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Yesterday Qualcomm finally padded out the rest of its chipset line-up for mobile phones for 2020. We had all the exciting releases in December with the flagship Snapdragon 865 and the new mid-range 5G Snapdragon 765.
So the latest announcement is less exciting but equally as important as the new chips will feature on phones within the more affordable segment. This includes the Snapdragon 720G, the Snapdragon 662 and finally the entry-level Snapdragon 460.
When I looked at the Snapdragon 720G and the Snapdragon 662, there were a suspicious amount of similarities between the chipsets that sit above them. In fact, there were hardly any differences apart from camera spec changes, and Wi-Fi 6 compatibility.
The spec sheet for all the chips is a bit thin on the ground so it is hard to compare them accurately. The one positive thing about the SD720G and SD662 is that they are probably going to take the tech of more expensive chipsets and introduce it to a lower price point. At least that’s what I hope.
So how does the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 look like compared to similar chipsets?
CPU
Initial impressions look positive, this is a massive upgrade from the Snapdragon 450 which launched all the way back in 2017.
With this chipset, you basically get a beefed-up Snapdragon 636 or cut down Snapdragon 665. The SD460 is manufactured on the 11nm fabrication process which is the same as the SD665 and improved over the 14nm of the SD636.
The Exynos 9609 is the closes competitor I can find from Samsung this was launched last year and uses the 10nm fabrication process, there is also the Exynos 7904 which sits a bit lower on the 14nm fabrication process.
Both the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 and SD636 share the same CPU specification even though they use different Kryo numbers. This is four Cortex A73 running at 1.8GHz then another four Cortex A53 cores at 1.8Ghz.
The Snapdragon 665 has the same CPU core layout, but its four Kryo 260 (CA73) cores are clocked higher at 2.0GHz.
The Samsung has the same but it clocks the A73 much higher at 2.2GHz but uses a lower 1.6GHz clock for the Cortex A53
The old SD450 looks redundant now with eight Cortex A53 cores going up to 1.8GHz
GPU – Adreno 610 vs Adreno 509 – 3DMark Benchmarks
The GPU is where things get interesting for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460. The specs state this has an Adreno 610 GPU which is the same as you get on the Snapdragon 665. The Snapdragon 636 has the Adreno 509 and the SD450 has the Adreno 506.
Looking at some benchmarks of the Adreno 610 vs 636 you are looking at a 15% to 20% improvement from the 509 to 610 in most of the 3DMark Sling Shot tests
The Samsung uses the Mali-G72 with three cores which is much closer in performance with some of the 3D mark scores being ahead by around 5% but others behind by 5%
Camera
The camera is a bit more confusing we know the new CPU has a Qualcomm Spectra 340 processor and it can handle 48MP lenses with a dual 16MP lens. These limitations can change though and Qualcomm has upgraded chipset specs in the past to state they can handle bigger MP lenses.
Connectivity
All these are 4G LTE chipsets as you would expect. The SD460 has a Snapdragon X11 LTE modem which is not as good as the one found in the SD636 or SD665 and can only handle 390 Mbps, but I doubt this will be a huge issue.
The spec sheet states that there is Wi-fi 6 802.11ax with WPA3 for security. However, as we saw last year with the Snapdragon 855 it is up to the manufacturer if they want to include Wi-Fi 6. None of the other chipsets has support for this.
This chipset will bring the latest Bluetooth 5.1 to entry phones.
Pricing
With this being a Snapdragon 400 series, it is the pricing that is most important. The SD665 was found on phones like Xiaomi Mi A3 and the Moto G8 Plus both of which cost over £150
The Nokia 7.1, 6.2 and Motorola G7 Plus have the SD636, again, all over £150
The Samsung Exynos 9609 is found in the Motorola One Vision which is about £200
Not many phones are still sold with the SD450 but I would hope the Snapdragon 460 will launch on phones at or under £150.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 vs Snapdragon 636 vs SD665 vs SD450 vs Samsung Exynos 7904 Comparison Table
SoC | Snapdragon 460 | Snapdragon 636 | Snapdragon 665 | Snapdragon 450 | Exynos 9609 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 2020 | 2019 | 2019 | 2017 | 2019 |
Fabrication | 11nm | 14nm | 11nm LPP | 14nm | 10nm |
CPUS | Octa-core up to 1.8 GHz Kryo 240 4 x Kryo 240 (Cortex A73) @ 1.8Ghz | 4 x Kryo 260G (A73) @ 1.8Ghz | 4x Kryo 260 (CA73) @ 2.0GHz | 4x A53 @ 1.8GHz | 4 x A73 @ 2.2Ghz |
4 x Kryo 260 (A53) @ 1.8Ghz | 4 x Kryo 260S (A53) @ 1.8Ghz | 4x Kryo 260 (CA53) @ 1.8GHz | 4x A53 @ 1.8GHz | 4 x A53 @ 1.6Ghz | |
GPU | Adreno 610 | Adreno 509 | Adreno 610 | Adreno 506 | Mali-G72 MP3 |
Memory | 2x16 LP4x @ 1866 MHz eMMC, UFS 2.1 | LPDDR4X / UFS | 2x 16-bit @ 1866MHz LPDDR4 14.9GB/s | 1x 32-bit LPDDR3 | LPDDR4X / eMMC |
Camera | Qualcomm Spectra 340 Image 48 MP Photo Capture | Qualcomm Spectra 160 ISP 24MP Single | Spectra 165 Single 48 MP | Dual ISP 21MP (Single) | Rear 24MP, Front 24MP, |
16 MP dual camera with Zero Shutter Lag and Multi-Frame Noise Reduction | Dual 16MP | Dual 16 MP, MFNR, ZSL, 30 fps Single25 MP, MFNR, ZSL, 30 fps | 13MP + 13 MP (Dual) | Dual Camera 16+16MP | |
1080p Video Capture @ 60 FPS | 4K @ 30 FPS | 2160p30, 1080p120 H.264 & H.265 | 1080p H.264 & HEVC (Decode) | 4K UHD 120fps HEVC(H.265) and H.264 VP9 | |
FHD @ 120FPS | FHD @ 120FPS | ||||
Modem | Snapdragon X11 LTE modem | X12 LTE | Snapdragon X12 LTE | X9 LTE Cat. 7 300Mbps DL | |
Downlink: LTE Cat 13 up to 390 Mbps, 2x20 MHz carrier aggregation, up to 256-QAM | Cat 12 (3xCA) / 13 600Mbps down | (Category 12/13) DL = 600Mbps 3x20MHz CA, 256-QAM | 150Mbps UL | Cat 12 (3xCA) / 13 600Mbps down | |
Uplink: LTE Cat 13 up to 150 Mbps, 2x20 MHz carrier aggregation, up to 64-QAM | 150Mbps up | UL = 150Mbps 2x20MHz CA, 64-QAM | 150Mbps up | ||
AI | Hexagon 683 | Hexagon DSP | Hexagon 686 | Hexagon DSP | |
Other | Wi-fi 6 802.11ax-ready - WPA3 Bluetooth version: 5.1 |
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.