Qualcomm Launches Two New Snapdragon Mobile Chips

Qualcomm has launched two new mobile chips: Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 4 Gen 5. The chips target mid-range and budget smartphones, bringing improvements in performance, battery life, and more. It’s unclear whether Samsung will use either of them in future Galaxy devices.

Qualcomm expands its Snapdragon mobile platform lineup

Qualcomm says that Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 offer stronger performance and extended battery life. Each platform strikes the right balance of performance, power efficiency, and connectivity. They introduce Smooth Motion UI for seamless, lag-free navigation in devices.

Snapdragon 6 Gen 5

Built on a 4nm node, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 features a 4+4 core structure. The four performance cores run at up to 2.6GHz, while the four efficiency cores run at 2.0GHz. The chip also supports LPDDR5 memory for better performance. It delivers 20% faster app launches and 18% less screen stutter compared to the previous generation.

The Adreno GPU offers 21% better graphics performance while improving power efficiency by 8%. Qualcomm also introduces Adaptive Performance Engine 4.0 for long‑lasting gameplay. The chip also supports AI-based night vision technology and 100x in-sensor zoom. Speaking of connectivity, it supports Wi-Fi 7 (peak speeds of 5.8 Gbps) and Bluetooth 6.0.

Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 

Now, coming to the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5, Qualcomm aims to bring stronger performance to affordable smartphones. The chip uses a 4nm process and a 2+6 core configuration. The two performance cores run at 2.4GHz, while six efficiency cores run at 2.0GHz.

According to Qualcomm, this chip delivers up to 77% better GPU performance compared to its predecessor. It brings support for 90FPS gameplay, the first in the Snapdragon 4 series. As a result, even budget smartphones could offer richer gaming and multimedia experiences.

The company also claims a 10% improvement in power efficiency over the predecessor’s. This means devices could last longer on a single charge. The chip also offers 43% faster app launches and 25% less screen stutter. Thanks to Dual SIM Dual Active (DSDA) 5G + 5G/4G connectivity, you remain connected across multiple networks. It supports 1080p video recording at 60 frames per second as well as LPDDR4X (at 2.1GHz).

Set to power smartphones in H2 2026

Both chips will power commercial devices from global OEMs in the second half of 2026. These include HONOR, OPPO, realme, and REDMI. There is no mention of Samsung, suggesting the Korean firm has no immediate plans to use them in its future Galaxy devices.