Qualcomm is boosting the frequency of its flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 mobile processor to 4.26 GHz to compete with Apple's upcoming high-end iPhone chips.
Frequency race
Qualcomm decision
According to insiders, Qualcomm has decided to increase the clock frequency of its advanced mobile processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 up to 4.26 GHz. This change will allow the chip to challenge Apple's upcoming A18 and A18 Pro chipsets, which can also operate at higher frequencies. This frequency increase is Qualcomm's response to Apple's release of the high-performance M4 processor with high clock rates, which gave it the lead in single-threaded tests.
Technological aspects
Increasing the frequency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor was made possible thanks to the use of 3- nm N3E process technology from TSMC. However, the lack of support for the ARMv9 architecture can be a barrier to achieving maximum performance. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is expected to be announced in October, so Qualcomm has several months to finalize the updated chip design before shipping it to partners.
Competition with Apple
Apple's release of the M4 processor likely caught Qualcomm by surprise and forced the company to redesign its chip. With a 4.26 GHz frequency, Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 can get a significant boost in single-threaded performance, while the 2+6 core structure will deliver outstanding multi-threaded results. Considering that the M4 is produced using TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, there is a high probability that Apple will use the same technology for the A18 and A18 Pro. Qualcomm will also reportedly mass produce the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 using the same technology, promising exciting competition in the mobile processor market.
Cooling problem
Increasing frequency also brings with it a cooling problem. Smartphone makers will need to install large vapor chambers to allow the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 to perform at peak performance for long periods of time, otherwise Qualcomm's efforts to boost frequencies could be undone.
Glossary
- Qualcomm is an American company, a developer of communication systems and wireless technologies, and a manufacturer of mobile processors.
- Snapdragon is a line of Qualcomm mobile processors for smartphones and tablets.
- Apple is an American technology company, manufacturer of iPhone smartphones, iPad tablets, MacBook laptops and other devices.
- TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) is a Taiwanese company, the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductor products using detailed technology.
- ARMv9 is the latest 64-bit processor architecture from ARM.
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Discussion of the topic – New 4.26GHz Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor challenges Apple A18
According to insiders, Qualcomm is increasing the clock speed of its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 mobile processor to 4.26 GHz. This will allow it to compete with Apple's upcoming A18 and A18 Pro iPhone chips, which can also operate at higher frequencies.
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RobertM
Interestingly, Qualcomm increases the frequency of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 to 4.26 GHz. This should help compete with Apple's upcoming A18 iPhone chips. 💻
AnnettaF
Yes, the frequency race is gaining momentum! But I'm confused by the lack of ARMv9 support in the new Snapdragon. This may reduce performance compared to the Apple M4. 🤔
MarcoP
The good thing is that Qualcomm uses TSMC's 3nm process, just like Apple. This will reduce power consumption at high frequencies. But cooling can be a problem for smartphones. 🔥
ViktorG
Luckily, the new Snapdragon's "2+6" core structure should produce excellent multi-core results. And high frequency will help with single-threaded tasks. Good balance. 💪
GrumpyOldManU
Again this senseless frequency race and marketing gimmicks. What's this GHz fetish? It's real performance that matters, not numbers on paper. 🙄
SophiaE
Well, old GrumpyOldMan, it's not all bad! Competition between Qualcomm and Apple will spur innovation. And we, the users, will only benefit from this. 😄
LukaszP
That's right, Sophia! Remember how competition between Intel and AMD stimulated the development of desktop processors. The same will happen in the mobile market. Everyone wins! ✌️
AnnaU
I like that Qualcomm is responding to Apple's M4 release. This shows that they are closely monitoring the market and are willing to adapt. Competition is good for us! 👏