is firmly positioned within the mid-range category, a segment where the balance between computational capability and energy efficiency is paramount. Scores obtained on widely used benchmarking platforms allow for the quantification of this position and facilitate comparisons with other processors of its class.

In the Geekbench test, the processor achieves a score of 1,382 points in the single-core test. This result reflects the capacity of the performance cores (Cortex-A720) to manage tasks that rely on single-thread speed, such as user interface responsiveness or the execution of lightweight applications. In the multi-core test, the SoC records 4,540 points, demonstrating the efficacy of the big.LITTLE architecture in distributing workload between performance and efficiency cores (Cortex-A520) to handle more intensive operations or multitasking.

On the AnTuTu platform, the Exynos 1680 obtains a total score of 300,346 points. This figure, which integrates CPU, GPU, memory, and user experience (UX) performance, confirms that the chip delivers a smooth experience for daily use, web browsing, and multimedia consumption, without aiming for the raw power levels of high-end processors.

These technical data points corroborate that the Exynos 1680 is designed to provide stable and predictable performance in mid-range devices, prioritizing efficiency and battery longevity over maximum instantaneous power.