Qualcomm is unveiling two new processors for affordable smartphones: the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 and 4 Gen 1. These two SoCs will replace the Snapdragon 695 and Snapdragon 480+, respectively. They bring a better fineness of engraving on their respective range, with as main consequence a reduction of the energy consumption and an improvement of the performances, in particular in photo. The first equipped smartphones are expected in 2023.
Generally, when we dedicate an article to a mobile processor, it is a high-end model. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 or the Dimensity 9000+ to name only the most recent. These are emblematic models, since they animate the most expensive smartphones. They concentrate everything that Qualcomm and MediaTek do best, in terms of optimization, power, engraving finesse and connectivity.
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But, once these innovations have been launched on the top of the range, the point is to pass them on to the less expensive segments. At Qualcomm, this translates into a variation on the 7 series, then the 6 series and finally the 4 series. After the arrival of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the Californian founder therefore replaced the Snapdragon 778G+ with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 presented in May 2022. We are also impatiently awaiting the first smartphone equipped.
Two new Snapdragon for affordable smartphones
And this week, Qualcomm continues by unveiling the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 4 Gen 1to commercially replace the Snapdragon 695 and the Snapdragon 480+, even if the latter will still remain in the catalog at least until 2023. Indeed, the first samples will be delivered at the end of 2022. And the first equipped models are not expected until first quarter of 2023 for the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, at Motorola in particular, and the third quarter for the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, at live (via its IQOO brand) for example.
The most interesting development is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, which has been rumored recently. Two reasons for this. Firstly because the fineness of engraving goes to 4 nm LPE, like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. This is the first time that a model of the series 6 goes to 4 nm (previously, we were on 4 nm).
108 MP photo sensors soon in phones under 400 euros?
Second reason for the interest of the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1: the integrated modem goes from X51 to X62, such as the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. This new modem is faster, whether on 5G or LTE. It is also the first model in the 6 series to be WiFi 6E compatible. Its processor is equipped with eight Kryo cores, 4 powerful clocked at 2.2 GHz and four less energy-consuming. It has a new GPU, of course. Its image coprocessor manages the photo sensors up to 108 MP. Finally, it is compatible with LPDDR5, the new generation of mobile RAM.
Let’s also mention the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1. It is engraved in 6 nm, a first in the 4 series (the previous ones were engraved in 8 nm). It has eight cores, two of which are greedy, Cortex-A78 clocked at 2 GHz. The CPU and GPU power gains are significant, but less impressive than the improvements in the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1. It takes advantage of the Snapdragon X51 modem, which we already find in the Snapdragon 480/480+. It is compatible with 5G, LTE category 15, WiFi ac and Bluetooth 5.2. Its Spectra image co-processor has been beefed up to handle the photo sensors of 108MPcompared to 64 MP previously.
