Gaming is another challenge for phones powered by these processors, but the new chip boosts GPU performance by 29%. Qualcomm is also bringing features like its Game Super Resolution feature to upscale visuals, the Adreno Frame Motion Engine for frame interpolation, and the Adreno HDR Fast Blend to improve performance in HDR games.

There's been a notable shift in processor development towards on-device AI capabilities, both on the desktop PC side and in mobile, which not only includes laptops and 2-in-1 devices, but also smartphones.

Qualcomm today unveiled the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4, and it’s a big deal for mid-range phones. With better performance, smoother gaming, generative AI (a first for the 6-series), and faster connectivity, this chip is set to shake up what we expect from budget-friendly smartphones.

Qualcomm is bringing AI to its mid-range mobile chip lineup with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 Mobile Platform, the company announced. The new chips also promise improved CPU and GPU performance, lower power requirements and faster Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity compared to the previous chip.

The company's latest processor boasts increases in CPU and GPU performance and improved power savings, which means on-device AI for affordable phones for the first time.

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 offers the usual performance bumps, but the big change is support for on-device generative AI — a first for the Snapdragon 6 line, which usually targets phones priced at $200-400.