Achim Maier
Qualcomm today unveiled the new Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset (SM4450), the successor to the 4 Gen 1 launched in September last year. Thanks to the Snapdragon X61 modem, this is the first chip in the series to support the improved 3GPP Release 16 version of 5G. It’s also the first 4nm chip in the Snapdragon 4 series.
Qualcomm does not name the manufacturer, but the newer node is said to promise improved overall efficiency. For reference: The 4 Gen 1 chip is manufactured in 6nm at TSMC, the predecessor Snapdragon 480 in 8nm at Samsung.
The new CPU has two performance cores with 2.2 GHz and six efficiency cores with 2.0 GHz. This results in 10% more performance compared to the SD 4 Gen 1. There is no information on the Adreno GPU and the display support is the same as before – FHD+ with 120fps. However, the new chip supports the faster LPDDR5x RAM with up to 3,200 MHz and the memory controller goes up from UFS 2.2 to UFS 3.1 with two lanes.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
| Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 | |
| Process | 6nm (TSMC) | 4nm |
| CPU | 2 x 2.0GHz + 6 x 1.8GHz | 2 x 2.2GHz + 6 x 2.0GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | ? |
| RAM | LPDDR4x @ 2,133MHz | LPDDR5x @ 3,200MHz |
| Storage | UFS 2.2 | UFS 3.1 (2 lanes) |
| Display | up to FHD+ @ 120fps | up to FHD+ @ 120fps |
| ISP | Triple | Dual (12 bit) |
| Camera | up to 108MP | up to 108MP, up to 32MP Zero Shutter Lag |
| Video | up to 1080p @ 60fps | up to 1080p @ 60fps, EIS |
| Modem | X51 (2.5Gpbs down, 800Mbps up) | X61 (Rel. 16, 2.5Gpbs down, 900Mbps up)) |
| Local | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1 (aptX) | Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1 (aptX) |
| USB | 3.2 Gen 1 | 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Charging | Quick Charge 4+ | Quick Charge 4+ |
The camera hardware has been reduced to just two image processors, but has a new feature called Multi-Camera Temporal Filtering (MCTF for short), which ensures better noise reduction in videos. Video capture is still limited to 1080p at 60fps (and 720p at 120fps for slow-mo). The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 now supports electronic image stabilization (EIS). The chip can handle cameras with a resolution of up to 108 megapixels or a resolution of up to 32 megapixels with zero shutter lag (or 16+16 MP for dual cameras). The autofocus should also work faster now.
Like its predecessor, the 4 Gen 2 processor supports Quick Charge 4+ and, according to Qualcomm, charges a battery to 50% in 15 minutes, although without further details. USB-C connections run at USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds, i.e. up to 5 Gbps. Unfortunately, the local connections haven’t changed – the chip only supports Wi-Fi 5 (ac) at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, as well as Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX for audio.
The 3GPP Release 16 standard brings new power-saving functions as well as better coverage and more precise location determination. In addition, the X61 modem supports 4×4 MIMO with up to 100 MHz bandwidth and achieves speeds of up to 2.5 Gbit/s downstream and 900 Mbit/s upstream. The first smartphones with the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 will come in the second half of the year. The first manufacturers will be Xiaomi / Redmi and vivo.
