Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon 215 chipset for entry-level smartphones. The Snapdragon 215 is a substantial upgrade over the Snapdragon 212 that offers a 64-bit CPU which is faster and supports dual cameras. However, it’s built on the same old 28nm technology.
Moreover, it comprises four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.3GHz. ARM claims it to be 50% faster than the four A7 cores in the old chipset. Similarly, with the 64-bit processor, the new CPU should improve compatibility with new Android versions.
However, the Adreno 308 GPU as in the Snapdragon 425, only offers a slight boost — 28%.
Also, the dual ISP greatly improves the camera support and is the first for 200 series. It can take up to one 13MP camera or two 8MP camera modules, and thus can have telephoto or a depth sensor. The video recording also gets the upgrade of 1080p. While the S212 could handle 8MP and 720p.
But this new CPU still supports 720p class display resolution, however, the aspect ratio can be incremented up to 19:9.
As for the connectivity, Snapdragon 215 brings slight improvement as the WiFi 5.0 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.2 get summoned up. And with the upgraded NFC, Android Pay is also supported. Others include the support for dual VoLTE and EVS Voice calls, i.e. Ultra HD Voice Calls, and it’s again the first one in the Snapdragon’s 200 series.
Things that are unchanged include the X5 LTE model (150/50Mbps). Similarly, memory support is also the same — LPDDR3 RAM, eMMC 4.5 built-in storage and UHS-I microSD cards.
It most probably offers Quick Charge 1.0 while the older one offered Quick Charge 2.0, i.e. decrement from the 18W to 10W. With the new CPU tested on the reference devices with 3,000mAh battery, it can power 10+ hours of video playback, 20+ hours of voice calls or days of music playback.
In a nutshell, the Snapdragon 215 seems like a cut down version of Snapdragon 425. And being better suited for the modern design trends, it should provide a better choice for sub-$100 devices.
