What you need to know
- Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 768 — a successor to the 765.
- The 768 has a faster CPU and GPU, along with support for 5G connectivity.
- Xiaomi's Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition is the first phone to get the new chip.
One of the most talked-about processors in the Android space right now isn't Qualcomm's most powerful 865 — it's the lower-end 765. The Snapdragon 765 delivers flagship performance and 5G connectivity at a lower price than its more expensive sibling, and while we've yet to have a phone launch in the U.S. with the fascinating chipset, it already has a successor.
On May 10, Qualcomm officially unveiled its new Snapdragon 768 — building upon what makes the 765 so interesting and making it even better.
The two big talking points about the 768 are that it's more capable from a processing and graphical standpoint. The Kyro 475 CPU Prime now has a clock speed up to 2.8Ghz, which is an improvement over the 2.4Ghz on the Snapdragon 765. The GPU is still the Adreno 620, but it now offers up to 15% better performance.
On the note of graphics, the Snapdragon 768 features Adreno Updateable GPU Drivers and is the first 7-series chipset from Qualcomm to do so. This is something you'll also find in the Snapdragon 865, and it allows you to have more control over your phone's GPU driver updates/settings to get the best performance possible. Pair that with support for 120Hz displays, and the 768 is shaping up to be a really compelling chip for gaming.
Other highlights of the Snapdragon 768 include sub-6 and mmWave 5G connectivity, along with Qualcomm's latest AI Engine and X52 5G Modem-RF System for improved camera, audio, and voice performance.
The Xiaomi Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition is the first commercially-available device with the Snapdragon 768, but it remains unclear when we'll see a phone hit the United States with the processor.
It's been heavily rumored that Google's upcoming Pixel 5 will be based on the Snapdragon 765, and while the 765 is still a perfectly capable chip, it will be interesting to see if Google pivots to the 768 or not.
I'd be inclined to say no given how far along the company likely is in the development process for the phone, but only time will tell.
The Snapdragon 865 is driving up flagship prices during a renaissance of affordable phones
