Qualcomm has announced four new mid-range Snapdragon processors, announcing two new Snapdragon 400 and two new Snapdragon 600 processors with advanced new LTE modems and capabilities.
All the new processors use either the new X8 LTE or X5 LTE modem from Qualcomm, with the X8 LTE capable of Cat 7 4G LTE, offering 300 Mbps down and 100 Mbps up, while the X5 LTE offers download speeds of up to 150 Mbps.
The Snapdragon 400 series now offers the Snapdragon 415 and 425 both of which are Octa-core 64-bit processors using ARM Cortex A53 cores and the Adreno 405 GPU. The Snapdragon 415 will be the budget model of the range, using the X5 LTE modem, while the 425 will use the higher-end X8 LTE modem offering a slightly more powerful option for manufacturers. The Snapdragon 415 and 425 will offer support for video capture at 1080P resolution, with the Snapdragon 425 also offering support for dual-ISP cameras.
The Snapdragon 600 series now includes the Snapdragon 620 and 618 processors, with both processors using the X8 LTE Modem. The Snapdragon 618 will offer a 64-bit hexa-core setup with dual ARM Cortex-A72 cores paired with quad Cortex-A53 cores, while the Snapdragon 620 will offer a 64-bit octa-core setup with eight ARM Cortex-A72 cores. Both processors will be paired with a ‘next-generation Qualcomm Adreno GPU’.
In terms of bonus features, both of the new Snapdragon 600 processors will offer support for high quality audio with support for 192kHz/24bit music playback built-in. Camera support will also be excellent with Qualcomm advising they will support :
High quality camera with dual Image Signal Processors (ISP) supporting twin 13MP cameras, gyro image stabilization, enhanced autofocus and local tone mapping to improve image quality beyond HDR
The Snapdragon 415 and 425 are expected to appear in devices in the first half of this year, while the Snapdragon 600 processors should begin appearing in the latter half of this year.
