Yesterday, Xiaomi’s overseas sub-brand POCO released a new model POCO X3 Pro. The phone itself has few highlights. But the most interesting feature is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC. Today, Qualcomm announced this chip officially. It is essentially an improved version of the Snapdragon 855, which was a hit in 2019, just like the Snapdragon 870 that is an improved version of the Snapdragon 865.
The Snapdragon 860 SoC uses an octa-core processor, among which Qualcomm’s Kryo 485 CPU core has a clock frequency of up to 2.96 GHz. This is higher than the 2.84 GHz of the Snapdragon 855. It has the same clock speed as the Snapdragon 855+ and integrates the same Adreno 640 GPU. This processor is the same as the Snapdragon 855, 865 and 870, and uses the 7nm process (the new Snapdragon 888 uses a newer 5nm node) and also does not support 5G networks. However, compared with the 855, the Snapdragon 860 supports up to 16GB of memory, and supports many new camera functions such as ultra-wide-angle lens night scene mode, selfie night scene mode, dual video and so on.
Is The Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 A New Chip?
In fact, on Qualcomm’s official website, the Snapdragon 855+ and Snapdragon 860 information pages have been merged, sharing the part number of SM8150-AC. The official website information also shows that the Snapdragon 855+ supports dual 1080P screens at 60Hz, while the Snapdragon 860 supports dual 1080P screens at 90Hz.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor naming has become a bit complicated in recent years. Although the company launches many 400 series, 600 series and 700 series chipsets every year, they have always adhered to a rule: 800 series only releases one flagship product every year, and there may be a small upgrade in the second half of the year. In 2021, this strategy has undergone a small change. Although Qualcomm’s 2021 flagship SoC is the Snapdragon 888, Qualcomm also launched the Snapdragon 870, which is an updated, higher frequency version of the Snapdragon 865/865+. Now, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 continues this new strategy.
