Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chipset at its Snapdragon For India event, aimed at budget-friendly smartphones. This chip emphasizes affordability over high-end performance.
The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 is built on the same 4nm manufacturing process and core configuration as its standard counterpart, but Qualcomm has reduced the performance of its high-performance cores to 2GHz. This positions it between the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 and 4 Gen 2 in terms of performance.
Hardware Differences
The trade-offs go beyond just processing power. The 4s Gen 2 supports slower LPDDR4X RAM instead of the faster LPDDR5X found in the 4 Gen 2. Additionally, the display quality is lower, with a maximum refresh rate of 90Hz compared to the 120Hz of the 4 Gen 2.
Camera capabilities have also been scaled back. The dual ISP no longer supports 108MP image sensors, limiting manufacturers to 50MP or 64MP options.
Connectivity and Features
The focus on keeping costs down extends to its 5G capabilities. While it does include 5G connectivity, download speeds are capped at 1Gbps, compared to the 2.5Gbps of the 4 Gen 2.
Connectivity options are also limited, adhering to older Wi-Fi 5 (ac) and Bluetooth 5.1 standards, which is typical for budget-oriented 4-series chips.
However, the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 isn't entirely stripped down. It retains the Qualcomm Audio and Voice Communication suite, offering high-fidelity music streaming at 96kHz. Camera features like multi-frame noise reduction and electronic image stabilization (EIS) are also included, along with dual-frequency reception for enhanced GPS accuracy.
Market Availability
Xiaomi will be the first manufacturer to launch a device with the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 in the Indian market, likely within their Redmi series.
Muralikrishnan B, the president of Xiaomi's India branch, expressed enthusiasm about the chip's potential to democratize 5G access: "We are excited to be working with Qualcomm Technologies to enable access to gigabit-fast connectivity for users. Many people have yet to experience the benefits of 5G, and thanks to Snapdragon 4s Gen 2, Xiaomi can bring 5G connectivity to a broader audience to help reshape the way the world connects and interacts."
However, the specific Xiaomi smartphone model that will debut with the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 has not been confirmed yet.
