Mid-range phones are getting AI with the new Snapdragon 670 chip

Qualcomm just unveiled the new leader of its mid-tier, 600-series system on a chip – the Snapdragon 670.

The new chip will have eight Kryo 360 cores, six of them clocked at 1.7GHz and two at 2.0GHz. The performance of the CPU will be further boosted by Qualcomm’s Artificial Intelligence Engine, which aids functions like face unlock and bokeh effect on photos made with a single camera. According to the manufacturer, the overall package will offer “twice the performance” of its Snapdragon 660 chip.

The new generation also gets an Adreno 615 GPU, capable of delivering what Qualcomm calls “console-like gaming”. While that’s a bit vague, we should expect a significant improvement in performance on that front as well. 4K video playback and recording at 30fps is supported.

To power smartphone cameras, the Snapdragon 670 will have the Qualcomm Spectra 250 image signal processor that can support a single camera with up to a 25MP sensor or up to a 16MP dual camera. While the sensor support is no different from the 660’s, the new ISP will provide improved digital image stabilization and other nifty features.

Another upgrade comes from the QuickCharge4+ support (hint: the difference is the +), taking you from 0 to 50% battery in 15 minutes. According to Qualcomm, overall improvements in performance and power usage will deliver up to 30% more battery life for your device, compared to what it could have been with the Snapdragon 660.

On paper, the specs and features of the Snapdragon 670 are very similar to the higher-tiered Snapdragon 710. This means that with the Snapdragon 670, Qualcomm will allow smartphone manufacturers to give their clients some higher-end features on more affordable devices.

No smartphones with the Snapdragon 670 have been announced yet, but we expect to see it on the market before the end of the year.