The Snapdragon 765 SoC: Improved Premium With 5G

Alongside the main Snapdragon 865 star-SoC today, Qualcomm is also announcing a new addition to the 700-series line-up. To be exact, we’re seeing two new additions, the Snapdragon 765 and Snapdragon 765G. The two chips are of the same silicon, with a slight difference in performance binning, and are both successors to the Snapdragon 730.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Premium SoCs 2019-2020
SoC

Snapdragon 765
Snapdragon 765G

Snapdragon 730
CPU 1x Kryo 475 Prime (CA76)
@ 2.3GHz (non-G)
@ 2.4GHz (765G)
1x Kryo 475 Gold (CA76)
@ 2.2GHz
6x Kryo 475 Silver (CA55)
@ 1.8GHz
2x Kryo 470 Gold (CA76)
@ 2.2GHz
 

6x Kryo 470 Silver (CA55)
@ 1.8GHz
GPU Adreno 620
+20% perf (non-G)
+38% perf (765G)
Adreno 618
DSP / NPU Hexagon 696
HVX + Tensor

5.4TOPS AI
(Total CPU+GPU+HVX+Tensor)
Hexagon 688
HVX + Tensor
Memory
Controller
2x 16-bit CH

@ 2133MHz LPDDR4X / 17.0GB/s
2x 16-bit CH

@ 1866MHz LPDDR4X 14.9GB/s
ISP/Camera Dual 14-bit Spectra 355 ISP

1x 192MP or 36MP with ZSL
or
2x 22MP with ZSL
Dual Spectra 350 ISP

1x 36MP with ZSL
or
2x 22MP with ZSL
Encode/
Decode
2160p30, 1080p120
H.264 & H.265

10-bit HDR pipelines
Integrated Modem Snapdragon X52 Integrated

(LTE Category 24/22)
DL = 1200 Mbps
4x20MHz CA, 256-QAM
UL = 210 Mbps
2x20MHz CA, 256-QAM

(5G NR Sub-6 4x4 100MHz
+ mmWave 2x2 400MHz)
DL = 3700 Mbps
UL = 1600 Mbps
Snapdragon X15 LTE

(Category 15/13)
DL = 800Mbps
3x20MHz CA, 256-QAM
UL = 150Mbps
2x20MHz CA, 64-QAM
Mfc. Process Samsung
7nm EUV (7LPP)
Samsung
8nm (8LPP)

In terms of architecture, the new chips don’t differ as drastically to its predecessors as the flagship S865. On the CPU side, we’ve seen a slight change in the CPU layout, with the big cores now coming in a 1+1 Prime and Gold configuration, rather than an equal pairing as with the Snapdragon 730. We didn’t get more detailed info on the setup, but it’s likely that the new Prime core has larger L2 caches than the secondary big cores, if Qualcomm’s implementation here is similar to the larger flagship siblings. Clock frequencies on the Prime core have increased to 2.3GHz for the regular Snapdragon 765, whilst it goes up to 2.4GHz on the S765G. The secondary big core remains at 2.2GHz.

The big disappointment here is that these are still Cortex-A76 based CPU cores, so Qualcomm hasn’t actually updated the microarchitecture designs of the CPUs. In this regard, the new chip actually seems slightly inferior to the Exynos 980 with A77 cores, which targets the same device segment.

We continue to see 6x Cortex A55 cores at 1.8GHz alongside the big cores.

Qualcomm’s First Integrated 5G Modem

The biggest change in the SoC is the fact that this is Qualcomm’s first chipset to integrate a 5G modem. In terms of modem architecture, it’s said that the block is identical in functionality to the X55 external modem, just that it supports lesser bandwidth. 4G LTE speeds reach up to 1200Mbps download and 210Mbps upload, and 5G speeds aggregate over sub-6 as well as mmWave peak at 3700Mbps down and 1600Mbps up.

Qualcomm was keen to point out that unlike other vendors, they’re not skimping on mmWave connectivity at this category, although I do wonder if vendors will actually integrate mmWave modules on the devices with the SoC as it’s essentially a high-end feature on a more price-sensitive platform.

Also very interesting is the new SoC’s manufacturing process – it’s made by Samsung on their new 7nm EUV 7LPP node, meaning the premium SoC technically has a more advanced process technology than the flagship Snapdragon 865, although in practice this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s actually better in terms of characteristics.

The first Snapdragon 765(G) devices are expected to be released in the first quarter of 2020.

The Snapdragon 865 & 765: First Impressions

Overall, today’s launch was very exciting and hopefully we’ve been able to present to you with some exclusive clarifications on the new SoC platforms.

Qualcomm’s execution in recent years have been pretty much excellent, and flagship devices powered by Snapdragon SoCs have been always extremely well-rounded. Naturally we do wish the Android SoC vendors would put the pedal to the metal in terms of raw performance and efficiency and catch up with Apple’s designs, but when it comes to all other aspects of SoC design Qualcomm is in pretty much in a leadership role. That’s not to say the performance improvements of the new generation is disappointing, I’m expecting the new CPU cores to shine and Qualcomm has promises very healthy improvements in a generation where there have only been minor process node improvements.

Two big takeaways from today’s launch were camera and 5G. The camera capabilities of the Snapdragon 865 means that next year we’ll see some exciting new designs and a leap forward in camera capture experiences.

The Snapdragon 865 and 765 both supporting 5G to the fullest extend also means that the SoCs represent the foundation for 5G devices in 2020, and we expect vendors to 5G in their full line-up, with maybe only a few exceptions at the low and mid-low-range. I was quite doubtful about the value in buying X50 based 5G devices this year as they did have some crucial feature compromises, I don’t have the same qualms about the new X55 and X52 based platforms next year, and it’s likely the generation to get on board for 5G.

I’m excited to get my hands on the first Snapdragon 865 devices early next year, and hopefully we’ll be able to get more details on the platform in the next weeks and months to come.

Immense Camera Upgrades: 15 TOPs AI, 200 MPix Sensors, 8K30 Recording
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  • Pro-competition - Thursday, December 5, 2019 - link

    "The X55 modem has had a lead time to market, being available earlier than the Snapdragon 865 SoC by several months. OEM vendors thus would have been able to already start developing their 2020 handset designs on the X55+S855 platform, focusing on getting the RF subsystems right, and then once the S865 becomes available, it would be a rather simple integration of the new AP without having to do much changes to the connectivity components of the new device design."

    Uh, why not just integrate the X55 into the S865 then?
  • Kabm - Thursday, December 5, 2019 - link

    Well Samsung Exynos 990 for S11 also don't have 5G intergrated. So I guess they have to chose between 5G modem intergrated and new core Cortex A77. And even if they choose 5G they will need the latest 7nm EUV production line, which there are rumors of low yield.
  • Nicon0s - Wednesday, February 19, 2020 - link

    "Uh, why not just integrate the X55 into the S865 then?"

    Qualcomm already explained why.
    Size constrains, power constrains which result in lower peak speeds. By integrated the 5G modem overall 5G speeds will be lower as you can see with the Kirin 990 5G.
  • helloworld_chip - Thursday, December 5, 2019 - link

    From the article: "Apple’s iPhones always have had separate AP+modem solutions, and the latest generation this year had amongst the strongest battery life performance of any device out there, even with a competing Intel modem."

    Andrei, as what I can see from your iPhone 11 review, the comparison you made which shows great iphone 11 battery life is based on a WiFi test instead of 4G.. In such test scenario, modem shouldn't even be in the picture. How could that imply a separate modem doesn't make much power differences..? Is this a mistake?
  • eastcoast_pete - Thursday, December 5, 2019 - link

    Thanks Andrei! Question about 5G: in Huawei's implementation in their 990 chipset, they apparently use one of their 2 AI core clusters to assist with beam forming and other 5G-related tasks. Does Qualcomm use its AI circuitry similarly, and is this the reason for the beefed-up AI on their new SoCs? Thanks!
  • peevee - Thursday, December 5, 2019 - link

    "Qualcomm allows vendors to choose between LP4X and LP5 in their device implementations"

    BIG mistake, as most will choose to save a couple of $$ on $800+ devices with 865. Given the graphics is integrated, there are quite a few situations where perf is going to be memory-speed-limited.
  • peevee - Friday, December 6, 2019 - link

    "No, the Snapdragon 865 doesn’t support the AV1 codec for video decoding. It looks like we’ll have to wait for the next generation for that."

    No, AV1 does not offer any PRACTICAL advantages over H.265 to 99.99%+ of consumers, so very very few people who care about that particular practically irrelevant thing will wait for that.

    Note the word PRACTICAL (I cannot emphasize it more on your comment software).

    More interesting (but also almost irrelevant at this point) thing would be what specific profiles of H.265 their codec supports.
  • AidenP - Saturday, December 7, 2019 - link

    Oh,c'mon , stop already with this 5G hyper-ventilated-horse-beaten-to-death thingie .
    I think 4G is already more then enough for most regular user scenarios,and even all those radio waves (combined with normal radio-TV-2G-etc) are screwing our bodies already haha .
    A start to consider : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG8f5kUpbcg
  • HideOut - Saturday, December 7, 2019 - link

    I just hope that in the statse we'll actually be able to buy a phone based on the new 7xx chipset. We seem to get 6xx junk or strait to the overpriced 8xx stuff. No great upper midrange phones :(

    Please tell me the pixel 4a will have this!
  • Wardrive86 - Thursday, December 12, 2019 - link

    The DRAM for the Snapdragon 855 in the table is labled wrong

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