I'd guess that the image processor is lower clocked, so the resolution is lowered. Likewise, disabling the HDR pipeline wouldn't be hard. I'm less sure about the modem though. Is the X12 and X15 the same chip with a channel disabled?
On paper, both Cat 12 and Cat 15 use the same amount of MIMO layers, and Cat 15 gets 25% higher DL speeds. I have no real knowledge on this, but it could be that Cat 12 is achieved simply through a lower-clocked baseband processor.
Agree, it looks like Qualcomm found a way to "recycle" lower-binned S710s. Probably learned that from Intel, as another comment here said. Also, might be one of the signs of a "maturing" (read: slower growing) market. The Android universe is not expanding as fast as it used to be, and things like mini- and micro-segmenting are signs of it.
I agree. Also, it's about time that mobile SoC makers start selling different bins of chips. I know they've been doing this on the dl in terms of giving favored/higher-paying OEMs faster bins, but there still should be some way of selling partially-defective or not-up-to-spec silicon. Anything else is just plain wasteful. I get that these chips are mostly tiny and thus they get a lot of chips per wafer, but so what? Sell them cheaper and someone will inevitably buy them.
You say tiny, but I think they're not *that* tiny. I'd say 30-50 mm2, since 845 is 91mm2 on the same process. So optimistically 3x as much per wafer - selling partially defective/not up to spec silicon does seem like the smart thing to do. The modem is also (to me at least) surprisingly big, so lopping of part of that seems to make sense. (as in - disabling non-functional parts)
Most of the type out is the same, untouched. It's questionable even did they even root modem DSP, RF front end is obviously different but that really isn't on the 10nm FinFET chip.
Hm. Could this (or the 710) be what OnePlus needs to get back to the $400-ish price range? To make things simple, reuse the same case (and brand the phones with a "cheaper/slower" suffix - 6L?), cut the RAM a bit, and stick a slightly lower-end but still okay camera (maybe just whatever was in the 3T or 5?) in there and you'd have a winner. Not that I'll be replacing my 3T any time soon, but I'm tired of the incessant price hikes for high-end devices and the ridiculous tradeoffs in even the upper mid-range. If the options are paying $7-800 for an actual upgrade or $4-600 for a sidegrade from a 2-year-old device, I'll hang onto what I have for as long as possible, thanks.
It's only slightly lower clocked S710 regarding all primary blocks (CPU, GPU, IPS, DSP), they just typed out old modem and some secondary smaller blocks. It didn't cost much to design, will be only little cheaper to produce (so little that it's not justified at all) & world could have gone without it. On the other hand it will be a most efficient midrange SoC available. We will see how good will the OEM adaption go.
I'm glad to see "big cores" making their way down range. Now if we can actually get some decent phones compatible with US networks based on these chips and not priced at flagship prices.
I'd love to have this SoC in my next phone. I don't give a shit about flagship phones and their corresponding prices.
✓ 2160 x 1080 OLED display @ 6 inches ✓ 4gb dual channel LP ram ✓ 64gb UFS storage + microsd ✓ Good enough camera ✓ 3500+ mAh battery ✓ works on the big 4 carriers in the US ✓✓✓ high impact polycarbonate build with rubberized corner bumpers so that it needs no case but can survive multiple drops.
Xiaomi Redmi note 5 hits all these (except maybe the works on all 4 carriers. There's many versions of this phone) and is less than $220 these days. I have a previous version that has survived several drops no rubber corners though!
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ToTTenTranz - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
It really does look like just a lower-binned S710, despite Qualcomm's claims.quadrivial - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
I'd guess that the image processor is lower clocked, so the resolution is lowered. Likewise, disabling the HDR pipeline wouldn't be hard. I'm less sure about the modem though. Is the X12 and X15 the same chip with a channel disabled?ToTTenTranz - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
On paper, both Cat 12 and Cat 15 use the same amount of MIMO layers, and Cat 15 gets 25% higher DL speeds. I have no real knowledge on this, but it could be that Cat 12 is achieved simply through a lower-clocked baseband processor.Spunjji - Thursday, August 9, 2018 - link
Hooray for bizarrely fine-grained Intel-style product segmentation!eastcoast_pete - Saturday, August 11, 2018 - link
Agree, it looks like Qualcomm found a way to "recycle" lower-binned S710s. Probably learned that from Intel, as another comment here said. Also, might be one of the signs of a "maturing" (read: slower growing) market. The Android universe is not expanding as fast as it used to be, and things like mini- and micro-segmenting are signs of it.psychobriggsy - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
"different design"IMO that doesn't necessarily mean different silicon. It's so similar that would be silly.
To be honest, it looks like a 710 that couldn't make the 2.2GHz speed grade - i.e., a yield increasing SKU.
Valantar - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
I agree. Also, it's about time that mobile SoC makers start selling different bins of chips. I know they've been doing this on the dl in terms of giving favored/higher-paying OEMs faster bins, but there still should be some way of selling partially-defective or not-up-to-spec silicon. Anything else is just plain wasteful. I get that these chips are mostly tiny and thus they get a lot of chips per wafer, but so what? Sell them cheaper and someone will inevitably buy them.Mil0 - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
You say tiny, but I think they're not *that* tiny. I'd say 30-50 mm2, since 845 is 91mm2 on the same process. So optimistically 3x as much per wafer - selling partially defective/not up to spec silicon does seem like the smart thing to do. The modem is also (to me at least) surprisingly big, so lopping of part of that seems to make sense. (as in - disabling non-functional parts)Arnulf - Thursday, August 9, 2018 - link
Analog passive components don't scale with node changes the way transistors do in sillicon.ZolaIII - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
Most of the type out is the same, untouched. It's questionable even did they even root modem DSP, RF front end is obviously different but that really isn't on the 10nm FinFET chip.satai - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
Qualcomm branding "system" is a mess.drexnx - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
it usually made no sense - remember the QSD8250/MSM7255 days?it only ever briefly made sense with the S1/S2/S3/S4 branding, and that lasted like a year?
phoenix_rizzen - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
Yeah. This really should be an SD700, not an SD670. But, the whole 600-series of SoCs is a mess.Valantar - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
Hm. Could this (or the 710) be what OnePlus needs to get back to the $400-ish price range? To make things simple, reuse the same case (and brand the phones with a "cheaper/slower" suffix - 6L?), cut the RAM a bit, and stick a slightly lower-end but still okay camera (maybe just whatever was in the 3T or 5?) in there and you'd have a winner. Not that I'll be replacing my 3T any time soon, but I'm tired of the incessant price hikes for high-end devices and the ridiculous tradeoffs in even the upper mid-range. If the options are paying $7-800 for an actual upgrade or $4-600 for a sidegrade from a 2-year-old device, I'll hang onto what I have for as long as possible, thanks.PocoLoco - Monday, August 20, 2018 - link
Exactly what I need right now. With the metal body of the 3T.ZolaIII - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
It's only slightly lower clocked S710 regarding all primary blocks (CPU, GPU, IPS, DSP), they just typed out old modem and some secondary smaller blocks. It didn't cost much to design, will be only little cheaper to produce (so little that it's not justified at all) & world could have gone without it. On the other hand it will be a most efficient midrange SoC available. We will see how good will the OEM adaption go.Rocket321 - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
I'm glad to see "big cores" making their way down range. Now if we can actually get some decent phones compatible with US networks based on these chips and not priced at flagship prices.SquarePeg - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
I'd love to have this SoC in my next phone. I don't give a shit about flagship phones and their corresponding prices.✓ 2160 x 1080 OLED display @ 6 inches
✓ 4gb dual channel LP ram
✓ 64gb UFS storage + microsd
✓ Good enough camera
✓ 3500+ mAh battery
✓ works on the big 4 carriers in the US
✓✓✓ high impact polycarbonate build with rubberized corner bumpers so that it needs no case but can survive multiple drops.
✓ $399
quadrivial - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
The old Lumia (well, actually Meego N9) polycarbonate design with updated guts would be amazing.SquarePeg - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
Hell yes. I loved the old Nokia polycarbonate designs. Just round off the corners a bit for durability and the N9 design would be great.Mr Perfect - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
Some day, Peg, someday.Can I also request this be an Android One handest with an unlocked bootloader? This Nexus needs replacing...
ZolaIII - Wednesday, August 8, 2018 - link
No you can't thanks to Google. Not today nor any other day.ianmills - Friday, August 10, 2018 - link
Xiaomi Redmi note 5 hits all these (except maybe the works on all 4 carriers. There's many versions of this phone) and is less than $220 these days. I have a previous version that has survived several drops no rubber corners though!Bulat Ziganshin - Thursday, August 9, 2018 - link
afair, SD710 supports 2160p60 video capture, i.e. encode (and should support decode too just to watch captured videos later)Jetcat3 - Friday, February 15, 2019 - link
Hi, with the announcement of the Tab S5e today, will the Snapdragon 670 be able to support 2K streaming via YouTube?