The smartphone world moves at a breakneck pace. Just as we’re getting comfortable with the latest and greatest, a new contender appears on the horizon. This is the perpetual cycle in the fiercely competitive budget flagship segment, a domain where Xiaomi’s Redmi Note series has long reigned supreme.
The buzz is now building around the inevitable successor, the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus. Leaks and benchmarks are starting to paint a picture of what we can expect, particularly its beating heart: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 processor. But in a surprising twist for the tech community, early data suggests that compared to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 in the current Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus, this might be one of the most incremental upgrades we’ve seen in years.
Let's break down what we know and why you might want to think twice before assuming the newer model is automatically better.
The Heart of the Matter: Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 vs. Gen 4
First, a quick recap. The Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus (or Note 14 Ultra in some regions) was launched with the then-new Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. This chipset was built on a 4nm process and featured an octa-core CPU with four Cortex-A78 performance cores clocked at up to 2.5GHz and four Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. It was a solid, efficient performer designed to handle demanding tasks and gaming without breaking a sweat or the bank.
Now, enter the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4. The name implies a generational leap, but the specifications tell a more nuanced story. Based on numerous leaks, including those from reliable tipsters, the new chip is also built on a 4nm architecture. Its CPU configuration? An octa-core setup with four Cortex-A78 cores and four Cortex-A55 cores. Sounds familiar, right?
The primary difference appears to be a slight bump in clock speed for the performance cores, potentially reaching up to 2.8GHz on the Gen 4 compared to the 2.5GHz on the Gen 3. This minor frequency increase is theoretically meant to deliver a small boost in performance.
Benchmarks Don't Lie: A Reality Check
Theory is one thing, but real-world performance is what matters. This is where the story gets interesting. Renowned tipster Sudhanshu Ambhore recently shared a Geekbench 6 result for a device believed to be the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus, powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4.
As spotted on X (formerly Twitter), the results are... underwhelming. The device scored 1009 in the single-core test and 2895 in the multi-core test.
For context, let’s compare that to the existing Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus. If you dig through the Geekbench browser, you’ll find that the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 device consistently scores around 950-980 in single-core and 2700-2800 in multi-core tests.
You can see a typical Geekbench 6 run for the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 here for a direct comparison.
The takeaway? The performance difference is marginal at best. We’re looking at a single-digit percentage increase—somewhere in the 5-7% range. This is the kind of difference that is virtually imperceptible in day-to-day use, whether you’re scrolling through social media, multitasking between apps, or even playing graphically intensive games at high settings.
What Does This Mean for You, the Buyer?
This revelation fundamentally changes the conversation around the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus.
For owners of the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus: You can breathe a sigh of relief. Your phone is not suddenly obsolete. In fact, it remains 95% as powerful as the upcoming model. There is absolutely no compelling performance reason to upgrade. Any improvements in the Note 15 Pro Plus will likely come from other areas like camera sensors, software, or design tweaks.
For those looking to buy a new phone: This creates a fascinating dilemma. Upon the release of the Note 15 series, the Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus will inevitably see significant price drops. If the core performance is nearly identical, getting the previous generation model at a discounted price becomes an incredibly smart and value-for-money decision.
You’ll get a fantastic 120Hz AMOLED display, a capable 200MP+ camera system, blistering 120W fast charging, and performance that mirrors the new phone, all for a fraction of the launch price.
Beyond the Chip: Where Could the Real Upgrades Be?
This isn’t to say the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus will be a bad phone. Xiaomi will likely focus on other improvements to justify the new model. We can anticipate:
- Camera Improvements: A new primary sensor or enhanced image processing algorithms.
- Design Refinements: Perhaps a new material for the frame or a more premium finish.
- Software: It will likely launch with HyperOS based on Android 15 out of the box, with a promise of longer software support.
- Battery: Maybe a larger capacity or even more efficient power management.
However, none of these are the fundamental performance leap that a new processor generation typically promises.
The Final Verdict: A Labeled Leap, Not a Real One
The "Snapdragon 7s Gen 4" name is, in this case, somewhat misleading. It appears to be less of a revolutionary new architecture and more of a mildly refreshed version of the Gen 3. This practice isn't uncommon in the industry, but it does make the "upgrade" path far less clear-cut.
In the battle of Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus vs Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus, the winner on paper might be the new phone, but the winner in value and practical sense will almost certainly be its predecessor. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4, based on early data, is hardly the upgrade we hoped for, making the current Redmi Note 14 Pro Plus one of the smartest buys in the mobile world today.
Post a Comment