Some of the most fascinating smartphones of 2020 have landed in the mid-range, including OnePlus Nord and Google Pixel 4a. They offer interesting new designs, affordable prices, and even 5G connectivity, thanks in part to the use of Snapdragon 7 series processors. Now the company is behind those smartphone SoCs with a new mid-range 5G option: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G.
Qualcomm seems pretty proud of making 5G more affordable so quickly. Besides cheaper and faster networking, what’s new?
For starters, the Snapdragon 750G offers a revised CPU architecture based on Arm’s Cortex-A77 cores. This is a first for the 7 series, which in theory gives the chip more CPU grunts than the 765G. Qualcomm claims this offers a 20% increase in performance compared to the Snapdragon 730G. The graphics performance is also increased by 10% with the Adreno 619 from Qualcomm. The GPU comes with Snapdragon Elite gaming features including support for HDR game content, Game Color Plus, and upgradeable Adreno drivers. Good news for gamers.
| Snapdragon 750G | Snapdragon 732G | Snapdragon 765 / 765G | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central processor | Kryo 570 octa core 2x performance at 2.2 GHz (Cortex-A77) 6x efficiency at 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A55) |
Kryo 470 octa core 1x Prime at 2.3 GHz (Cortex-A76) 1x performance at 2.2 GHz (Cortex-A76) 6x efficiency at 1.7 GHz (Cortex-A55) |
Kryo 475 octa core 1x Prime at 2.3 GHz (Cortex-A76) 1x performance at 2.2 GHz (Cortex-A76) 6x efficiency at 1.8 GHz (Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 618 | Adreno 620 |
| DSP | Hexagon 694 with tensor accelerator | Hexagon 688 | Hexagon 696 with tensor accelerator |
| camera | 36MP single / 16MP dual with zero shutter lag 192MP snapshot |
48MP single or 22MP dual 192MP snapshot |
36MP single / 22MP dual with zero shutter lag 192MP snapshot |
| modem | Snapdragon X52 5G / LTE 5G – 3700 Mbit / s down, 1600 Mbit / s up 4G – 1200 Mbit / s down, 210 Mbit / s up |
Snapdragon X15 LTE 800 Mbit / s down, 150 Mbit / s up |
Snapdragon X52 5G / LTE 5G – 3700 Mbit / s down, 1600 Mbit / s up 4G – 1200 Mbit / s down, 210 Mbit / s up |
| Other wireless | Bluetooth 5.1 WiFi 6 ready Qualcomm TrueWireless and aptX Adaptive Audio |
Bluetooth 5.1 WiFi 6 ready Qualcomm TrueWireless and aptX Adaptive Audio |
Bluetooth 5.0 WiFi 6 ready Qualcomm TrueWireless and aptX Adaptive Audio |
| Fast charge | Fast charge 4+ | Fast charge 4+ | Fast charge 4+ Fast charging AI |
The Snapdragon 750G also offers 4.0 TOPS AI performance and Qualcomm’s 5th generation AI engine. This is another 20% improvement over the 730G, which is helpful in machine learning scenarios, but doesn’t quite match the 5.5 TOPS available in the Snapdragon 765. The chipset also supports 4K HDR video recording, 192MP camera snapshots and FHD + displays from up to 120Hz or QHD up to 60Hz. This is all pretty well known for Qualcomm’s mid-range products and has everything manufacturers need to build comprehensive, affordable cellphones.
Quick Charge 4 Plus is designed by default for fast charging and compatibility with USB Power Delivery as we expected. On the 5G side, the modem is a Snapdragon X52 model. This supports dynamic frequency sharing, multi-SIM support as well as mmWave and sub-6 GHz bands. Although I doubt affordable phones will pop up for the more expensive mmWave antenna parts. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 750G is a very robust package overall and a definitive upgrade to the company’s 730G benchmark.
Continue reading: Snapdragon SoC manual: All Qualcomm smartphone processors are explained
While the Snapdragon 750G is a solid package, it’s a little difficult to imagine exactly where this chip will fit in the portfolio. The SoC is clearly not a replacement for the relatively new Snapdragon 732G, which remains just a 4G option. However, the chip is just below the capabilities of last year’s Snapdragon 765G and doesn’t add anything important other than the CPU upgrade. It’s also incredibly similar to the 5G-enabled Snapdragon 690 with Cortex-A77 drive, but includes Elite Gaming and mmWave features. Where exactly does the 750G fit?
My suspicion is that the 750G exists in preparation for a high-end entry into the 7-series that will replace the nearly year-old 765G. Qualcomm’s latest announcement will then be placed in the middle of the updated portfolio, offering a slightly more affordable option for mid-range 5G phones. We expect a line of affordable 5G phones with the Snapdragon 750G in the first half of 2021.