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snapdragon

Qualcomm ups the mid-tier game with new Snapdragon 730, 730G and 665 processors

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Qualcomm has introduced three new processors to the Snapdragon 700 and 600 series that will help bring premium experiences to mid-range priced devices. First up is the Snapdragon 730 that brings in improved AI performance along with better camera support and gaming performance. The Snapdragon 730 mobile platform comes with a 4th generation multi-core Qualcomm AI Engine that fastens on-device AI interactions for camera, gaming, voice and security.

The Snapdragon 730 also comes with Qualcomm Spectra 350 that features a dedicated Computer Vision (CV) ISP to provide up to 4x overall power savings in Computer Vision compared to the previous generation. This means 4K HDR videos in bokeh mode is now possible, has the ability to support triple-cameras (ultra-wide, portrait and telephoto lenses) and HEIF format support. On the gaming side of things, the Snapdragon 730 features Qualcomm Adreno 618 GPU with Vulkan 1.1 support for better gaming experience.

The Snapdragon 730G is essentially a gaming-friendly version of Snapdragon 730 that comes with an overclocked Adreno 618 GPU, HDR gaming support, reduced janking, anti-cheating support and optimised performance of latest games.

The Snapdragon 665 comes with a 3rd-gen AI Engine, Spectra 165 ISP, up to 48MP triple camera support and Adreno 610 GPU.

First devices powered by these chipsets are expected to launch in mid-2019.

Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 450

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Now that Snapdragon 835-powered devices are hitting the market, Qualcomm is shifting its attention to its other platform tiers. They announced the Snapdragon 660 and 630 in May and now they’ve unveiled the Snapdragon 450 in the Snapdragon 400 platform tier. Catering to mid-range smartphone and tablets, the Snapdragon 450, just like its other tier siblings, is based on 14nm FinFET process that improves a lot over its predecessor, the Snapdragon 435.

The Snapdragon 450 features an octa-core ARM Cortex A53 processor with a clock speed of up to 1.8GHz and Adreno 506 GPU. In terms of performance, both CPU and GPU boast 25 percent better performance over the Snapdragon 435. The chip now supports a 60fps Full HD+ display with an aspect ratio 18:9, iris scanner support, USB 3.0 Type-C, X9 LTE modem and up to 30 percent better battery. The SD450 also supports Quick Charge 3.0 that can charge a phone from zilch to 80 percent in just 35 minutes.

Camera has got the biggest jump as it now supports dual camera of up to 13MP+13MP configuration. Additionally, there’s Live Bokeh effect, up to 21MP for a single camera configuration, Full HD video recording and playback at 60fps and HEVC encoding and decoding.

We can expect first devices powered by the new Snapdragon sometime in Q4 of this year.

Qualcomm brings high-end features to Snapdragon 660, 630

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Qualcomm today expanded its 600 series of Snapdragon chips with the new Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 630 platforms. The big story about these chips is the inclusion of Qualcomm technologies that was previously reserved for the top-end 800 series. For instance, the updated 600 platform now comes with Spectra camera ISP along with the Hexagon 680 DSP that improve the overall imaging quality.

The processors also come with Kryo, X12 LTE modem that supports speeds of up to 600Mbps down, All-Ways Aware sensor hub and Machine Learning support.

Taking over from the Snapdragon 653 and Snapdragon 625, the new octa-core processors are based on 14nm FinFET technology and boasts a 20 percent performance improvement and 30 percent improved graphics for the 660 when compared to the 653 while the 630 boasts a 30 percent CPU and 10 percent GPU boost when pit against its predecessor.

Another interesting addition is the support for Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4, which if, enabled by the OEM, will give users 5 hours of talk time in 5 minutes of charge and about 50 percent in just 15 minutes.

According to Qualcomm, Snapdragon 660-powered devices should reach the retail market before Q2 2017 whereas 630-powered devices will come to the market sometime in Q3 2017.

Qualcomm releases more details on the Snapdragon 835

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Qualcomm today kicked off its CES 2017 proceedings by announcing their high-end Snapdragon 835 processor with X16 LTE modem. This is the first mobile platform chip to be manufactured using the 10nm FinFET process, giving it an obvious advantage over the existing Snapdragon 820 family.

The Snapdragon 835 is 35 percent smaller and consumes 25 percent less power compared to the 820. The new chip also supports Quick Charge 4 that ensures 20 percent faster charging and 30 percent better efficiency than QC 3.0.

Other improvements include better VR/AR support, 4K UHD Premium (UHD10) support, Spectra 180 camera ISP, X16 Gigabit-class LTE modem and better security support for fingerprint, iris and facial biometrics.

The Snapdragon 835 is now in production and will make its way to commercial devices in first half of this year.

Lenovo launches budget oriented Vibe K5

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Lenovo released the Vibe K5, a pared down version of the Vibe K5 Plus today. Featuring dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos helps to minimize noise and voice distortion when playing audio files. The metal body with tapered edges makes the Vibe K5 both sturdy and comfortable to hold at the same time.

The smartphone is sold exclusively on Amazon India at a budget price of Rs. 6,999.

Specifications:
Processor: 64-Bit octacore Qualcomm Snapdragon 415 clocked at 1.2GHz
GPU: Adreno 405
Display: 5” HD, 720p
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Camera: 13MP rear , 5MP front
Storage: 16GB Internal Storage (expandable upto 32GB via microSD)
Battery: 2,750mAh
OS: Android Lollipop v5.1
Size: 142x71x8.2mm
Weight: 150g
Colours: Gold, Silver, Grey