Snapdragon X65: Qualcomm expands mmWave and energy saving functions

Qualcomm is taking the next development step with the Snapdragon X65 modem introduced at the beginning of the year, which is designed for 10 Gbit/s in the downlink via 5G. There are adjustments to mmWave for the Chinese market, and there is also a better exchange with base stations. There are also reference designs for M.2 cards.

The timetable also provides that the first devices with Snapdragon X65 should come on the market by the end of this year. In addition to smartphones, this also includes tablets, notebooks, stationary 5G routers, mobile hotspots and IoT devices. Qualcomm has not yet announced which product category will hit the market first. Qualcomm also did not want to confirm the integration into a system-on-a-chip, for example as the successor to the Snapdragon 888, for its own 5G Summit.

The Snapdragon X65 is Qualcomm's first 5G multi-mode modem that is designed for a downlink of 10 Gbit/s. This is achieved by aggregating 800 MHz bandwidth in the mmWave and 200 MHz bandwidth in the sub-6 GHz spectrum (carrier aggregation). The Snapdragon X65 is also the world's first modem designed for 3GPP Release 16. Further details on the equipment can be found in the article on the announcement in February. At the same time, Qualcomm also presented the less powerful Snapdragon X62.

200 MHz frequency blocks for China

At the 5G Summit, the modem will receive two software updates. Qualcomm designed the Snapdragon X65 to be more “software-defined” than in the previous generation, so that more features can be integrated after the hardware has been completed. In the mmWave area, there is an adaptation specifically for the Chinese market, where mmWave is to be introduced with frequency blocks of 200 MHz, while the USA and Europe are using 100 MHz. Instead of 8 × 100 MHz, the Snapdragon X65 now also supports 4 × 200 MHz, especially for China. In addition, mmWave is now generally also supported in standalone operation (SA) if no LTE core network is used as is currently the case with 5G non-standalone (NSA).

Terminal and base station are in exchange

Another innovation is called 5G PowerSave 2.0, which is supported via UE-Assisted Information (UAI) of 3GPP Release 16. “UE” stands for User Equipment, ie the user's device. UAI ensures that smartphones (or another end device) and base station negotiate efficient operation with one another. The voltage at which the modem works, the temperature in the smartphone, how many carriers are used for the current application or which MIMO configuration makes sense can be defined by both sides of the connection in mutual exchange in order to increase efficiency and to reduce consumption.

Reference designs for 5G modules in M.2 format

At the 5G Summit, Qualcomm also presented two reference designs in M.2 format based on the Snapdragon X65 and X62. These should make it a little easier for OEMs to equip their devices with 5G connectivity. Qualcomm provides the reference designs for PCs, Always Connected PCs (ACPCs) based on ARM processors, notebooks, customer premises equipment (5G routers), XR headsets, gaming devices or mobile hotspots. Because the M.2 cards are designed as a plug-and-play solution, OEMs no longer have to develop their own designs for corresponding WWAN cards.

To the provider of finished 5G Modules will not be Qualcomm itself, however, the M.2 cards must continue to bring providers of corresponding WWAN modules onto the market, only that the development effort with the reference designs should now be reduced. Well-known providers are for example Fibocom or Sierra Wireless.

ComputerBase has received information about this article from Qualcomm under NDA. The only requirement was the earliest possible publication time.