qualcomm snapdragon

Apple Inc recently announced that it was in the process of developing its chipsets for Apple devices. With the American tech giant on its way to usurping Qualcomm as the largest chipset manufacturer in the world, Qualcomm has come back with a new processor of its own. The company just announced and launched its newest Snapdragon 678 processor. The processor uses the 11nm process, and the company believes that the chip will be an even larger success than the Snapdragon 675. Read on to learn more about the Snapdragon 678, its features and what this means for the smartphone industry.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 678 Faster, and Reliable

When compared to the hugely popular Snapdragon 675, the 678 offers several prominent performance upgrades. It allows for complicated and advanced photo and video capture and enables high-speed connections. Additionally, the chipset can also revolutionize the art of gaming by enabling immersive entertainment experiences. If that wasn’t all, the chip also supports longer-lasting battery life and more reliable connections. The Kyro 460 CPU powers the chipset, allowing it to clock speeds as high as 2.2 GHz. 

Similar to the 675, the new chip also comes with an Adreno 612 GPU, allowing it to support dynamic videography and photographic capabilities. The new processor comes equipped with Qualcomm’s Spectra 250L ISP technology, enabling the capture of images at share-worthy detail and colour. The processor supports cameras up to 48MP on the back and 16MP dual ones on the front. Additionally, the processor’s capabilities also back video recording at 4K, along with other features such as slow-mo, portrait mode, and five-time optical zoom.

Other Features

1. The Snapdragon 678 supports faster graphics rendering, drops fewer frames and can capture sharp visuals at very high framerates.
2. Most of these features are a result of the combination of both the Kryo 460 CPU cores and Adreno 612 GPU. 
3. Qualcomm has also worked on the processors used by top game engines, such as Unreal Engine 4, Messiah, Unity and NeoX.
4. Along with the process comes the Snapdragon X12 LTE modem, which supports download speeds as high as 600Mbps. The modem is also good enough to power upload speeds as high as 150Mbps. 
5. Additionally, Qualcomm’s newest modem integrates well with all major cellular modes and also supports Licensed Assisted Access.
6. The modem’s engineering allows it to power fast connections even in areas that are congested and busy.
7. The Snapdragon 678 SoC is an upgrade on the 675 that powers mid-range phones such as the Redmi Note 7 Pro and Vivo U20. With the new chipset, Qualcomm aims to recapture the market it lost to the Helio G chips made by MediaTek in 2020.

Changes and Upgrades

Since the Qualcomm Snapdragon 678 also relies on the ARM Cortex-A76 and A-55 cores much like the 675, experts believe that the processor would have the same IPC rate. Hence, there might not be a massive jump in overall performance when compared to the 675. However, the newer processor does offer users more space and smoothness in operations. Both chips use the 11nm process, but the 678 features a 2.2GHz Kryo CPU whereas the 675 features a 2.0 GHz CPU. Hence, users can expect a smoother interface and better speeds while using apps. However, both chips utilise the same ISP and Modem, and both feature Quick Charge 4+ capabilities. The Spectra ISP enables the 678 to support Multi-Frame Noise Reduction features on its 48MP camera.  It also powers Zero Shutter Lag on either a single 25MP camera or split between two 16MP cameras.

The processor can capture 4K video at 1080p at 30FPS. Additionally, it also supports the HEVC format and can take videos at slow-motion mode at 120 FPS. The maximum resolution supported will be 2520×1080, with a 10-bit depth of colour. While smartphones in the range the chipset wishes to target seldom comes with 10-bit displays, it is comforting to know that the processor supports such a feature.

The Snapdragon 678 also supports Qualcomm’s 3rd-gen AI Engine with the help of the Hexagon 685 DSP. Hence, it is safe to say that the 678 will create small ripples in the mid-range category in 2021, if not massive shockwaves. Primarily, the new chip might help Qualcomm gain the consumers it lost to MediaTek this year.

Snapdragon, as a part of its annual Tech Summit Digital 2020 introduced its flagship 888 5G platform for mobile phones. As per reports, this chipset will serve as the benchmark for most flagship phones to hit the market next year. The new platform contains key industry-leading innovations in the fields of 5G, gaming, camera, and artificial intelligence. The Snapdragon 888 has the power to transform mobile devices into gaming rigs of exceptional quality. Additionally, the new chipset can convert phones into high-quality cameras and capable personal assistant. Let us now take an in-depth look at the new chipset and what features it will bring to the world of smartphones.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888

The Snapdragon 888 provides advanced 5G capabilities and connectivity, which will allow it to redefine mobile experiences for users. As a result, the chipset will usher in a new dawn of console-quality gaming, enterprise mobility, and telephony.  Senior VP of Mobile and Infrastructure for Qualcomm Technologies, Alex Katouzian said that this new chipset is yet another breakthrough technology. Qualcomm has a long history of providing such historic breakthroughs in the field of premium-tier mobile phones. The new chipset will allow manufacturers to differentiate their products and bring to life cutting-edge mobile technologies.

Key Features of the Snapdragon 888

Connectivity: Features the world’s most advanced 5G platform that supports both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth audio. It also features the Snapdragon 3rd Gen X60 Modem-RF System that extends support for 5G-enabled sub-6 carrier aggregation. This will help make the system capable of delivering the world’s fastest 5G speeds, up to a maximum of 7.5 Gbps.  The system also enables superior coverage as it uses a Dynamic Spectrum Sharing technology. The chip also supports Global 5G multi-SIM, enabling international roaming, and allows users to manage multiple numbers on the same phone.

Additionally, the system also allows users to optimize their different monthly plans and receive the best services at the most affordable costs. The chip also supports the world’s fastest Wi-Fi 6 speeds up to 3.6 Gbps as it runs on the FastConnect 6900 Connectivity System. This feature also supports Bluetooth 5.2, the Qualcomm aptX suite, and unique modulation and coding features.

Artificial Intelligence: Snapdragon 888 has a unique 6th Gen AI Engine that features the Hexagon 780 processor. This new system provides the perfect blend of voice assistants, gaming capabilities, camera quality, and fast connectivity. The chipset also features power-efficient options and performance that is three times better than the previous generation at 26 TOPS.

The platform also makes use of the 2nd Gen Sensing Hub, integrating a low-power processor to improve activity detection, screen wake, and audio detection. Such features make use of advancements in technologies like 5G, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. The updated AI Engine Direct software will enable developers to run AI-powered apps on the platform.

Camera: The Snapdragon 888 features the Spectra 580 ISP, and will be the first to have a Triple Image Signal Processor. This will enable it to capture streams simultaneously from three cameras at speeds as high as 2.7 gigapixels per second. Users can use 120fps snapshots to capture HD action sequences or three 4K HDR videos. The Spectra 580 ISP also has an updated low light architecture, allowing users to take brighter photos, even in near darkness conditions. To enable image capture in more shades, the chip features a 10-bit color depth in HEIF.

Gaming: The chipset features an Elite Gaming arsenal allowing users to enjoy ultra-smooth play at high graphics, mirroring desktop capabilities. The Snapdragon 888 also brings Variable Rate Shading to mobiles for the first time, improving rendering by 30%. The Game Quick Touch function improves responsiveness by 20% and helps in lowering touch latency.

Performance: The chipset features several significant architectural advances. Manufacturing of the platform makes use of 5nm process technology, with the Kryo 680 improving CPU performance by 25%. Top frequencies lie close to a whopping 2.84GHz, and this will be the first commercial subsystem based on the Arm Cortex-X1. The Adreno 660 renders graphics 35% faster when compared to the previous generation and can sustain better performance for more extended periods.

Security: Snapdragon 888 features the following technologies to protect user data and maintain a secure ecosystem. 

1. Secure Processing Unit
2. Trusted Execution Environment
3. Wireless Edge Services 
4. Type-1 Hypervisor, which helps isolate data between apps 
5. Capture cryptographically-sealed photos 

Mobile phones that make use of the Snapdragon 888 will hit the market by the first quarter of 2021. All the features listed above make it evident that the devices making use of this chipset will be miles ahead of its competitors. There will be a substantial boost in Qualcomm’s capabilities, helping our smartphones become faster, safer, and more efficient than ever before!