What determines the “computing power” of CPU cores? Why is an ARM core generally considered less “powerful” than an x86 core?

Question

We hear all the time that a smartphone with 8 cores is nowhere near as powerful as a desktop PC with 8 cores, and this is mostly chalked up to the smartphone having 8 ARM cores which are weaker computationally than 8 x86 cores, but what aspect of a CPU core design makes it better or worse at computing than another design? Hypothetically, if I wanted to make an ARM core as powerful as an x86 core, what would I change about it?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Perhaps to simplify the ideas above, both F1 racing cars and a Ford Fiesta have ‘engines’. Both are around 1.6 liters. But the Fiesta 1.6 generates 99 horsepower, the F1.6 around 1000.

Of you replace ‘core’ in your original question with’engine’, you get the idea.