Qualcomm Intros Snapdragon Chips for 2023's Mid-Range & Affordable 5G Phones
Sep 6, 2022, 10:00 AM by Rich Brome @richbrome
Qualcomm has just announced the two chips that will power a great number of entry-level and mid-range Android phones in 2023: the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 6 Gen 1. Both chips integrate a 5G modem and include upgraded performance as well as new features compared to the chips they replace. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 has 40% faster processing (CPU), 35% faster graphics rendering (GPU), and 3x better AI performance compared to the Snapdragon 695. The move from a 6nm manufacturing process to 4nm brings better power efficiency. It's also the company's first 6-series chip to support staggered-HDR camera sensors, enabling computational HDR video capture. It supports 200 megapixel photo capture, Wi-Fi 6E (via FastConnect 6700), and 3GPP release 16 5G (via X62 modem), all firsts for the 6 series. It supports advanced Bluetooth 5.2, including LE Audio, dual antennas, and Snapdragon Sound. Specialized AI functions include AI De-Noising (AIDE) to remove noise in low-light images, audio noise cancellation/reduction, and contextual detection, such as listening for a baby crying, door closing, fire alarm, glass breaking, etc. Like the 695, the 6 Gen 1 has a 12-bit triple ISP for advanced photo and video. For gaming, it supports 10-bit HDR, Variable Rate Shading, and Qualcomm Game Quick Touch. It supports up to 12 GB of LPDDR5 memory at up to 2,750 MHz. It will ship in phones in the first quarter of 2023. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 moves to a 6nm manufacturing process, a first for the affordable 4 series. This and other upgrades offer 15% faster processing (CPU) and 10% faster graphics (GPU) compared to the Snapdragon 480. It's also the first 4-series chip capable of photo capture up to 108 megapixel. Its Spectra triple 12-bit ISP supports MFNR (multi-frame noise reduction) for better low-light photos. Its X51 5G modem supports peak download speeds up to 2.5 Gbps. Other features include Variable Rate Shading for gaming, a Hexagon Tensor accelerator for AI, and a 3rd Gen Qualcomm Sensor Hub. Carried over from the 480 are support for 120 Hz FHD+ displays, Quick Charge 4+, and FastConnect 6200 (for 2x2 Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.2). The first phones to use the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 will ship this month.
source: Qualcomm
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