What you need to know
- Rumors about Qualcomm’s next budget chip, the Snapdragon 4 gen 6, claim that some graphics improvements are in the works.
- The report says that the chip may include an Adreno 6-series GPU, as well as Bluetooth 6.0 and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.
- The Snapdragon 4 Gen 5, launched in May, was the first 4-series chip to hit 90fps in games with an Adreno 4-series GPU.
Android Central Take
I’m interested in this SD 4 Gen 6 graphics rumor a lot. I’ve had budget phones before, and they worked well—for a while. Games continue to be updated. Their graphics continue to evolve. Ultimately, that budget phone feels… overdone. Qualcomm’s I’m trying it helps by providing a better GPU, and 90fps is a nice thing to have. I can’t help but wonder how much it is willing to push the GPU for its budget chip as it is budget.
Qualcomm is said to be working on another generation of chips for budget phones, and its details may have surfaced online.
Budget phones are often cut short when it comes to overall performance. However, alleged details about Qualcomm’s next Snapdragon 4 Gen 6 from NotebookCheck suggest that the company is trying to close the gap. The post claims that SD 4 Gen 6 could include the much-needed Adreno GPU upgrade. The chip may jump to the Adreno 6 series.
It is suspected that this will bring yet another significant increase in image output to budget phones. As it is, the book had no tangible numbers. Another assumption is that development involves its security, which is “getting renewed.” In terms of connectivity, rumors say that the SD 4 Gen 6 may feature Bluetooth 6.0 and an improved Wi-Fi 6 over Wi-Fi 5 on the Gen 5 SoC.
Of the possible similarities, the publication adds that the Snapdragon 4 Gen 6 may retain the same CPU architecture as its predecessor. If that’s the case, then we might get into another 2+6 Kyro core system (Kryo Gold, Kryo Silver). Another similarity would be its process, which NotebookCheck says may stay at 4nm.
Qualcomm released two chips in May, both aimed at the affordable phone market. Graphics were focused on Qualcomm with the SD 4 Gen 5. The company says this chip includes a “77% increase in Adreno GPU performance at 90fps in games.” This was a big moment for Qualcomm. Previously, no 4-series chip achieved such a high FPS (frames per second). Note, this is with Adreno 4-series GPU. With rumors suggesting improvements in this department, hopefully Qualcomm can push its graphics even further.
Budget phones often struggle with mobile games with very strong graphics, but dropping them to medium or low can help. However, if Qualcomm is really looking to boost its GPU again, perhaps users can feel more comfortable with average graphics on board without a noticeable drop in FPS.
Rumors about the Snapdragon 4 Gen 6 did not have a release date in mind. Given that we got Qualcomm’s last wave in May, there’s a chance the company could stick with that next year.