Qualcomm is the name of the game when it comes to high-end Android smartphones, and today we’re getting the first details on what’s next. For 2021, the processor we’ll see in many major Android phones will be the Snapdragon 888.
Succeeding the Snapdragon 865, the 888 will make its debut in the Xiaomi Mi 11 series before showing up in flagship phones from LG, OnePlus, and more throughout the year. Notably, this is the first time in a while that Samsung hasn’t been directly confirmed to be using the chip, hinting that the company may be looking to swap to its in-house Exynos.
Qualcomm will be going into full detail on what the Snapdragon 888 will be bringing to the table this week, but today we’re getting a few key details. For one, the 888 will support displays with a refresh rate up to 144Hz. Gamers will also appreciate that Qualcomm says this chip has the “most significant” GPU upgrade to date. The chip also sees an update to its ISP which can now take photos and videos at up to 2.7 gigapixels per second, a 35% increase over the 865. That’s 120 12MP photos per second!
As far as 5G goes, the third-generation X60 5G modem is on board and will support Sub-6 and mmWave connectivity. Unlike the previous Snapdragon 865, that modem is integrated directly into the Snapdragon 888, a move that should save space within smartphones.
So far, 14 Android OEMs have been confirmed to be developing devices using the Snapdragon 888 including:
- ASUS
- Black Shark
- Lenovo
- LG
- MEIZU
- Motorola
- Nubia
- Realme
- OnePlus
- OPPO
- Sharp
- Vivo
- Xiaomi
- ZTE
