Two names dominate the ultra-budget and legacy device markets: and ARM Mali-450 MP4 .
| Feature | Mali-450 | Mali-G31 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 1920x1080 (1080p) | 2560x1440 (2K) | | Video Decode | H.264, MPEG-4, VP8 | H.265/HEVC, VP9, H.264 | | YouTube Support | 1080p60 only | 1080p60 & 1440p30 | Mali-g31 Mp2 Vs Mali-450
The G31 is built for 28nm (or smaller) process nodes, designed specifically for the ultra-affordable segment of the market (phones under $100). Two names dominate the ultra-budget and legacy device
The Mali-450 cannot run Vulkan. The Mali-G31 MP2 can. Vulkan drastically reduces CPU overhead, leading to smoother frame rates in modern games like Fortnite and CoD: Mobile . The Mali-G31 MP2 can
Built on ARM's , the Mali-450 was the upgrade to the legendary Mali-400. It was designed for HD-ready devices. The "MP4" suffix means it has four pixel processors (fragments) and one triangle (vertex) processor per core. For its time, it was revolutionary, powering devices like the Rockchip RK3288 TV boxes and early MediaTek tablets. The Mali-G31 MP2: The Modern Underdog (2018) Six years later (Q1 2018), ARM introduced the Mali-G31 as part of its Valhall architecture—the same architecture found in flagship GPUs like the Mali-G76. Wait, Valhall? Actually, correction: The G31 was based on the Bifrost architecture (predecessor to Valhall), but it was the first GPU in the "Ultra-Low Power" series to support OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan.
Introduction: The Silent War Inside Entry-Level Smartphones
Add $20 to your budget. Do not buy a Mali-450 device. The G31 MP2 is the absolute minimum standard for a usable smartphone in 2025. Have you owned a device with either of these GPUs? Share your gaming experiences in the comments below.