Last updated: May 8th, 2026 at 07:09 UTC+02:00
SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships, we may earn a commission.
Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 bring smoother UI and modern gaming features to entry-level and mid-range phones.
Reading time: 3 minutes
Qualcomm
Qualcomm has unveiled two new Snapdragon chips for entry-level and mid-range smartphones: the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 and the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5. The Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 is manufactured by Samsung Foundry on its mature 4nm node, while the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 is made using TSMC's 4nm process node.
They promise better camera capabilities, smoother UI performance, and improved gaming experiences for affordable smartphones. Let us take a closer look at their features and specifications.
The Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 (SM4850) is designed to deliver dependable performance for entry-level and affordable smartphones, and it is manufactured by Samsung Foundry. Qualcomm claims the chip offers a 77 percent faster GPU, enabling smoother UI animations and gaming at up to 90fps. It also introduces Dual-SIM Dual-Active 5G + 5G connectivity, a first for the Snapdragon 4 series.
It is a 4nm chip with an octa-core CPU featuring two high-performance Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.4GHz and six efficiency-focused Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2GHz.
Its Adreno GPU can drive Full HD+ displays with refresh rates of up to 144Hz. The chip supports dual-channel LPDDR4X RAM and two-lane UFS 3.1 storage.
The integrated modem supports sub-6GHz 5G networks in both Standalone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) modes, with 4×4 MIMO support for download speeds of up to 2.8Gbps and upload speeds of up to 900Mbps.
It also supports dual-frequency GNSS and is compatible with GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, NavIC (L1 + L5), and QZSS satellite systems. Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX audio support, NFC, and USB Type-C with USB 2.0 speeds.
The chip’s dual 12-bit ISP supports up to 108MP cameras, a single 32MP camera with zero shutter lag, or a 16MP + 16MP dual-camera setup with zero shutter lag. However, video recording capabilities remain limited to Full HD 1080p at 30fps.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 brings more significant upgrades compared to the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5. This 4nm mid-range chip is manufactured by TSMC and features an octa-core CPU with four high-performance Cortex-A720 cores clocked at 2.6GHz and four Cortex-A520 efficiency cores clocked at 2GHz.
Its Adreno GPU supports Full HD+ displays with refresh rates of up to 144Hz and enables HDR gaming.
The chip supports dual-channel LPDDR5X RAM at up to 3,200MHz, as well as LPDDR4X memory at up to 2,100MHz, along with UFS 3.1 storage.
The integrated 5G modem supports sub-6GHz SA and NSA networks with download speeds of up to 2.8Gbps. Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 with LE Audio and Channel Sounding, NFC, and USB Type-C with USB 2.0 speeds.
Its dual-frequency GNSS system supports GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, and NavIC satellite constellations.
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 features a dual 12-bit Spectra ISP that supports camera sensors of up to 200MP. It can handle a single 64MP camera with zero shutter lag or a 16MP + 16MP dual-camera setup. The chip also supports 4K 30fps HDR video recording and AI-powered Night Mode.
Smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 4 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 are expected to launch soon. Honor, OPPO, Realme, and Redmi are among the first brands expected to use these new chips. Samsung could launch use one of these chips in some Galaxy A series phones next year.
Asif is a computer engineer turned technology journalist. He has been using Samsung phones since 2004, and his current smartphone is the Galaxy S23 Ultra. He loves headphones, mechanical keyboards, and PC hardware. When not writing about technology, he likes watching crime and science fiction movies and TV shows.
