Qualcomm today announced a series of new application processors for mobile devices, including the Snapdragon 620, 618, 425, and 415.
Both the Snapdragon 600 series and 400 series receive new features previously reserved for higher-class processors.
For example, the 620 jumps to 64-bit quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 CPUs and Cortex-A53 cores, while the 618 runs two ARM Cortex-A72 cores paired with quad Cortex-A53 CPUs. Both support dual-channel LPDDR3 memory. With these configurations, the 620 and 618 can support dual 13-megapixel cameras, 4K video capture and playback, quad HD displays, high-fidelity sound, and more realistic graphics when paired with Qualcomm’s Adreno GPU. They can also power continual sensors for real-time capture of motion, location, health, and environmental conditions.
The 425 and 415 are meant for volume handsets. Both run with octa-core 64-bit ARM Cortex A-53 CPUs with the Adreno 405 GPU. The 425 and can handle 1080p HD video capture/playback, dual cameras, and high-quality sound. The 415 is positioned for budget smartphones and loses the dual image signal processors found in the 425.
In addition to the new processors, Qualcomm has reconfigured its LTE modem lineup and pushed the Snapdragon brand to its radios. The first two new modems are the X8 and X5. The X8, which can be paired with the Snapdragon 620, 618, and 425, supports both downlink and uplink wideband Carrier Aggregation (up to 40MHz) with peak download speeds of 300Mbps and peak upload speeds of 100Mbps. The X5 LTE, found in the Snapdragon 415, features integrated 4G LTE Cat 4. Other LTE modems include the X7, X10, and X12 classes.
The latter two are reserved for Snapdragon 800 processors. The Snapdragon 415 is already sampling and Qualcomm expects it to appear in products during the first half of the year. The Snapdragon 620, 618, and 425 should arrive in consumer devices during the second half of the year.
