Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 6 Gen 5: new chips for affordable android smartphones with 5G

Qualcomm has expanded its line of mobile platforms of the new generation by introducing two processors for entry-level and mid-range devices — Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 6 Gen 5. Both new products are aimed at low-cost Android smartphones, but have received a number of features with a high refresh rate, modern AI processing capabilities, improved graphics and new communication standards.

Snapdragon 4 Gen 5

Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 is created according to the 4-nanometer process and is intended for budget-level smartphones. The platform received an eight-core architecture with two productive cores operating at a frequency of up to 2.4 GHz and six energy-efficient cores at a frequency of 2.0 GHz. Adreno GPU is responsible for graphics.

One ​​of the key changes was the significantly increased performance of the graphics subsystem. Qualcomm claims a GPU increase of up to 77% compared to the previous generation of the Snapdragon 4 series. This should have a positive effect on mobile games, smoothness of the interface and processing of multimedia content. The manufacturer also talks about an overall increase in platform performance of about 54% over competing solutions in this segment.

The platform supports displays with FHD+ resolution and a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, while previously the maximum in this series was considered to be 120 Hz. Also, the processor is designed to work with cameras up to 108 MP and 5G sub-6GHz networks.

Improved autonomy and new communication options

Qualcomm separately emphasizes the energy efficiency of the new platform. Thanks to the optimization of the device architecture, Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 will be able to work longer without recharging. According to the company, the smartphones will get about an extra hour of video playback, over an hour and a half of music listening time and about 35 minutes of extra talk time.

Significant changes also affected the modem part. Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 for the first time in the series received support for Dual SIM Dual Active with the simultaneous operation of two SIM cards in 5G networks. The maximum data download speed has increased to 2.8 Gbps thanks to the increased bandwidth.

In addition, the platform now supports video recording with a resolution of 4K, while previous solutions in the series were limited to shooting 1080p at 60 frames per second.

The list of additional features includes Snapdragon Sound with support for aptX Adaptive, the Snapdragon Smooth Motion UI system to increase the smoothness of the interface and the accelerated launch of applications, as well as the functions of automatic image processing: autofocus, autoexposure, electronic stabilization and recognition.

Snapdragon 6 Gen 5

The second novelty – Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 – is also manufactured using a 4-nanometer process, but is positioned as a solution for more productive mid-range smartphones.

The chip uses a different configuration of cores: four productive cores work at a frequency of up to 2.6 GHz, and four more energy-efficient cores at 2.0 GHz. Qualcomm claims an increase in graphics performance of about 21% over the previous generation Snapdragon 6.

The new platform has expanded gaming capabilities. The Adaptive Performance Engine 4.0 system is built into the processor, which is responsible for the stability of performance in games and the reduction of frame rate drops. Support for Snapdragon Game Super Resolution for image scaling and Frames Per Second 3.0 system is also announced.

AI features, camera and wireless technologies

Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 received a number of new features for mobile photography. Among them are night shooting using artificial intelligence algorithms, support for digital zoom up to 100× and shooting images with a resolution of up to 32 MP with Zero Shutter Lag technology, which reduces shutter lag.

The platform also supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 and BT Channel Sounding technology, which is used in device finding systems and Bluetooth trackers.

At the same time, some characteristics were simplified compared to the previous generation. For example, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 lost support for mmWave 5G, and the USB standard was downgraded to USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.1. GPS capabilities have also changed: now only L1 and L5 bands are supported.

Release date

Qualcomm has already confirmed that the first smartphone manufacturers on the new platforms will be Honor, Oppo, Realme and Redmi. Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 will appear mainly in more productive mid-range models, while Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 will be used in affordable smartphones with 5G support.

The release of the first devices is expected in the second half of 2026. The new chips continue the expansion of the Gen 5 family, which previously included the flagship platforms Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Now Qualcomm brings many modern features and a more affordable segment of Android devices.