For 2020, Qualcomm brought 5G capabilities to all of its high-end chipsets. It is now adding the Snapdragon 768G to the fray as the most powerful non-flagship chipset. Built on a 7nm process, it is also one of the most efficient mobile platforms around.
Currently, 5G as a feature is limited to the Snapdragon 865 and the Snapdragon 765 series. The Snapdragon 768G, as the name suggests, is a beefed-up variant of the latter. It retains global 5G connectivity via the Snapdragon X52-RF modem, on both mmWave and Sub-6GHz bands in both stand-alone and non-stand-alone formats. This exhaustive band support makes it capable of latching on to all 5G standards across the world. Theoretical peak download speed is said to be 3.7Gbps and 1.6Gbps upload speeds.
Snapdragon 768G specs
The Snapdragon 768G brings minor performance improvements over the 765G. For starters, the Prime Kryo 475 core is clocked at 2.8GHz as opposed to 2.4GHz. It needs to be noted that the other seven cores do not see any changes in the clock speeds and are not levelled-up. It also brings in a faster variant of the Adreno 620 GPU which is expected to offer a 15% improvement in performance. Developers will appreciate that the Snapdragon 768G is also pin- and software-compatible with Snapdragon 765 and 765G.
Other features that are carried forward include the Snapdragon Elite Gaming suite, which brings special game optimizations and extensions, resulting in smoother and consistent gameplay. It is also the first 7 series chipset to offer updateable graphics drivers, giving players the ability to fine-tune the visuals. The Snapdragon 768G also brings support for 120Hz displays.
In terms of imaging, the Qualcomm Spectra 355 image signal processor brings support for up to 192MP image sensors, or 36MP with multi-frame noise reduction and zero shutter lag. Video recording caps out at 4K30 with HDR, HDR10, HDR10+ and 10-bit colour depth. Slow-motion capture is possible at up to 480fps or 16x slower.
The 5th gen AI Engine brings on-device contextual awareness for voice commands and identifying music playing in the background without taking a toll on the battery. Other notable inclusions are support for NavIC, Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6, USB 3.1 and Quick Charge 4+.
The first device to be powered by the Snapdragon 768G is the Redmi K30 Racing Edition, which was announced in China today.
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