# Why Your Phone’s Battery Life Isn’t Improving Despite Advances in CPU Efficiency: Insights from Qualcomm Engineers
As smartphone technology progresses, one persistent complaint from users continues to be battery longevity. Even though each new generation of processors, like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series, boasts substantial advancements in efficiency, numerous users discover that their phone batteries are not enduring much longer. This leads to a crucial question: if CPUs are becoming more efficient each year, why isn’t battery life enhancing at a comparable pace?
During the recent Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Qualcomm engineers provided insights into this dilemma, enhancing our understanding of why battery life continues to be a significant issue, even as their CPUs attain greater efficiency.
## The Snapdragon 8 Elite: A Transformative Leap in Efficiency
Qualcomm’s newest flagship chip, the **Snapdragon 8 Elite**, indicates a remarkable transformation in smartphone processor architecture. It’s the first chip to completely discard conventional “efficiency cores,” which have been integral to smartphone processors for many years. Efficiency cores typically manage less demanding tasks, thus aiding in battery conservation. Rather than this, the Snapdragon 8 Elite employs six high-performance **Oryon cores** clocked at 3.53GHz.
With a **44% increase in efficiency** compared to its forerunner, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the Snapdragon 8 Elite aims to provide enhanced performance while consuming less power. However, will this efficiency lead to greater battery life for regular users? According to Qualcomm engineers, the reality is more intricate than it appears.
## Distinction Between SoC Efficiency and Overall Phone Efficiency
One primary takeaway from the Snapdragon Summit is that **system-on-chip (SoC) efficiency** and **overall phone efficiency** do not equate. While Qualcomm, MediaTek, and other chip manufacturers frequently promote noteworthy efficiency improvements with each new processor, these enhancements do not consistently translate into visible battery life extensions for users.
Qualcomm engineers clarified that their efficiency measurements involve comparing the power consumed by the new chip to achieve the same performance as the preceding generation. For instance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is 44% more efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 while performing identical tasks. Nonetheless, this does not imply that your phone will inherently utilize 44% less power in total.
Why is that? Because **smartphones are engineered to maximize their hardware capabilities**. Each new model of phones introduces increasingly demanding features, such as higher-resolution screens, faster refresh rates, more powerful cameras, and advanced AI functionalities. These enhancements require additional power, even if the core processor is more efficient.
For example, the Snapdragon 8 Elite may exhibit better efficiency during routine tasks, but when engaging in gaming, AI-driven applications, or other resource-intensive functions, the phone will still drain a considerable amount of battery. As one Qualcomm engineer noted, **”SoC efficiency can’t balance out a large, bright, fast-refreshing display or regular 5G computing in an area with poor reception.”**
## The Decline of Efficiency Cores
Another significant change with the Snapdragon 8 Elite is the **removal of efficiency cores**. Historically, smartphone processors utilized a blend of high-performance and efficiency cores. Efficiency cores took on less demanding tasks, such as background activities or basic app usage, to conserve battery life.
However, Qualcomm engineers indicated that the new **Oryon cores** in the Snapdragon 8 Elite are proficient enough at low-power tasks that dedicated efficiency cores are no longer necessary. Shahin Farahani, Senior Product Manager for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, mentioned that when they evaluated the power consumption of the Oryon cores against traditional efficiency cores, they discovered that the Oryon cores performed “equally well” without compromising power efficiency.
This transition mirrors a broader industry trend. As Karl Whealton, Senior Director at Qualcomm, explained, **”A performance core operating at a lower voltage—or occasionally even duty cycling to shut off the core completely—has become more efficient than the smaller cores.”** Essentially, the new Oryon cores handle low-demand tasks just as capably as traditional efficiency cores while also being able to scale up to higher clock speeds when required.
This evolution implies that **efficiency cores may become redundant** in future smartphone processors. Qualcomm anticipates that other chip manufacturers, like MediaTek and Samsung, will likely adopt a similar approach by phasing out efficiency cores in favor of more adaptable performance cores.
## Reasons Battery Life Isn’t Improving
Despite these advancements in processing efficiency, **battery life continues to be a hurdle** for smartphone manufacturers. Several factors contribute to this:
1. **Increased Power-Hungry Features**: As previously noted, each successive generation of smartphones introduces increasingly demanding features that require more energy. High-resolution displays, 120Hz refresh rates, 5G connectivity, and sophisticated AI functionalities all play a role in this.
