Qualcomm unveils new Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 630 SoCs
Qualcomm is bringing some premium experiences to its mid-tier lineup with the addition of the Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 630 Mobile SoCs, which will be succeeding the Snapdragon 653 and the Snapdragon 626, respectively. These two Socs are packed with best CPU and GPU performances, improved connectivity, enhanced imaging, faster charging and machine learning features.
The Snapdragon 630 maintains the eight-core Cortex-A53 breakdown of four high-speed cores and four lower-clocked cores. And the graphics chip has also been updated to a faster Adreno 508, the fundamental architecture hasn't changed — both are still built on a 14nm process — and improved performance isn't the priority. The Snapdragon 630 brings support for LTE speeds up to 600Mhz with 3x carrier aggregation; Bluetooth 5.0, Quick Charge 4.0, and USB 3.1 with USB-C; and a better camera experience with the new Spectra 160 image signal processor.
The Snapdragon 660 is making massive improvements over the current Snapdragon 65X SoCs. The most important takeaway is the switch to a 14nm manufacturing process from the older 28nm process. The Snapdragon 660 has eight Kryo cores, four performance cores at 2.2GHz and four at 1.8GHz, and promises a 30% improvement in speeds over the Snapdragon 653. There's also a new Adreno 512 GPU, which includes 3x carrier aggregation for speeds up to 600Mbps. Quick Charge 4.0, Bluetooth 5 and USB 3.1 are also included. While it has the same Spectra 160 ISP as the Snapdragon 630, better support for 4K capture and the same electronic image stabilization that was popularized in high-end phones from 2016 has filtered down to this mid-range line. Qualcomm also says that users will see an average of two additional hours when moving to a Snapdragon 660 from a 653 using the same hardware.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 is already available to hardware partners and devices will be shipping by Q2. Snapdragon 630 will be available end of May and devices will start shipping Q3.
Here is the full version of press releases provided by Qualcomm-
Snapdragon 660 and 630 mobile platforms: high-end features coming to more devices
MAY 9, 2017
More affordable high quality features for more smartphones and tablets, with little compromise on power: That’s the goal of our new Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 and 630 Mobile Platforms. From the Snapdragon 653 to the 660 and the 626 to the 630 — Qualcomm Technologies is pumping up its 600-tier mobile processors to include features typically found in higher-tier processors. In a nutshell, both platforms are engineered to support superior connections, capture true-to-life photos, include the building blocks for artificial intelligence, and to deliver improved battery life, performance, and security compared to previous generations.
To give these new platforms even more of a kick, we’re bringing features to our Snapdragon 600-tier platform that were previously only found in the 800 tier, including the Qualcomm Spectra camera ISP, Qualcomm Kryo CPU, and Hexagon Vector eXtensions (HVX).
Here’s a closer look at the technologies the two platforms share, along with a few that are exclusive to each:
Brilliant, intelligent photos and videos
The two platforms’ camera capabilities can help turn anyone’s photo skills up a notch. With the Snapdragon 660 and 630, customers can get:
Machine learning
OEMs and developers can power immersive user experiences with machine learning on both of these new Snapdragon mobile platforms, using the Snapdragon Neural Processing Engine SDK. With the help of the SDK, when designing for artificial intelligence, developers have the flexibility to target the core of choice that best matches the power and performance profile of the intended user experience. They can create a feature or an application that uses deep neural networks to improve the performance of a particular task, like scene classification, facial recognition and object tracking, voice and language detection, and filtering out background noise. The SDK is engineered to support convolutional neural networks, LSTMs (Long Short-Term Memory) expressed in Caffe, Caffe2 and TensorFlow, as well as conversion tools designed to ensure optimal performance on Snapdragon heterogeneous cores.
High-def multimedia experiences
Capturing a great photo means little if a device’s display isn’t up to par. The Snapdragon 660 and 630 combines the following for a scintillating visual and audio experience:
Qualcomm EcoPix display technology is designed to allow easy viewing even in harsh sunlight.
Improved Qualcomm TruPalette technology is made to display accurate colors that match what you see in “real life” with what’s seen on screen.
The Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec is engineered to deliver Hi-Fi audio — quality fit for recording studios — on the go. It supports up to 192-kHz/24-bit playback, with extremely low distortion and high dynamic range.
With the Snapdragon 660 platform, the multimedia experience isn’t restricted to your smartphone screen. Plug a Snapdragon 660 powered smartphone directly into a 4K television via a display port and you can watch 4K videos on the big screen.
Fast, consistent connections
The Snapdragon 660 and 630 platforms both possess multiple connectivity features, all working together to support a consistent data and voice experience, including:
A Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem, a first for 600-tier processors, supports download speeds of up to 600 Mbps
An advanced RF Front End support, which includes TruSignal adaptive antenna technology with carrier aggregation, is designed to optimize signal quality, so you can use your phone in even the most remote places
Support for Bluetooth 5 which can double a device’s transfer speed and quadruple its Bluetooth range
A new and powerful location engine with support for new constellations, engineered for fast location fix, enhancements to support mandatory emergency service requirements, and smooth pedestrian navigation
In addition to these technologies, the Snapdragon 660 supports 2x2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi. That means a stronger signal. This is especially beneficial in houses and offices made of thick brick and concrete walls, engineered to allow for a better connection in the entire space without coverage dead spots. Compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 653, the 660 is designed to support up to 2X the data throughput, allowing users to enjoy unfettered video, faster downloads, and an excellent connectivity experience.
Upgrades in power and performance
A myriad of technologies integrated in the Snapdragon 660 and 630 work together to not only stretch battery life, but also optimize a device’s performance. The platforms include:
Qualcomm All-Ways Aware technology, a sensor hub engineered to continually collect data without gobbling up battery life. The hub collects and processes information, allowing devices to track location, sense motion, and predict behavior.
Qualcomm Quick Charge 4 is designed for up-to 20 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient than its predecessor. Five minutes of charging can power 5 hours of talk time; 15 minutes of charging can bring a phone’s battery up 50 percent.
Both mobile platforms’ GPU and CPU offer a step up in performance compared to their older counterparts. The Snapdragon 660’s CPU and GPU have also been upgraded. The platform’s Kryo 260 CPU, an octa-core configuration, is designed to contribute to an overall 20 percent improvement in performance over the Snapdragon 653. A Qualcomm Adreno 512 GPU is designed to offer up to a 30 percent improvement in performance compared to the previous generation, the Adreno 510 GPU.
The Snapdragon 630 platform is outfitted with the Adreno 508 GPU, engineered to support lifelike visuals, efficient rendering for 3D graphics, and an up-to 30 percent improvement in performance compared to the Adreno 506 GPU. Its eight-core CPU is engineered to perform 10 percent better than the Snapdragon 625 processor.
Enhancements in biometric security
Qualcomm mobile security, which comes with both platforms, provides a comprehensive suite that supports advanced, biometric authentication technologies. This includes fingerprint scanning, iris scanning, facial recognition, and voice prints, designed to help to ensure protection for a device’s hardware and software.
The Snapdragon 660 and 630 mobile platforms are a solid step up from prior 600-tier processors, created to get the most out of what OEMs offer. The Snapdragon 660 platform is available now while the Snapdragon 630 platform is expected to ship towards the end of this month.
The Snapdragon 630 maintains the eight-core Cortex-A53 breakdown of four high-speed cores and four lower-clocked cores. And the graphics chip has also been updated to a faster Adreno 508, the fundamental architecture hasn't changed — both are still built on a 14nm process — and improved performance isn't the priority. The Snapdragon 630 brings support for LTE speeds up to 600Mhz with 3x carrier aggregation; Bluetooth 5.0, Quick Charge 4.0, and USB 3.1 with USB-C; and a better camera experience with the new Spectra 160 image signal processor.
The Snapdragon 660 is making massive improvements over the current Snapdragon 65X SoCs. The most important takeaway is the switch to a 14nm manufacturing process from the older 28nm process. The Snapdragon 660 has eight Kryo cores, four performance cores at 2.2GHz and four at 1.8GHz, and promises a 30% improvement in speeds over the Snapdragon 653. There's also a new Adreno 512 GPU, which includes 3x carrier aggregation for speeds up to 600Mbps. Quick Charge 4.0, Bluetooth 5 and USB 3.1 are also included. While it has the same Spectra 160 ISP as the Snapdragon 630, better support for 4K capture and the same electronic image stabilization that was popularized in high-end phones from 2016 has filtered down to this mid-range line. Qualcomm also says that users will see an average of two additional hours when moving to a Snapdragon 660 from a 653 using the same hardware.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 is already available to hardware partners and devices will be shipping by Q2. Snapdragon 630 will be available end of May and devices will start shipping Q3.
Here is the full version of press releases provided by Qualcomm-
Snapdragon 660 and 630 mobile platforms: high-end features coming to more devices
MAY 9, 2017
More affordable high quality features for more smartphones and tablets, with little compromise on power: That’s the goal of our new Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 and 630 Mobile Platforms. From the Snapdragon 653 to the 660 and the 626 to the 630 — Qualcomm Technologies is pumping up its 600-tier mobile processors to include features typically found in higher-tier processors. In a nutshell, both platforms are engineered to support superior connections, capture true-to-life photos, include the building blocks for artificial intelligence, and to deliver improved battery life, performance, and security compared to previous generations.
To give these new platforms even more of a kick, we’re bringing features to our Snapdragon 600-tier platform that were previously only found in the 800 tier, including the Qualcomm Spectra camera ISP, Qualcomm Kryo CPU, and Hexagon Vector eXtensions (HVX).
Here’s a closer look at the technologies the two platforms share, along with a few that are exclusive to each:
Brilliant, intelligent photos and videos
The two platforms’ camera capabilities can help turn anyone’s photo skills up a notch. With the Snapdragon 660 and 630, customers can get:
- The 14-bit Qualcomm Spectra 160 ISP supports cameras that capture up to 24 megapixels single ISP images with zero shutter lag. Spectra is also designed to deliver smooth zoom, lightning-fast autofocus, and true-to-life colors for vivid photos.
- 4K video capture and playback is integrated, so users can record high-definition videos at 30 frames per second, straight from the device.
Machine learning
OEMs and developers can power immersive user experiences with machine learning on both of these new Snapdragon mobile platforms, using the Snapdragon Neural Processing Engine SDK. With the help of the SDK, when designing for artificial intelligence, developers have the flexibility to target the core of choice that best matches the power and performance profile of the intended user experience. They can create a feature or an application that uses deep neural networks to improve the performance of a particular task, like scene classification, facial recognition and object tracking, voice and language detection, and filtering out background noise. The SDK is engineered to support convolutional neural networks, LSTMs (Long Short-Term Memory) expressed in Caffe, Caffe2 and TensorFlow, as well as conversion tools designed to ensure optimal performance on Snapdragon heterogeneous cores.
High-def multimedia experiences
Capturing a great photo means little if a device’s display isn’t up to par. The Snapdragon 660 and 630 combines the following for a scintillating visual and audio experience:
Qualcomm EcoPix display technology is designed to allow easy viewing even in harsh sunlight.
Improved Qualcomm TruPalette technology is made to display accurate colors that match what you see in “real life” with what’s seen on screen.
The Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec is engineered to deliver Hi-Fi audio — quality fit for recording studios — on the go. It supports up to 192-kHz/24-bit playback, with extremely low distortion and high dynamic range.
With the Snapdragon 660 platform, the multimedia experience isn’t restricted to your smartphone screen. Plug a Snapdragon 660 powered smartphone directly into a 4K television via a display port and you can watch 4K videos on the big screen.
Fast, consistent connections
The Snapdragon 660 and 630 platforms both possess multiple connectivity features, all working together to support a consistent data and voice experience, including:
A Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem, a first for 600-tier processors, supports download speeds of up to 600 Mbps
An advanced RF Front End support, which includes TruSignal adaptive antenna technology with carrier aggregation, is designed to optimize signal quality, so you can use your phone in even the most remote places
Support for Bluetooth 5 which can double a device’s transfer speed and quadruple its Bluetooth range
A new and powerful location engine with support for new constellations, engineered for fast location fix, enhancements to support mandatory emergency service requirements, and smooth pedestrian navigation
In addition to these technologies, the Snapdragon 660 supports 2x2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi. That means a stronger signal. This is especially beneficial in houses and offices made of thick brick and concrete walls, engineered to allow for a better connection in the entire space without coverage dead spots. Compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 653, the 660 is designed to support up to 2X the data throughput, allowing users to enjoy unfettered video, faster downloads, and an excellent connectivity experience.
Upgrades in power and performance
A myriad of technologies integrated in the Snapdragon 660 and 630 work together to not only stretch battery life, but also optimize a device’s performance. The platforms include:
Qualcomm All-Ways Aware technology, a sensor hub engineered to continually collect data without gobbling up battery life. The hub collects and processes information, allowing devices to track location, sense motion, and predict behavior.
Qualcomm Quick Charge 4 is designed for up-to 20 percent faster and 30 percent more efficient than its predecessor. Five minutes of charging can power 5 hours of talk time; 15 minutes of charging can bring a phone’s battery up 50 percent.
Both mobile platforms’ GPU and CPU offer a step up in performance compared to their older counterparts. The Snapdragon 660’s CPU and GPU have also been upgraded. The platform’s Kryo 260 CPU, an octa-core configuration, is designed to contribute to an overall 20 percent improvement in performance over the Snapdragon 653. A Qualcomm Adreno 512 GPU is designed to offer up to a 30 percent improvement in performance compared to the previous generation, the Adreno 510 GPU.
The Snapdragon 630 platform is outfitted with the Adreno 508 GPU, engineered to support lifelike visuals, efficient rendering for 3D graphics, and an up-to 30 percent improvement in performance compared to the Adreno 506 GPU. Its eight-core CPU is engineered to perform 10 percent better than the Snapdragon 625 processor.
Enhancements in biometric security
Qualcomm mobile security, which comes with both platforms, provides a comprehensive suite that supports advanced, biometric authentication technologies. This includes fingerprint scanning, iris scanning, facial recognition, and voice prints, designed to help to ensure protection for a device’s hardware and software.
The Snapdragon 660 and 630 mobile platforms are a solid step up from prior 600-tier processors, created to get the most out of what OEMs offer. The Snapdragon 660 platform is available now while the Snapdragon 630 platform is expected to ship towards the end of this month.
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