Helio G99 vs Snapdragon 685: A Comparison

MediaTek Helio G99 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 are two popular mid-range chipsets found in smartphones released between 2023 and 2024. Both balance performance and power efficiency, making them great choices for affordable yet capable phones.

In this article, Carisinyal will compare these chipsets across several key areas: fabrication technology, CPU and GPU design, power consumption, gaming performance, camera support, connectivity, and benchmark scores.

Architecture and Fabrication Technology

Both processors are made using a 6-nanometer (6nm) manufacturing process. The Helio G99 is produced with TSMC’s 6nm technology, while the Snapdragon 685 uses Qualcomm’s own 6nm process. This modern fabrication helps both chips run cooler and use less power compared to older models.

Although both have eight cores, their CPU designs differ. The Helio G99 uses a big.LITTLE setup with two powerful Cortex-A76 cores running up to 2.2 GHz and six energy-saving Cortex-A55 cores clocked up to 2.0 GHz.

The A76 cores handle demanding tasks, while the A55 cores manage lighter workloads, which helps balance speed and battery life.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 685 is built on Qualcomm’s Kryo 265 architecture. It includes four large Kryo Gold cores (based on the older Cortex-A73) running at up to 2.8 GHz, and four smaller Kryo Silver cores (based on Cortex-A53) at 1.9 GHz.

This means the Snapdragon has more ‘big’ cores and a higher maximum clock speed, but its core design is a bit older than the Helio G99.

CPU Performance

Both chipsets run everyday apps like social media, web browsing, messaging, and light multitasking smoothly. You’ll only see differences during heavy use or in benchmark tests.

Thanks to its four fast Kryo Gold cores, the Snapdragon 685 has a slight edge in single-core tasks. The 2.8 GHz speed gives it more power per core in some situations.

However, when all cores are active, the Helio G99 can match or even surpass the Snapdragon 685. Its mix of two Cortex-A76 and six Cortex-A55 cores delivers strong multi-core performance.

Overall, the Helio G99 usually performs better in both heavy and light tasks due to its newer CPU cores. Still, in daily use, the difference isn’t very noticeable. Both chipsets are more than capable for most users’ needs.

GPU and Gaming Performance

Both the Helio G99 and Snapdragon 685 target the mid-range market, so their graphics capabilities are enough for casual and mid-level gaming, though they don’t reach flagship performance.

The MediaTek Helio G99 comes with an ARM Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, a first-generation Valhall-class GPU with two cores running at 950 MHz to 1 GHz. This GPU offers a noticeable upgrade compared to older Mali models.

It also includes MediaTek HyperEngine 2.0 Lite, which improves gaming by managing CPU, GPU, and network performance to make gameplay smoother and reduce lag.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 685 has an Adreno 610 GPU running around 950 MHz. This GPU is well-known in Qualcomm’s mid-range lineup and is praised for its stability and compatibility with many popular games.

For titles like Mobile Legends, FreeFire, PUBG Mobile, and Call of Duty Mobile, both chips run smoothly on medium graphics settings. Tests show they can deliver about 30 to 60 FPS on these settings.

However, for more demanding games such as Genshin Impact, both need to be set to low or medium settings to maintain playability, since neither chipset is designed for high-end gaming.

Power Efficiency and Heat

Due to their 6nm manufacturing process, both chipsets offer good power efficiency. They are built to support smartphones that last long on a single charge and don’t get too hot.

The Helio G99 runs at a slightly lower maximum CPU speed (2.2 GHz versus 2.8 GHz on the Snapdragon). With newer and more efficient Cortex-A76 cores, the Helio generally stays cooler and uses less power during heavy tasks.

Tests confirm that the Helio G99 maintains lower temperatures during intense use, like extended gaming or video recording.

Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 685’s higher clock speed across four cores can lead to higher power consumption and more heat under full load. This means during heavy gaming sessions, it may drain the battery faster and feel warmer than the Helio G99.

Still, the difference isn’t very large. Both benefit from the efficient 6nm process, and Qualcomm also uses good thermal controls.

Camera and Video

Both chipsets have capable Image Signal Processors (ISPs) for mid-range phones. They support cameras up to 108 MP. The Helio G99 handles dual-camera setups (like two 16 MP sensors) and supports multi-frame processing for better photos.

The Snapdragon 685 features a triple 12-bit ISP, which can record or capture from three cameras simultaneously, for example, main, ultrawide, and front cameras at the same time.

However, neither supports 4K video recording. They max out at Full HD 1080p video at 60 frames per second. For most casual users, though, 1080p at 60fps is more than enough for social media or vlogging.

Connectivity

Both chipsets only support 4G LTE, without 5G capability. The Snapdragon 685 includes Qualcomm’s X11 LTE modem with download speeds up to about 390 Mbps and upload speeds near 150 Mbps.

Similarly, the Helio G99 has a built-in 4G modem with comparable speeds, which are good enough for HD streaming, video calls, and fast downloads.

Both support Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) with dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). They don’t offer Wi-Fi 6, but Wi-Fi 5 remains fast for everyday internet use.

Benchmark Scores

Here’s how they compare on popular benchmark tests:

AnTuTu v10 (Overall Score)

Helio G99 scores around 422,000 points, while Snapdragon 685 reaches about 349,000. This means the Helio is roughly 20% faster overall.

Geekbench 6

In single-core tests, the Helio G99 scores 729 points, Snapdragon 685 scores 473. For multi-core, Helio hits 1,979 points compared to Snapdragon’s 1,510. This shows the Helio is stronger, especially under heavy CPU use.

3DMark Wild Life (Graphics)

Helio G99 scores around 1,243 points, nearly double the Snapdragon 685’s 641. The Helio’s GPU runs about 7 FPS in this test, while the Snapdragon runs about 3 FPS, indicating the Mali-G57 MC2 is more powerful than the Adreno 610.

Conclusion

Both MediaTek Helio G99 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 are solid mid-range 4G chipsets, each with its strengths. If you want better overall performance and efficiency, the Helio G99 is a strong choice. If gaming is your priority, the Snapdragon 685 offers a reliable experience.

Still, the differences are not huge. Either chipset will serve well for everyday use and casual gaming.