On Wednesday, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4, its latest mid-range smartphone chipset, designed using 4nm process technology. In the coming months, brands like Realme, OPPO, and Honor will be among the first to release smartphones powered by this new processor.
“This platform delivers enhanced performance and power efficiency, allowing users to experience ultra-fast 5G and Wi-Fi wherever they go. Whether gaming, creating content, or working, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 is set to redefine the mid-tier smartphone segment with major advancements in AI, gaming, and photography,” said Deepu John, senior director of product management at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Compared to the previous Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, the new chipset provides up to 11% better CPU performance and a 29% improvement in GPU capabilities, all while consuming 12% less power.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 supports displays with up to FHD+ resolution and a refresh rate of 144Hz. It can also output 4K resolution at 60Hz to an external display, though this feature depends on the availability of a high-speed USB 3.1 port, which varies by device. Notably, it is the first Snapdragon 6 series chip to integrate on-device generative AI, enabling functions like email drafting, content summarization, and background noise cancellation. Additionally, it brings lossless audio through the Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite to mid-range smartphones—a feature previously reserved for flagship devices.
The chipset features an octa-core CPU setup, consisting of a prime core running at 2.3 GHz, three performance cores at 2.2 GHz, and four efficiency cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. It supports up to 16GB of LPDDR5/DDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
A smartphone equipped with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 can support cameras up to 64MP, capture images up to 200MP, and record 4K HDR video at 30fps. Its integrated 5G modem offers download speeds of up to 2.9Gbps, while Wi-Fi 6E compatibility ensures faster wireless connectivity.
