Chipmaker Qualcomm recently introduced a new mobile processor designed to bridge the performance and feature gap between the mid-range Snapdragon 600 series and the higher-end 800 series.
The new Snapdragon 710 is the first entry in the Snapdragon 700 series that Qualcomm introduced at Mobile World Congress in February. The 10-nanometer part offers features typically only found in premium-tier mobile platforms like a multi-core AI engine and neural network processing capabilities.
According to Qualcomm, the AI engine helps the 710 deliver up to twice the overall performance improvements in AI applications compared to the Snapdragon 660.
There's also a new Spectra 250 image signal processor that assists in capturing "professional-grade quality photos and videos with superior low light photography, noise reduction, fast autofocus, image stabilization, smooth zoom and real-time bokeh effects," a new Snapdragon X15 LTE modem that supports up to 800 Mbps download speeds with 4x4 MIMO technology, Bluetooth 5 and 4K HDR video playback support.
Qualcomm further notes that due to enhancements to the Adreno 616 Visual Processing Subsystem architecture, 710-equipped devices can expect to see up to a 40 percent reduction in power consumption while gaming and during 4K HDR video playback and a 20 percent reduction in power consumption when streaming video versus its Snapdragon 660.
The first consumer devices equipped with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 710 are expected this quarter, Qualcomm said.