In this article, we are going to focus on the new and upcoming mobile platforms, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 vs 850 vs 855. When we think of mobile platforms, the first thing that comes to our mind is Qualcomm. They have been the clear leaders when it comes to the processors or custom SOCs for smartphones. The year 2018 has been one of the prominent ones when it comes to the new launches by Qualcomm.
Also Read: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 vs. 855
The Snapdragon 845, 850 and 855 have been the new set of processors from Qualcomm that have been set to change the computing world by storm.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 vs 850 vs 855 – An Overview
Well, Snapdragon 855 has been touted to be the next upgrade for the Snapdragon 845. Several sources indicate that it will be developed on the 7nm manufacturing process, the processor would be powering the new flagship devices to be launched in 2019. However, between those two capable CPUs, Qualcomm has also come up with yet another processor in the form of Snapdragon 850.
Let us check out each of these platforms for gathering a clear understanding of the two most powerful processors for mobile platforms.
Snapdragon 845
Qualcomm claims that the processor comes with almost all futuristic options and features come to you with Snapdragon 845. Planned to do more with your mobile devices, a few features worth noting on the Snapdragon 845 include –
The Qualcomm Spectra 280 ISP
The component is designed to offer you the best in class camera performance along with the new age XR capabilities. It assures you a camera performance of up to 60 images per second. The processor also offers you a cinematic quality of ultra HD premium video.
Adreno 630
The Adreno 630 visual processing unit will offer you a larger than life functionality regarding your graphics. You can experience an improved graphics rendering and video processing functionalities.
AI Platform
We use these cognitive services like Vision, Speech recognition, Biometric and others. These AI enabled functionalities, can take advantage of a dedicated neural engine integrated with the Snapdragon 845. It offers you an excellent AI performance. The 3rd generation Hexagon™ 685 DSP provides you on device AI processing which can help you in several areas including an enhanced voice, camera, XR and gaming experiences.
X20 Modem
You can gain the fiber optic level speeds with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, thanks to the integrated X20 LTE Modem. Your operators will now be able to provide you with a faster LTE connectivity. Qualcomm claims that these speeds range up to 20 percent enhanced when compared to the previous generation modems.
The features provided by Snapdragon 845 include –
- An excellent camera performance
- It can gather the information from all your phone sensors and voice patterns, thanks to the third generation AI platform.
- The best biometric authentication tools make it one of the most secure platforms you can opt for.
- A faster Gigabit experience
- The new age optimization will help prevent speedier draining of your battery.
Snapdragon 850
Best suited for an always-connected always-on generation today, the Snapdragon 850 is one of the best you can go with if you are one of those belonging to this category. The features and functionalities are designed to provide you with an immersive experience along with a few features like multi-day battery performance, regular connectivity and of course, AI.
Some salient features that the new processor comes with include
Always On – Always Connected
The processor is specifically designed for the PCs and makes it one of the first ventures (after lukewarm response with the 835) for the manufacturer to try its hands at the PCs and laptop form factors. The form factor offers you an ability to get an Always On – Always Connected functionality at the touch of a button. The processor runs cool and faster without the need for fans, thanks to passive cooling. The battery life is enhanced by 25 percent along with a hike of 30 percent regarding graphics processing.
The Faster Connectivity
The X20 LTE Modem incorporated within the processor will offer you excellent performance in terms of speed. You can experience speeds up to 1.2 Gigabits. The always-connected feature will help you continue with the sync and notification alerts even in the sleep mode.
The Artificial Intelligence
This is an area that is utmost important in today’s scenario. The Snapdragon 850 features the updated and sophisticated Artificial Engine with heterogeneous compute capabilities. Go with an excellent on-device camera performance coupled with an improved voice user interface and battery life.
New Age Streaming
Immersive gaming and streaming performance will indeed leave you to be spellbound. It offers you a 10 bit HDR enabled playback and streaming functionality. Improved streaming performance, enhancements in the low light photography and HiFi audio quality are some of the options you will indeed want to experience with the Snapdragon 850.
Complete Windows 10 Integration
With Snapdragon 850, you can get ready for the complete entertainment package on the go. Integration with Windows 10 helps you maximize the productivity, entertainment and almost every aspect of your interaction with your Snapdragon-powered PC.
Snapdragon 855
Qualcomm is already developing the next generation of its mobile processing platform – the Snapdragon 855. Rumors suggest that the new processor will be manufactured using a 7 nm manufacturing process.
The Snapdragon 855 will bring in a massive improvement in terms of functionalities when compared to the predecessor – the Snapdragon 845. The focus seems to be on the AI functionality and an improved machine learning capabilities. Of course, this is the age of artificial intelligence, and Qualcomm understands the need for keeping ahead with the demands of the market.
The new processor is expected to come with a new LTE modem in the form of X24. Qualcomm brought up the new technology only recently. Snapdragon 855 will pack in the new modem in all probability. The X24 LTE modem is expected to offer you the speeds of up to 2 Gbps. The other anticipated improvements are in the realm of battery performance and power efficiency of the processor. If rumors are to be believed, you can expect the performance characteristics to be improved by around percent. Another huge advantage that Snapdragon 855 is likely to bring about lies in the fingerprint scanners with higher levels of performance.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 vs. 850 – Tabular Comparison
Here are the unique features that both Snapdragon 845 and 850 come with. The Snapdragon 855 is still to be confirmed, and thus we will not include it in our discussion. It should also be noted that the Snapdragon 850 is designed for the laptops and PCs, while the Snapdragon 845 is the traditional mobile processor.
| Features / Particulars | Snapdragon 845 | Snapdragon 850 |
| Modem Used | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X20 LTE modem | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X20 LTE modem |
| Peak Download Speeds | 1.2 Gbps | 1.2 Gbps |
| Peak Upload Speed | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps |
| CPU | Qualcomm® Kryo™ 385 CPU | Qualcomm® Kryo™ 385 built on Arm® Cortex™ technology |
| CPU Clock Speed | 2.8 GHz | 2.96 GHz |
| Number of cores | 8x Kryo 385 CPU | 8 x Kryo 385 CPU |
| Graphics Unit | Qualcomm® Adreno™ 630 GPU | Qualcomm® Adreno™ 630 Visual Processing Subsystem |
| Digital Processing | Qualcomm® Hexagon™ 685 DSP | Qualcomm® Hexagon™ 685 DSP |
| Camera Processor | Qualcomm® Spectra™ 280 Image Signal Processor | Qualcomm Spectra™ 280 Image Signal Processor |
| WiFi | Qualcomm® Wi-Fi 802.11ad Multi-gigabit | Qualcomm® Wi-Fi 802.11ad Multi-gigabit |
| Bluetooth | Version 5 | Version 5 |
| Charging | Qualcomm Quick Charge 4 technology | Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 4+ technology |
| Security | Qualcomm® Secure Processing Unit (SPU)
Qualcomm® Processor Security Qualcomm® Mobile Security Qualcomm® Content Protection |
Qualcomm® Processor Security
Qualcomm® Mobile Security Qualcomm® Content Protection |
The successor to Snapdragon 845, the new 855 will possibly be the first processor from Qualcomm featuring a 5G modem. However, rumors have also been suggesting that it will come with the next-gen X24 modem. The exact status will only be available with the final confirmation from Qualcomm. The company has been working with the OEMs, operators, infrastructure vendors and standards bodies and tracking the developments. Smartphones with the newer generation of processors will be launched in 2019 if the statements from Qualcomm are any indication to the future. The complete details will be available in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The Concluding Thoughts
Well, that was the comparison between the Snapdragon 845, 850 and the upcoming 855. We assume that we have covered almost all aspects of the processors and their functionality in finer detail. The 855 is yet to be confirmed, and the details thereof are still awaited. Once that happens, we will come up with detailed information on the new processor.
We will need to wait until the fourth quarter of the year for that to materialize. Till then, we can only keep speculating about the features likely to be included. As of now, no further details are available from Qualcomm except for the LTE modem.
