Qualcomm launched its latest mobile chipset, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4. The new platform offers improved performance across various aspects such as processing capability, power efficiency, graphics performance, AI, camera capabilities, and audio.
A key change is the manufacturing, as Gen 4 is the first in the line to be produced on TSMC"s 4nm node. Previous Snapdragon 6 generations were based on a 4nm process for Samsung and a 6nm process for TSMC. This generation further improves its architecture by moving to ARMv9-based CPU cores for the first time on the 6-series.
The chipset features a cores setup consisting of a top-of-the-line Cortex-A720 core clocked at 2.3GHz, three more Cortex-A720 cores clocked at 2.2GHz, and four power-saving Cortex-A520 cores clocked at 1.8GHz.
According to the Geekbench 5.2 single-thread test, the CPU performance is 11% better than that of the Gen 3 chip. The new Adreno GPU performs even better, though, with a 29% boost to graphical processing. The chip also demonstrates 12% better energy efficiency than the old chip, with additional battery life to offer.
For built-in displays, the 6 Gen 4 can support up to 1080p+ resolution and up to 144Hz refresh rate displays. The Adreno GPU includes Snapdragon Game Super Resolution for upscaling games to 4K and Adreno Frame Motion Engine.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 is the first in the lineup to support INT4 precision, enabling the execution of more complex AI models with larger parameter sets even within the constraint of device memory. Qualcomm already has AI use cases, like a text summarizer, ready for this platform.
When it comes to memory support, this chipset accommodates up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM with speeds reaching 3,200MHz—there’s also compatibility with LPDDR4X RAM at assertions correlating to 2,133MHz.
Wired connectivity options are enhanced through USB-C 3.1 ports allowing output resolution capability exceeding 4K at 60Hz, complete with support for 10-bit color depth and HDR10+ standards. Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 also features a 5G modem and Wi-Fi 6E.