Qualcomm is pushing for 5G-enabled chipsets in the budget smartphones category with the unveiling of the Snapdragon 690 series.
Compared to its previous generation, the new Snapdragon 690 processor features the company's latest X51 5G modem, its fifth-generation AI engine, and support for 4K HDR video capture.
It also supports 120Hz refresh rate displays and improved graphics performance. The new chipset is expected to make 5G Android devices more affordable and they could hit the stores second half of this year.
Before this, 5G capabilities were restricted to top-tier smartphones in the Snapdragon 8-series and the semi-premium Snapdragon 765 and 768G.
The X51 modem offers support for download speeds up to 2.5GB/s while uploads can go up to 660Mbps over 5G networks.
The new chipset, as per the company, is expected to deliver up to 20 percent better CPU and up to 60 percent faster graphics performance. This could be a game-changer for devices in the budget segment especially when games are getting more graphic intensive.
Multimedia also gets a boost in the new Snapdragon 690 as it comes with the ability of record in HDR 10 format with support for refresh rates up to 120Hz.
“Driving the expansion of 5G into the Snapdragon 6-series has the potential to make 5G accessible to more than 2 billion smartphone users around the world.”Cristiano Amon, President, Qualcomm Incorporated
It will also be compatible with up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and offer support of the India-made NavIC satellite navigation system.