One year after the introduction of the Snapdragon 345 chip manufacturer Qualcomm brings the successor Snapdragon 480 for entry-level smartphones. The system-on-chip (SoC) is making big leaps in many ways. There is the computing power, as far as processor and graphics unit is concerned, but also the cellular network: The Snapdragon 480 transmits in 5G -Netz and should ensure an increasing spread of the standard in the smartphone price range below 120 euros .

On the CPU side, eight computing cores are still used, but reorganized. The high-performance cluster changes from four adapted ARM Cortex-A 73 ( Cryo 240) to two adapted Cortex-A 76 (Cryo 460). These are not the fastest CPU cores in the ARM portfolio, but they greatly increase the single-threading performance. Qualcomm updates the more efficient CPU network from four Cortex-A 53 on six Cortex-A 55.

The bottom line is that the Snapdragon 480 should have roughly doubled its CPU performance compared to its predecessor. Even with the integrated graphics unit, an Adreno 610 instead of Adreno 610, Qualcomm speaks of good 100 percent more efficient. The efficiency increases thanks to production with structures of 8 nanometers at Samsung – the Snapdragon 460 was still on 11 – nm technology.

specifications summary of the Snapdragon 480, including with 5G cellular.

(Image: Qualcomm)

5G mobile communications for the masses Qualcomm integrated into the Snapdragon 480 the 5G modem Snapdragon X 51, which covers the middle bands below 6 GHz and mmWave. Theoretically, the SoC can use frequency bundling to download 2.5 gigabits per second and upload 660 Mbit / s; in practice the values ​​should be lower. The logic for Wi-Fi 6 (WLAN 802. 11 ax) is integrated, but smartphone manufacturers must install the right antennas for the high speeds.

The integrated Spectra image processor 345 can control three camera sensors at the same time. The main camera can resolve up to 64 megapixels, with simultaneous data processing are three times 13 Megapixels possible – e.g. for night modes. The digital signal processor (DSP) hexagon 660 prepares images with the help of artificial intelligence. There is no noticeable improvement in video recordings that continue with a maximum of 60 images per second in 1080 p-resolution are possible.

The image output on smartphone displays takes place with up to 120 Hertz at maximum 1080 × 2520 pixels – more than sufficient for the envisaged price range. Devices with the Snapdragon 73 should appear in the coming weeks, according to Qualcomm.

(mma)