Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset to bring 5G to mid-range smartphones

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset will feature in several mid-range phones by the end of 2020. Image: Courtesy of Qualcomm Technologies via AFP Relaxnews

United States-based manufacturer Qualcomm has unveiled a new 5G-compatible, full-featured chipset for mid-range smartphones, the Snapdragon 690.

Brands such as HMD Global (Nokia), LG, Motorola, Sharp, TCL and Wingtech are expected to be among the first to include the new chip in models, which are expected to go on sale in the latter half of 2020 at prices as low as $300 (about P15,000).

As well as 5G-compatibility, the new chip can also handle 4K HDR capture and 120-hertz displays, which have a faster refresh rate that is particularly useful for games. Qualcomm is also promising a 20% improvement in CPU performance over its previous generation of chipsets. As for memory, the Snapdragon 690 will be able to accommodate 8 gigabytes of random access memory.

The first 5G-compatible smartphones, which are currently sold by such brands as Samsung, Xiaomi and Oppo, are high-end models equipped with the flagship Snapdragon 865 chipset.

Qualcomm estimates that 1.4 billion 5G-compatible smartphones will be sold worldwide by the end of 2022. RGA

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