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| Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Snapdragon 845 |
| Manufacturer | Qualcomm |
| Released | 2017 |
| Architecture | ARMv8-A |
| Cores | Octa-core |
| Gpu | Adreno 630 |
| Modem | Snapdragon X20 LTE |
| Process | 10 nm FinFET |
| Successor | Snapdragon 845 successor |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is a mobile system-on-chip (SoC) introduced by Qualcomm for flagship smartphones and tablets. It powered devices from manufacturers such as Samsung Electronics, Sony Corporation, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Google partners, enabling high-performance computing, graphics, camera processing, and cellular connectivity. The chip played a central role in the flagship smartphone market during 2018 and influenced platform design decisions at companies including LG Electronics, HTC Corporation, ASUS, and Motorola.
The Snapdragon 845 uses an octa-core configuration with four high-performance Kryo 385 Gold and four energy-efficient Kryo 385 Silver clusters, following ARM's big.LITTLE strategy derived from ARM Holdings designs like the Cortex-A75 and Cortex-A55, and integrating custom microarchitectural elements similar to previous Snapdragon generations. It includes the Adreno 630 GPU, evolved from the Adreno lineage originating at ATI Technologies and later developed by Qualcomm, supporting graphics APIs associated with Khronos Group standards like Vulkan (API), OpenGL ES, and OpenCL. The SoC integrates a Hexagon digital signal processor (DSP) in the Hexagon 685 family, continuing work from Qualcomm Spectra imaging pipelines and coordinating with ISP techniques seen in collaborations with companies like Sony Corporation (image sensors), OmniVision Technologies, and Samsung Electronics (Imagology) partners. System elements interface via on-chip interconnects influenced by industry interconnect practices from firms such as ARM Ltd. and Intel Corporation research.
The Snapdragon 845 was fabricated on a 10 nm FinFET process provided by Samsung Electronics foundry services, reflecting global semiconductor manufacturing trends alongside competitors like TSMC and GlobalFoundries. The node choice balanced density, power efficiency, and yield considerations familiar to fabs used for products from Apple Inc., Huawei Technologies (HiSilicon Kirin lines), and MediaTek Inc.. Packaging and thermal management adopted techniques comparable to those in products from NVIDIA Corporation and Intel Corporation. Supply chain coordination involved major players such as Foxconn, Pegatron Corporation, Wistron, and logistics partners including DHL and UPS for distribution to OEMs.
Performance claims for the Snapdragon 845 emphasized multi-core throughput and GPU improvements, competing with contemporaries like Apple A11 Bionic, Samsung Exynos 9810, and Huawei Kirin 970. CPU performance leveraged microarchitectural tuning, L2/L3 cache hierarchies, and memory controllers interoperable with LPDDR4X memory supplied by vendors including SK Hynix, Micron Technology, and Samsung Electronics (memory)'. Graphics benchmarking compared Adreno 630 results to GPUs in devices from NVIDIA Corporation (mobile) efforts and discrete mobile graphics discussions at Game Developers Conference. Real-world application performance impacted software platforms from Google (Android), Microsoft Corporation mobile initiatives, and gaming studios such as Epic Games and Electronic Arts.
The integrated Snapdragon X20 LTE modem provided Category 18 LTE speeds with carrier aggregation, MIMO, and features aligned with standards governed by the 3GPP and tested by operators like Verizon Communications, AT&T Inc., Vodafone Group, China Mobile, and Deutsche Telekom. Wi‑Fi connectivity supported IEEE standards developed through IEEE 802.11 Working Group processes and interoperated with infrastructure from Cisco Systems, Aruba Networks, and Ubiquiti. Bluetooth stacks conformed to specifications promoted by the Bluetooth SIG, enabling accessories from Sony Corporation (audio), Bose Corporation, and Samsung Electronics (audio) to pair reliably. GPS and GNSS positioning used signals standardized by GPS (United States), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (satellite navigation), and BeiDou (Chinese) systems, integrating with mapping services from Google Maps, Here Technologies, and TomTom.
Imaging pipelines used the Spectra ISP lineage to implement multi-frame noise reduction, high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, and portrait modes akin to innovations from Google (Pixel camera team), Apple (computational photography), and camera R&D at Sony Corporation. Video codecs supported HEVC/H.265 and VP9 profiles relevant to streaming providers such as Netflix, YouTube (Google), and Amazon Prime Video. On-device AI inference leveraged the Hexagon DSP and neural processing optimizations similar to frameworks like TensorFlow Lite and SDKs from Facebook (Meta) for AR/VR applications seen in collaborations with Oculus (Facebook) and Snap Inc. camera features. Multimedia acceleration paired with audio technologies from companies such as Dolby Laboratories and ESS Technology.
Security features included a secure execution environment and hardware acceleration for cryptographic algorithms aligning with standards from NIST and protocols used by platforms like Android (Operating System) and services from Google Play Services. Biometric processing supported fingerprint sensors and facial recognition modules produced by suppliers including Synaptics, Goodix, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (sensor partners) integrations. Sensor fusion combined data from IMUs, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and barometers sourced from vendors such as Bosch Sensortec, Invensense (TDK), and STMicroelectronics, enabling motion tracking for applications from Niantic and wearables by Fitbit (Google).
The Snapdragon 845 was adopted broadly in flagship and high-end devices from Samsung Electronics (Galaxy S9), Xiaomi (Mi series), OnePlus (6), Sony (Xperia XZ2), and others, influencing smartphone reviews from outlets such as The Verge, AnandTech, GSMArena, and CNET. Its deployment affected carrier device lineups at Verizon Communications and Sprint Corporation and informed competitive strategies at Apple Inc. and Huawei Technologies. The SoC contributed to trends in mobile photography, augmented reality, and gaming performance that shaped software from Google (Android team), app ecosystems in Google Play Store, and developer tools at Unity Technologies and Epic Games. Over its lifecycle the platform intersected with regulatory and standards discussions involving FTC (United States) and trade considerations involving governments like United States and China.
Category:Qualcomm chips