Qualcomm has just announced the newest innovation in mobile technology: the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 4 nm mobile platform. It is designed as a more budget-friendly counterpart to last year’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 and will bring higher performance to the entry level of 5G devices.
Powerful performance at a lower cost
The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 features a Qualcomm Kryo CPU that is capable of pushing peak speeds up to 2 GHz. During that, this new SoC comes with the same advanced 4 nm processing node as the older one to ensure power consumption is at a minimum while also promising robust performance.
Essentially, it is capable of powering Full HD+ displays at refresh rates up to 90fps—marginally inferior to the 120Hz an equivalent Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 can offer, but smooth and responsive all the same. Additionally, it comes with the same dual 12-bit ISP, offering class-leading support for cameras.
Advanced connectivity and navigation
The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 has a sundry of powerful modem configurations on board, ensuring Gigabit 5G connectivity, albeit only on 5G SA-only supported Standalone networks. The platform integrates a dual-frequency GNSS, L1 + L5, that includes NAVIC for location accuracy and reliability.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 5G specifications
- CPU: 2 x Kryo Prime CPU (A78-based) at up to 2GHz, 6 x Kryo Efficiency CPUs (A55-based) at up to 1.8GHz
- General: 4 nm process technology, built-in Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF System
- GPU: Qualcomm Adreno GPU, OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0 FP, Vulkan 1.1
- Peak Download Speed: Download speeds of up to 1 Gbps (5G)
- Cellular Modem-RF: Sub-6 GHz, standalone (SA), FDD, TDD Dynamic Spectrum Sharing, Sub-6 GHz: 100 MHz bandwidth, 2×2 MIMO
- Camera: Up to 13 MP + 13 MP dual camera with 30 FPS Zero Shutter Lag, Up to 32 MP single camera with 30 FPS Zero Shutter Lag, Up to 108 MP Photo Capture, Qualcomm Spectra Image Signal Processor, Dual 12-bit ISPs, 1080p Single Video Capture @ 60 FPS, 1080p dual video capture @ 30 FPS, Slow-mo Video Capture at 720p @ 120FPS
- Memory: LPDDR4X memory up to 2133 MHz, UFS 3.1 2-Lane storage
- Charging: Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ technology
- On-Device Display Support: FHD+ / HD+ @ 90Hz
- Audio: Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec with best-in-class Total Harmonic Distortion and low signal-to-noise ratio for authentic audio reproduction
- Connectivity: Integrated Wi-Fi 5 mobile connectivity chipset, Support for Bluetooth 5.1 and WPA3 Security
- Location: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Calileo, NavIC, QZSS, Dual Frequency GNSS (L1/L5)
- Universal Serial Bus (USB): USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB-C
- Codecs: H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), VP9 playback
Snapdragon 4s Gen 2: Product brief
Making 5G affordable
Qualcomm plans to launch Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 this year, shipments starting in the fourth quarter. This platform is said to be in use in smartphones that cost even lower, starting as low as USD 100, which is around Rs. 8,380. Among early adopters for new Qualcomm tech is Xiaomi, focusing on markets like India to promote such smartphones. This, in turn, will bring down the price point of 5G phones many notches lower, thus democratizing advanced mobile technology.