Qualcomm introduced Snapdragon 820 at the MWC earlier this year. At that time it confirmed that it will use custom 64-bit CPU architecture in their own ARMv8-based Qualcomm Kryo CPU and also said that it will be based on FinFET process node. Later it confirmed Adreno 530 GPU for the chip and also said that it will offer 40% graphics performance, compute capabilities, and power usage compared to Adreno 430. It recently confirmed X12 LTE modem and Snapdragon Smart protect – Real-time, on-device anti-malware technology for the SoC. Today the company detailed the chip at an event in New York City.
Regarding the design of the new Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip (SoC), Qualcomm said,
The Snapdragon 820 system-on-chip (SoC) represents a rare event in the engineering and design of semiconductors. Every major IP block in the system is a newly optimized custom design. The opportunity to take a fresh look at a processor to this magnitude is infrequent, as each IP block typically has its own update schedule.
But in the case of the Snapdragon 820, every major component of the system has been significantly improved in terms of performance and power consumption to help deliver the kinds of always-on, performance-demanding experiences that users want.
Highlights of Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (MSM8996)
- Up to 2.2 GHz quad-core custom 64-bit Qualcomm Kryo CPUs
- Integrated X12 LTE, with Global Mode, 3x faster peak upload speeds and 33% faster peak download speeds compared to X10 LTE
- Cat 12/13 speeds of up to 600 Mbps down/150 Mbps up via 3x20MHz downlink, 2X20MHz uplink
- LTE/Wi-FI link aggregation, LTE-U, LTE Broadcast, LTE Dual SIM, Dual Active (DSDA), HD Voice over 3G and VoLTE,Wi-Fi calling with LTE call continuity
- Qualcomm Adreno 530 GPU, Up to OpenGL ES 3.1+
- Supports up to 4K Ultra HD on-device, 4K Ultra HD output, 1080p and 4K external display support
- 4K HEVC video at 60FPS with 10-bit color
- WCD9335 audio codec, Hi-Fi 24bit/192kHz FLAC playback
- Up to 28 MP, Qualcomm Spectra Image Sensor Processor (14-bit dual-ISP)
- Qualcomm Hexagon 680 DSP with Hexagon Vector eXtensions and Low Power Island for sensor processing
- UFS 2.0, eMMC 5.1, SD 3.0 (UHS-I), LPDDR4 1866MHz dual-channel memory
- QCA9500 802.11ad 60GHz WiFi 1st WTR3950 LTE-U support, 2×2 MU-MIMO, Tri-band Wi-Fi, Qualcomm IZat Gen8C, USB 3.0/2.0, NFC
- Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820-powered smartphones will be available sometime in the first half of 2016.