If you haven’t noticed already, Qualcomm has a bit of an issue with the names of its chips. Adding to the confusion is the company’s latest mid-range chipset, the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4, which is meant for more affordable mid-range devices.
Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 got a faster CPU and GPU
If you’re wondering where exactly the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 stands, it’s at the lower end of the mid-range, while the 7s Gen 4 is at the higher end. The new chip is the follow-up to the 6s Gen 3, and it’s also slower than the 6 Gen 4. You can thank Qualcomm for the naming mess.
Built on Samsung’s 4 nm process, the chip packs four performance cores at up to 2.4 GHz and four efficiency cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. Qualcomm claims that it provides a 36% improvement in CPU performance, while the GPU performance is 59% faster than its predecessor.
The new chip also supports FHD+ 144Hz displays, mmWave and sub-GHz 5G, and Wi-Fi 6E. The Qualcomm Spectra ISP can support a single 200MP for photo capture, a single 32MP, or double 16MP cameras for up to 30fps video capture at up to 2K. Finally, devices with the new chip will support up to 12 GB LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 3.1.
No AI on this chip
The highlight features of the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4. | Image credit – Qualcomm
What stands out with the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 is that Qualcomm doesn’t mention any AI capabilities. Apparently, the devices that will use it won’t focus on AI features, if they even have any.
The lack of AI is not exactly a surprise, though. The few devices that featured the Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 were in the $300 price range, and AI is still more of an upper mid-range feature. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, 6 Gen 4, and the 7s Gen 4, both of which were announced earlier this year, support AI.
Slowly making cheaper phones better
Everyone’s excited to hear about how good the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is, but I think lower-end chips are more representative of how far tech has gone. Not everyone wants to pay for cutting-edge technology, so chances are that cheaper chipsets are reaching more people. If those chips are getting so much better, then tech is making real progress. I’ll still stick to the flagships, though.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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