Qualcomm has unveiled its new Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chip, a significant upgrade aimed at enhancing the performance of budget Android smartphones. The updated processor features an advanced octa-core CPU and improved GPU performance.
Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chip for budget smartphones
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 delivers an 11% performance boost compared to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, utilizing the most modern CPU architecture to date in this series. The CPU configuration includes one Cortex-A720 core clocked at 2.3GHz, three Cortex-A720 cores at 2.2GHz, and four Cortex-A520 cores at 1.8GHz, surpassing the older Cortex-A78 and Cortex-A55 cores found in previous Snapdragon 6 models.
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Gaming capabilities have also seen a notable enhancement, with the new chip providing a 29% increase in GPU performance. Moreover, Qualcomm introduces several features designed to improve gaming experiences, including Game Super Resolution for visual upscaling, the Adreno Frame Motion Engine for frame interpolation, and Adreno HDR Fast Blend to enhance HDR gaming performance.
Power efficiency is another key improvement, with a reported 12% power savings compared to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, enabled by the modernized CPU and maintained on TSMC’s 4nm process technology.
AI and multimedia features
In terms of AI capabilities, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 incorporates an NPU that facilitates generative AI functions and INT4 support, which allows for greater compression of AI models for on-device tasks. The chip is expected to support various on-device features, such as content summarization and email drafting, though it remains to be seen how manufacturers will implement these features.
Camera and display features have been upgraded as well, allowing for 64MP single-camera support with multi-frame processing, a jump from the previous 48MP limitation. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 supports 4K video capture at 30fps HDR and refresh rates of up to 144Hz at FHD+ resolutions, an increase from 120Hz.
Additional features include Bluetooth 5.4, support for aptX Adaptive, Lossless, and Voice audio codecs, Quick Charge 4 Plus, and Wi-Fi 6E. It also supports a new Release 16 5G modem capable of downlink speeds reaching up to 2.9Gbps.
Leading smartphone manufacturers, including OPPO, realme, and Honor, are set to release devices powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 in the coming months. Qualcomm aims for this chip to cater to a diverse range of users, including gamers, professionals, and content creators, emphasizing improved overall performance and battery efficiency.
According to Deepu John, senior director of product management at Qualcomm, “Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 will drive the next leap forward for smartphones in the mid-tier thanks to significant advancements in AI, gaming, and photography.”
Image credits: Qualcomm
