It was the first 5G chipset for phones that generally sell in the $250 – $350 range in the United States. According to Qualcomm, the 480 chipset delivers a 100% CPU and GPU performance compared to the older Snapdragon 460 chipset. AI tasks are also expected to be 70% faster. In terms of performance, the 480 mobile platform is just below Snapdragon 720G (which does not have 5G).
Clusters
It features eight cores (hexa-core) in two Kryo 460 clusters. There is a performance cluster with two ARM Cortex A76 cores at up to 2 GHz and an efficiency cluster with six small ARM Cortex A55 cores at up to 1.8 GHz.
Graphics Processing
The Snapdragon 480’s graphics processing is handled by the Adreno 619 GPU, which has been quoted as being over 100% faster than the old Adreno 610 in the SD 460.
Display Support
The Snapdragon 480 chipset supports full-HD (2520 x 1080 pixels) displays with up to 120Hz refresh rate. However, in implementation, many of the budget 5G smartphones that use the chipset max out their displays at 720 x 1560 pixels and 60Hz refresh rate.
5G Modem
The Snapdragon X51 integrated modem in Snapdragon 480 supports up to 2.5 GB/s download and up to 660Mbps upload speeds over 5G networks. Those figures are not as fast as what you will find in higher end 5G phones, but they are still faster than 4G LTE. In addition, there is support for both sub-6 and millimeter-wave networks, providing the user with wider network options.
Camera Support
There is support for up to 64-megapixel camera and up to three 13-megapixel cameras simultaneously. It can capture 1080p video.
Battery Charging
The chipset supports Qualcomm® Quick Charge™ 4+ technology. Though Quick Charge 4 charges a device from empty to 50% in 15 minutes, most phones it has been deployed in have not maximized this support and provide 10W to 18W charging only.
Conclusions: How good is Snapdragon 480?
While the numbering puts it in the low-end class, the figures and feedback from reviews and comparisons around the world point to a surprisingly higher performance that is comparable just below what Snapdragon 720G and 730G offer. Perhaps Qualcomm should have numbered it in the 600-series? One thing is clear: the 480 is not the typical Snapdragon 400 series chipset. It punches above it numbering. Part of the reason for that could be that it has a better GPU than the 720G/730G/732G chips, so it has a graphics rendering advantage over those. If you buy a Snapdragon 480 phone, because it is likely going to be a budget device, you will enjoy the improved performance and 5G support, but likely be stuck with lower resolution, 60Hz displays and lower fast charging technologies.
List of Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G smartphones
Smartphone manufacturers that have taken up the Snapdragon 480 mobile platform for use include: HMD Global (maker of Nokia phones), Motorola, OnePlus, OPPO, and Vivo. Some Snapdragon 480-powered 5G phones already released and available in the market globally include the following: Check our Snapdragon Processor Rankings to see how the 480 stands in comparison to other chipsets.
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