Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 Announced: Improved Performance, No AI

Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4, a new chipset aimed at more affordable mid-range devices. The release adds to a recent series of Snapdragon chip announcements, but also highlights a continued challenge with Qualcomm’s naming conventions.

Positioned at the lower end of Qualcomm’s mid-range offerings, the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 follows the 6s Gen 3 and is slower than the 6 Gen 4. Built on a 4nm process from Samsung, the chip features four performance cores, clocked up to 2.4 GHz, and four efficiency cores at 1.8 GHz. Qualcomm states the new chip delivers a 36% improvement in CPU performance and a 59% increase in GPU performance compared to its predecessor.

The Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 supports FHD+ 144Hz displays, mmWave and sub-GHz 5G connectivity, and Wi-Fi 6E. It includes the Qualcomm Spectra ISP, capable of supporting a single 200MP camera, a single 32MP camera, or dual 16MP cameras for video capture up to 2K resolution at 30fps. Devices powered by the chip will support up to 12 GB of LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.

Notably, Qualcomm does not mention any integrated AI capabilities within the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4. This aligns with the chip’s target market, as devices utilizing the chip are not expected to prioritize AI features. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, 6 Gen 4, and 7s Gen 4, announced earlier in 2024, do include AI support.

Qualcomm’s focus on improving lower-end chipsets represents progress in making more accessible technology for a broader consumer base. Devices featuring the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 are expected to launch in the coming months.