After launching the Snapdragon 630 just a few months ago, Qualcomm is already out with its successor - the Snapdragon 636. The newer "mobile platform" has brought along significant changes over its predecessor especially in performance, gaming, and supported display resolutions. Earlier this year, the company had renamed its processors as "mobile platforms" and the low-tier Snapdragon 2xx series chips were stripped of the Snapdragon moniker altogether.
Snapdragon 636 comes with the Kryo 260 CPU which provides a 40% boost over the 630. It also brings support for modern ultra-wide FHD+ displays and Assertive Display, "which optimizes the visibility of the display in all lighting conditions". Qualcomm"s EcoPix and TruPalette capabilities are integrated within the Adreno Visual Processing Subsystem which enables a better viewing experience. The platform also integrates an Adreno 509 GPU which the company says enhances the gaming experience by over 10% over its predecessor.
Kedar Kondap, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies said of the platform:
“The introduction of the Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform allows OEMs to enjoy a smooth transition from the Snapdragon 660 and 630 Mobile Platforms while supporting the deployment of superior functionality and performance to end users. Manufacturers can use the same modem and camera architecture to enable fast and efficient testing and calibration, cutting down on significant resources or time normally required when developing products on brand new platforms.”
Snapdragon 636 uses a 14nm FinFet process and is "pin and software-compatible with the Snapdragon 660 and 630 Mobile Platforms". This will enable OEMs already using these platforms to add the new processor to their device lineups without any hiccups.
The platform also features a Snapdragon X12 LTE modem, with peak download speeds of 600Mbps as well as a 14-bit Qualcomm Spectra 160 ISP which supports capture of up to 24 megapixels with zero shutter lag. Meanwhile, on the audio front, the included Qualcomm Aqstic codec enables 192kHz/24bit support and the ability to playback lossless audio files "with low distortion and high dynamic range".
The Snapdragon 636 is expected to hit the market in November 2017.
Source: Qualcomm