TSMC's 3nm process achieves what Samsung Foundry couldn't deliver.
Four-year development cycle produced unexpected market-leading benchmark results.
Chinese manufacturers now threaten Korean semiconductor dominance worldwide.
Xiaomi has just shattered the exclusive club of smartphone chip makers. The Chinese tech giant unveiled their Xring 01 processor with performance numbers that surpass every Samsung Exynos chip ever made. This breakthrough positions Xiaomi alongside industry giants who control both hardware and software.
What makes the Xring 01 special? Four years of development and US$13.5 billion in investment have produced a technical marvel. The new 3nm chip delivers benchmark scores matching the best from Qualcomm while outperforming Samsung's flagship processors across multiple tests.
The Xring 01 features an advanced deca-core CPU configuration built on ARM's architecture. The processor includes four different types of cores working together to balance performance and power efficiency.
At its heart are 2 Cortex-X925 high-performance cores running at 3.9 GHz. These are supported by 3 Cortex-A725 cores at 2.6 GHz and 3 Cortex-A720 cores at 2.3 GHz. For efficiency tasks, the chip relies on 2 Cortex-A520 cores running at 2.0 GHz.
TSMC manufactures the chip using its second-generation 3nm process. This advanced fabrication allows for over 19 billion transistors in a single processor. The graphics capabilities come from a 16-core Mali-G925 GPU, which offers 33% more cores than similar GPUs used by competitors.
Recent benchmark results show the Xring 01 achieving scores that match or exceed current flagship processors. In Geekbench 6 tests the chip consistently scored around 3,119 points in single-core and 9,673 points in multi-core performance.
| Processor | Single-Core Score | Multi-Core Score | Process Technology |
| Xiaomi Xring 01 | 3,119 | 9,673 | 3nm |
| Samsung Exynos 2400 | 2,856 | 8,787 | 4nm |
| Snapdragon 8 Elite | 3,102 | 9,656 | 3nm |
These numbers tell an impressive story. Xiaomi's first flagship processor performs on par with Qualcomm's best offering while outperforming Samsung's top Exynos chip. The consistency across multiple benchmark runs also suggests excellent stability and thermal management.
The Xring 01 represents a huge leap forward, but it isn't Xiaomi's first chip. Their journey began with the Surge S1 in 2017. This entry-level processor powered the Mi 5C smartphone but had modest capabilities compared to competitors.
Xiaomi later announced the Surge S2 at MWC 2018. It was intended for the Mi 6X smartphone, but plans changed. The company ultimately abandoned that chip in favor of using Qualcomm's Snapdragon 660.
The progression from those humble beginnings to a competitive flagship processor is remarkable. Xiaomi built a chip development team of over 2,500 professionals to support this ambitious project. The results speak for themselves.
Samsung has struggled with its Exynos processor line recently. The company reportedly planned a 3nm smartphone chip, nicknamed the "Dream Chip," internally for the Galaxy S25 series. This Exynos 2500 never materialized due to Samsung Foundry's poor 3nm yield rates.
Rumors now suggest the chip might debut with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 in July. This remains unconfirmed. Samsung's difficulty bringing a 3nm processor to market while Xiaomi succeeded highlights significant manufacturing challenges for the Korean giant.
The performance gap between Samsung's current Exynos 2400 and Xiaomi's Xring 01 is substantial. Samsung must address this to remain competitive in the premium smartphone segment, where processing power increasingly matters.
The Xring 01 will debut in two upcoming devices: the Xiaomi 15S Pro smartphone and the Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra tablet. By controlling both hardware and software Xiaomi aims to create more optimized experiences for users.
From the customer perspective, competition will only bring benefits. It will be good for greater competition as more players designing high-performance chips should accelerate innovation. This could lead to better battery life, fast processing, and features underway across different brands.
This milestone achieved by Xiaomi is of great importance in a never-ending transformation across the landscape of smartphone technology. New challengers are posing threats against the incumbents, in domains once considered exclusive. If these benchmarks translate into real-world performance, then Xiaomi has secured a significant competitive advantage.
Also Read: Chinese OEMs Take Over: How Xiaomi, Vivo & Huawei Are Redefining Global Market Share