This new Snapdragon chip has me excited for budget Android phones again

Qualcomm has revealed its latest upcoming phone tech for 2024. The new Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chipset is going to power some of 2024’s best budget Android phones. It’s a step-down from the flagship 8 Gen 3 chipset that’s powering the high-end handsets releasing this year, but is the most powerful entry-level chipset to date.

• Read more: Best cheap phones in 2024 reviewed and rated

The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 chipset is designed to make 5G an everyday affair for billions, offering peak download speeds of 1 Gbps. We see a lot of budget handsets with just LTE support, so this is a welcome upgrade. Qualcomm’s new chip is also more power-efficient, promising all-day battery life.

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 is built on a 4nm process node. This gives you impressive power savings and reliable, all-day use. It features the Qualcomm Kryo CPU with peak speeds up to 2 GHz. You’ll also find two performance cores for serious work, and six efficiency cores for everyday use. Charging woes are a thing of the past with Snapdragon Quick Charge 4+ technology, which juices up 50% of your battery in just 15 minutes.

As expected, it includes a robust 5G Modem-RF System supporting Sub-6 GHz with download speeds up to 1 Gbps. When you’re at home, it’ll switch to Qualcomm Wi-Fi 5. Dual-frequency GPS with NavIC L1+L5 offers pinpoint location accuracy. For entertainment, the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 supports FHD+ displays at 90 Hz. Q-Sync synchronises the display rate with the game frame rate, reducing stutter and making your experience smoother.

The camera support is also better. The Qualcomm Spectra ISP supports up to 84 MP single-shot capture, 1080p video capture at 60 FPS, and video image stabilisation. Audiophiles will appreciate the Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec for high-res streaming and minimal distortion.

Expect to see this in devices from Xiaomi by year’s end. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 is set to democratise 5G, bringing top-tier connectivity and performance to budget-conscious consumers.

• Related: Best AI phones: which smartphone has the best AI features?

Connor Jewiss

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around seven years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home