Qualcomm has unveiled its new Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, which intends to power inexpensive devices with improved performance. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, codenamed SM6475-AB, is effectively an underclocked variant of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, intended to deliver high-performance capabilities to low-cost smartphones.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 CPU is expected to allow smartphone manufacturers to produce higher-performing smartphones at lower rates. Qualcomm's decision is a strategic attempt to meet the growing demand for low-cost handsets without sacrificing performance.
The chipset has a balanced design, with 4 Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.4 GHz and 4 Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz. This configuration offers an optimal balance of power and efficiency, making it suited for a wide range of common chores and applications. On the graphics front, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 has an Adreno 710 GPU that can handle demanding visual and gaming apps.
Comparisons With Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Despite being positioned as a new chipset, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 has numerous similarities to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2. Both chipsets use the identical core architecture and GPU, with the only change being the clock rates of the efficiency cores. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 offers significantly faster clock speeds on the Cortex-A55 cores, running at 1.95 GHz versus 1.8 GHz on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 also enables a 144Hz refresh rate at FHD+ resolution, which is not accessible on the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3.
Qualcomm hopes that by introducing Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, OEMs will have a more affordable choice for inexpensive smartphones, allowing high-performance products to reach a wider audience without requiring significant development.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 supports both LPDDR4x and LPDDR5 RAM, as well as UFS 3.1 storage, offering compatibility with a wide range of current and upcoming smartphones. While the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 does not provide any startling new capabilities over its predecessor, it remains a viable option for manufacturers seeking to balance performance and affordability.
