Qualcomm updates its mid-range lineup with the announcement of the Snapdragon 678 chipset today. It is a successor to the Snapdragon 675 SoC, launched more than two years ago. Snapdragon 678 features some minor upgrades to offer better camera and connectivity capabilities to users.
Snapdragon 678: Specifications
First up, the Snapdragon 678 chipset is still built on the 11nm node process. It is still backed by the Qualcomm Kryo 460 CPU and Adreno 612 GPU. In comparison to the Snapdragon 675, the Cortex-A76 cores aboard the Snapdragon 678 are overclocked. They operate at up to 2.2GHz as opposed to 2.0GHz on its predecessor.
The Adreno 612 GPU is the same but Qualcomm promises a performance increase in the official blog post. It has not shared any figures (including clock speed or % gains) that back these claims. The chipset also includes the Hexagon 685 DSP, Spectra 250L ISP, and the 4G LTE-enabled Snapdragon X12 modem. You also have the latest 3rd-Gen Qualcomm AI Engine onboard, which seems to be the only major upgrade over the Snapdragon 675.
In addition to performance upgrades, Snapdragon 678 SoC will “support dynamic photography and videography abilities, and immersive entertainment experiences with long battery life over fast, reliable connectivity,” as per the blog post.
Most of the specifications of the new chipset remain the same as its predecessor. Still, we have compiled a quick comparison between the Snapdragon 678 and Snapdragon 675 to give you a brief idea of the changes:
Snapdragon 678 vs Snapdragon 675
| Snapdragon 678 | Snapdragon 675 | |
|---|---|---|
| Process Tech | 11nm | 11nm |
| CPU | Kryo 460, clocked up to 2.2GHz | Kryo 460, clocked up to 2.0GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 612 (faster) | Adreno 612 |
| DSP | Hexagon 685 | Hexagon 685 |
| ISP | Spectra 250L | Spectra 250L |
| AI | 3rd-Gen AI Engine | 1st-Gen AI Engine |
| Display capability | up to Full-HD+ @ 60Hz 2520 x 1080-pixel | up to Full-HD+ @ 60Hz 2520 x 1080-pixel |
| Camera capability | up to 48MP single camera and up to 16MP dual-camera | up to 48MP single camera and up to 16MP dual-camera |
| Video capability | up to 4K @ 30fps, 1080p slo-mo @120fps | up to 4K @ 30fps, 1080p slo-mo @120fps |
| Charging | Quick Charge 4+ | Quick Charge 4+ |
| Modem | Snapdragon X12 LTE | Snapdragon X12 LTE |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5 | Bluetooth 5 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11ac | Wi-Fi 802.11ac |
Snapdragon 678 only supports up to Full-HD+ (2520×1080 pixel) displays with up to 60Hz refresh rate. This is a bit disappointing when you consider the fact that phone makers like Realme are offering 90Hz displays at sub-Rs. 12,000 price brackets. Further, the chipset supports up to 48MP rear and 16MP selfie cameras that are capable of capturing up to 4K video at 30fps.
The Snapdragon X12 modem supports download speeds up to 600 Mbps and upload speeds up to 150 Mbps. Qualcomm boasts that it does not sacrifice battery life to offer you minor upgrades via the Snapdragon 678. You can expect many sub-Rs. 15,000 phones to arrive with this mid-range chipset in tow next year.
AI Engine comparison was reversed in that table.