Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Launches With 40% Performance Boost And Quick Charge 4

Qualcomm has announced a new SoC called the Snapdragon 636, and it is aimed squarely at the heart of the mid-range market. The SoC has custom Kryo 260 processing cores promising a 40 percent performance improvement over the current Snapdragon 630. The Snapdragon 636 platform will support ultra-wide FHD+ displays and has Assertive Display tech inside to optimize visibility of the display in all lighting conditions. Qualcomm has also integrated it's TruPalette and EcoPix features into the SoC.

The GPU inside the SoC is an Adreno 509, which delivers 10 percent greater performance for gaming and browsing the web compared to its predecessor. The Snapdragon 636 is built on a 14nm FinFET process and is pin- and software-compatible with the Snapdragon 660 and 630 platforms, allowing any manufacturer to drop the new processor right inside their devices without modifications.

The Snapdragon X12 LTE modem is integrated into the SoC providing download speeds up to 600 Mbps.  Smartphones and tablets using the Snapdragon 636 will be able to support up to 24MP imaging with no shutter lag, smooth zoom, fast autofocus and accurate colors thanks to the integrated 14-bit Spectra 160 ISP. Hi-Fi audio support is included thanks to the integrated Qualcomm Aqstic chip with up to 192kHz/24bit support.

The Snapdragon 636 also supports all the other features you expect on a modern smartphone with GPS (and a range of other global navigation services), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, 4K video capture Quick Charge 4, NFC, RF, and up to 8GB of 1333MHz dual-channel LPDDR4 RAM.

"The introduction of the Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform allows OEMs to enjoy a smooth transition from the Snapdragon 660 and 630 Mobile Platforms while supporting the deployment of superior functionality and performance to end users," said Kedar Kondap, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Manufacturers can use the same modem and camera architecture to enable fast and efficient testing and calibration, cutting down on significant resources or time normally required when developing products on brand new platforms."

Qualcomm showed off its first Snapdragon X50 5G modem yesterday, but that level of tech certainly isn't meant for budget platforms like the Snapdragon 636.