The Kirin Camp Age: Tracing Huawei's Processor Journey Through Time

Have you ever stopped to think about the tiny brains inside our phones, the ones that make everything run so smoothly? Well, the story of Huawei's Kirin processors, sometimes called the "Kirin camp age," is a really interesting one, full of innovation and some pretty big changes over the years. It’s a period, you know, where these chips really made their mark on the mobile world.

This idea of a "Kirin camp age" really points to a time when these specific chips were a major player, pushing the boundaries of what smartphones could do. It’s not just about a single chip, but rather the whole family of processors that Huawei, through its HiSilicon division, brought to the market. So, it's almost like looking back at a whole era of technological progress.

We’re going to take a friendly stroll through the history of these chips, looking at their beginnings, how they grew, and what made them stand out. From their earliest days to some of their most powerful versions, we'll cover the key moments that defined this particular period in mobile tech, and honestly, it's quite a tale.

Table of Contents

• The Dawn of Kirin: Early Ambitions
• Kirin's First Steps: The 620 Era
• Evolving Performance: From 810 to 980
• The Flagship Contender: Kirin 990 and Beyond
• Kirin 9000: A Closer Look
• Behind the Name: Why "Kirin"?
• HiSilicon's Architecture: More Than Just Kirin
• The Shifting Sands of Performance
• Frequently Asked Questions About Kirin Processors

The Dawn of Kirin: Early Ambitions

It’s easy to think that the Kirin story began with just the Kirin processors we know today, but that’s actually not the full picture at all. You see, the beginnings of Huawei’s chip efforts go back much further than many might realize. It’s kind of interesting, how these things start.

As a matter of fact, way back in 2003, Huawei took on a big national project, known as the 863 project. This was a pretty significant undertaking. At that time, they started putting together their WCDMA terminal chipset product line. So, this was really the foundation, the very first steps towards what would eventually become the Kirin chips we talk about now.

This early work was all about building the core pieces for mobile communication devices. It was, you know, a foundational effort. The idea of "Kirin" itself, as a specific processor brand, came much later, but the groundwork was laid during these initial years of deep research and development.

Kirin's First Steps: The 620 Era

When we talk about the true first generation of Kirin processors, the one that really kicked off the "Kirin camp age" in a recognizable way, we’re actually looking at the Kirin 620. This particular chip came out in 2014, and that, you know, marked a pretty important point in their journey.

The Kirin 620 was, in some respects, a significant step for Huawei. It showed that they were serious about designing their own silicon for their devices. This was a time when many phone makers still relied almost entirely on outside chip suppliers, so having their own was a big deal, really.

This chip, the 620, basically set the stage for all the Kirin processors that would follow. It was the initial foray into creating a distinct identity for their mobile chipsets. And, as you can imagine, it was quite a learning experience, too, building on those earlier foundational projects.

Evolving Performance: From 810 to 980

Over the years, the Kirin line kept growing and getting better. One chip that really stood out, especially in the mid-range market, was the Kirin 810. This processor was, you know, pretty good when it came to both its performance and how efficiently it used power. It was considered a strong contender for phones that didn’t cost a fortune.

Then, we saw chips like the Kirin 980. If you were thinking about upgrading your phone in 2024, moving from a Kirin 980 to, say, an 8Gen2 chip, that’s actually a really big jump in performance. It’s not just a small improvement; it’s a massive boost in what your phone can do, honestly.

You know, if all you wanted was the performance of an 8Gen2, you could find phones with that chip for around two thousand yuan or so. You didn’t necessarily need to spend 3300 yuan to get that kind of speed. This just goes to show how the market was, in a way, offering more choices for powerful devices.

The Flagship Contender: Kirin 990 and Beyond

The Kirin 990 was, arguably, a very important chip for Huawei, especially the 5G version. It brought some serious upgrades. For one thing, it moved to a more advanced manufacturing process, the 7nm EUV. This meant it could pack more power into a smaller space, which is pretty neat.

And then there was the graphics part, the GPU. This got a big boost, too. It went from having 10 cores in its Mali-G76 setup to a whopping 16 cores. So, that’s a significant improvement for things like gaming and video, you know, making everything look smoother and run faster.

The main CPU part of the Kirin 990 didn’t change its core design, but its speed, its clock frequency, was increased. This meant it could still get tasks done quicker. Plus, the NPU, which handles AI tasks, was greatly improved. It also had integrated 4G connectivity, which was, you know, standard for the time.

However, the Kirin 990, despite being a flagship chip around mid-2020, did have some things it missed out on. It didn't support the faster UFS 3.1 storage or LPDDR5 memory. This was, frankly, a bit of a drawback. It meant that, compared to newer phones coming out, it might get outdated a little quicker than other flagships, particularly those from previous years.

But honestly, these days, many flagship phones have way more performance than most people ever really need. So, even a chip like the Kirin 990, which was released a while ago, still performs quite well for everyday use. It’s pretty good, all things considered, for a lot of regular tasks.

Kirin 9000: A Closer Look

During one of their product announcements, Huawei also introduced another chip, the Kirin 9000E. This chip, in some respects, was very similar to the Kirin 9000. The differences between the two were, you know, not huge, but they were there.

Both the Kirin 9000 and the Kirin 9000E used the Mali G78 graphics processor. This was a powerful choice for handling visuals. The main difference was in the number of cores for that graphics processor. The Kirin 9000 came with a 24-core version, while the Kirin 9000E had, you know, a slightly different core count.

This distinction, while perhaps seeming minor, could mean a slight difference in graphical horsepower between devices using these two chips. It’s just a little tweak, really, but it shows how they offered different versions for different needs or price points.

Behind the Name: Why "Kirin"?

Have you ever wondered why Huawei’s mobile chips are called "Kirin," using the seemingly Romanized spelling instead of the more common English "Kylin"? It’s a rather interesting point, you know, about branding and cultural roots.

The name "Kirin" itself comes from a mythical creature in East Asian culture, often associated with good fortune and prosperity. Using this particular spelling, "Kirin," might just be a deliberate choice to connect with that cultural heritage in a specific way, perhaps for international recognition or to stand out a bit. It’s a subtle thing, but it does make you think.

HiSilicon's Architecture: More Than Just Kirin

It’s important to understand that Kirin processors are just one part of a much larger picture within Huawei’s chip design arm, HiSilicon. HiSilicon itself has, you know, several big business departments, and they each focus on different areas of technology. It’s quite a comprehensive setup, actually.

There are three main departments under HiSilicon: Turing, Connectivity, and Wireless Terminal. The Kirin processors that we’ve been talking about are actually part of the Turing department. So, Kirin is, basically, a sub-team within Turing, which is pretty cool.

But Turing has other important parts too. There’s Turing Core, which focuses on core processing units. Then there’s Descartes, which handles GPU design. Ascend is another team, and they work on AI chips. And, you know, there’s also Kunpeng, which designs server CPUs. So, it’s a very broad group of chip design efforts.

The Wireless Terminal department also has its own important sub-team, called Balong. Balong is responsible for modems, like the ones that handle your phone’s cellular connection. So, it’s not just about the main processor; there are many specialized teams working on different parts of the technology, which is pretty complex.

The Shifting Sands of Performance

The world of mobile chip performance is always moving, and what was top-tier yesterday might be, you know, just good today. For instance, in mid-2020, the Kirin 990 was definitely a flagship chip in the phone world. It was right up there with the best, basically.

However, as we discussed, its lack of support for UFS 3.1 and LPDDR5 was a bit of a disadvantage. This meant it was likely to be replaced by newer, more advanced chips a little quicker than, say, some of its competitors. That’s just how fast technology moves, you know.

There was a time, too, when people wondered if Qualcomm’s high-end chips, like the Snapdragon 865, would have trouble if they kept using external modems. This was a topic of discussion among tech enthusiasts, with some concerns about the impact on the premium market. It was, in a way, a very competitive time.

The amount of flagship chips that HiSilicon shipped out was, you know, quite large. This showed their significant presence in the market. It really highlights how much impact they had, particularly during the "Kirin camp age," where their processors were found in many popular devices.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kirin Processors

People often have questions about these chips, so here are a few common ones:

• When did the first Kirin processor come out?

  The very first Kirin processor, the Kirin 620, was released in 2014. That was, you know, the beginning of the branded Kirin line.

• Is it possible to install Windows on a Kirin phone?

  Kirin CPUs are based on ARM64 architecture, not X86 or AMD. While Windows 10 and 11 do have ARM64 versions, you can't just install them like you would on a regular PC. It's not a simple process, and usually, it's not supported by the phone maker. So, no, you can't, basically, just reinstall Windows like that.

• How does the Kirin 810 compare to other mid-range chips?

  The Kirin 810 processor was, you know, known for doing a great job with both performance and not using too much battery power. It was seen as a really strong contender in the mid-range phone market, offering a good balance for everyday users.

We hope this look back at the "Kirin camp age" has been helpful, giving you a clearer picture of Huawei’s journey in chip design. If you're curious to learn more about how mobile technology has changed, you can explore other articles on our site. Learn more about chip technology on our site, and link to this page here for more historical insights.