Snapdragon smartphone put to the test: Tech enthusiasts and insiders expect more from Qualcomm

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Qualcomm's first smartphone specifically for the “Snapdragon Insiders” tech community should actually be a bang and satisfy the needs of tech enthusiasts. Questionable decisions about price, selection of components and software disturb the eagerly awaited project.

Table of contents

  1. 1 Tech enthusiasts and insiders expect more from Qualcomm
    1. In a set with headphones for 1,300 euros
    2. Lighter than the ROG Phone 5
    3. The fingerprint sensor is an ergonomic catastrophe
    4. High quality workmanship with good speakers
    5. 144 Hz fast OLED screen
    6. Bright Panel with up to 1,100 cd/m²
  2. 2 Snapdragon 888, profiles, benchmarks, throttle test and Android
    1. There are no apps for enthusiasts
    2. Five profiles determine the performance
    3. Benchmarks with dynamic profile
    4. Throttle test benefits from the profile for high performance
    5. Faster and above all a lot of memory
    6. Stock Android without update promise
  3. 3 Wi-Fi 6E, 5G mmWave and unfinished software
    1. mmWave also for German buyers
    2. Wi-Fi 6E with 480 MHz in Europe
    3. Snapdragon Sound was not yet available finished
    4. Camera software not yet final
  4. 4 triple cameras and battery life
    1. focal lengths from 14.3 to 80 mm
    2. Good night mode for wide and ultra wide angle cameras
    3. Qualcomm reduces battery by a third
  5. 5 Conclusion

Qualcomm itself is entering the smartphone market after the San Diego company was previously known primarily for its processors and 5G solutions and supplied them to well-known names in the segment. However, this is not a completely normal entry into the market. Strictly speaking, even the mention of the company name moves into the background, because the phone is marketed as the “Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders” and it was designed by partner Asus. The product is very similar to the ROG Phone 5 for a reason.

The target group of the smartphone are primarily the so-called Snapdragon Insiders, who are a Qualcomm social media community that was launched in spring this year and which had 1.6 million “insiders” on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram at the end of June , YouTube, Reddit, WeChat, JD.com and Tmall counted. And for this group of users, there is now their own smartphone, which is intended to combine many of the latest Qualcomm technologies in one product. In principle, anyone interested can buy the mobile device, although it is sold via the Asus online shop at a price of 1,299 euros. Pre-orders can already be made in the USA and China, and sales in Germany and other countries are expected to start in August.

  1. Packaging of the smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders

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Packaging of the smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders
Packaging of the smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders

In a set with headphones for 1,300 euros

At 1,300 euros, the “Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders” is in the top league, so it has to compete with devices such as the Galaxy S21 Ultra (test), the iPhone 12 Pro Max (test) and the like. The fact that the price is so high is also related to the scope of delivery. Because Qualcomm wants to demonstrate the capabilities of Snapdragon Sound, the MW08 wireless in-ear headphones from Master & amp; Dynamic in an adapted version for “Snapdragon Insiders”. Their price is 300 euros (RRP), so that effectively 1,000 euros have to be paid for the smartphone. Asus and Qualcomm only offer the mobile device in a bundle.

Qualcomm Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders Software:
(when released) Android 11.0 Display: 6.78 inches, 1,080 × 2,448
395 ppi, 144 Hz
AMOLED, HDR, Gorilla Glass Victus Operation: Touch, fingerprint sensor SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
1 × Kryo 680 Prime, 2.84 GHz
3 × Kryo 680 Gold, 2.42 GHz
4 × Kryo 680 Silver, 1.80 GHz
5 nm, 64-Bit GPU: Adreno 660
840 MHz RAM: 16.384 MB
LPDDR5 memory: 512 GB 1st camera: 64.0 MP, 4320p
dual LED, f/1.8, AF, OIS 2nd camera: 12.0 MP, f/2.2 3rd camera: 8 , 0 MP, f/2.4, AF, OIS 4. Camera: No 5. Camera: No 1. Front camera: 24.0 MP, 1080p
display flash, f/2.5 2. Front camera: No. GSM: GPRS + EDGE UMTS: HSPA +
↓ 42.2 ↑ 5.76 Mbit/s LTE: Advanced Pro
↓ 2,000 ↑ 150 Mbit/s 5G: NSA/SA
↓ 4.40 ↑ 0 , 54 Gbit/s WLAN: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth: 5.2 Location: A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC Other standards: USB Type C, NFC SIM card: Nano-SIM, Dual-SIM battery: 4,000 mAh, 65.0 W.
permanently installed Size (W × H × D): 77.3 × 173.2 × 9.55 mm Protection class: – Weight: 210 g Price: € 1,299

Lighter than the ROG Phone 5

The “Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders” – henceforth just called SFSI – shows strong similarities to the ROG Phone 5 from Asus, but comes with a somewhat simpler design and its own color called midnight blue. The basic layout and dimensions, however, correspond to the Asus smartphone. With Qualcomm the device measures 77.3 × 173.2 × 9.55 mm (W × H × D), with Asus it is 77 × 173 × 9.9 mm. The weight is 210 to 239 g in favor of Qualcomm, which suggests bad things when looking at the battery.

  1. Smartphone and headphones on the platter

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Smartphone and headphones on the presentation plate
Smartphone and headphones on the presentation plate
Snapdragon logo on the in-ear headphones
Bumper case, cable and power supply as additional accessories
Scope of delivery of the smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders

The battery does not survive the slimming diet

The SFSI has a slightly smaller installation depth, a fingerprint sensor and an illuminated Snapdragon logo on the back. The Asus smartphone, on the other hand, is marginally thicker and uses a fingerprint sensor integrated into the display. This layout means that Qualcomm can only build in an energy storage device with 4,000 mAh, while Asus uses a 50 percent larger 6,000 mAh in the ROG Phone 5.

Fingerprint sensor is an ergonomic catastrophe

The fingerprint sensor on the back is the company's own 3D Sonic Gen 2, which was introduced at the beginning of the year and is 77 percent larger than the first generation. So far, the sensor has only been integrated into displays, for example in the Galaxy S21 series from Samsung. With the SFSI, an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is being built into the smartphone for the first time. The great advantage of ultrasound is actually that wet fingers can also be read. The catch with the SFSI, however, is that it doesn't offer any IP certification at all.

At least as annoying is the ergonomic catastrophe that was created with the fingerprint sensor on the back, as it does not have any indentation and is flush with the case. With every unlocking process, it is a cramp to feel the sensor and successfully unlock the smartphone. Sometimes suitable sleeves with a recess help with this process, but the SFSI only comes with a protective frame.

  1. Rear fingerprint sensor without notch

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Rear fingerprint sensor without notch
< img src = "/wp-content/uploads/9f9203767b6a738384dfc05feab2e1ff.jpg" /> The smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders comes in midnight blue Dual-Nano-SIM and USB Type C below

Qualcomm says that the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor can only be installed in OLED displays with flexible panels and that a “rigid panel” is used in the SFSI. Obviously Qualcomm did not want to switch to a worse optical sensor (on paper), because after all, their own technologies are to be demonstrated in the SFSI. The effort to equip the ROG Phone 5 with a completely different panel in order to then install your own sensor was also avoided. The result is a half-baked solution that is not convincing in everyday life. With Qualcomm you could definitely go even harder, because actually the 3D Sonic Max should be used in a flagship model. This was presented at the end of 2019 and should have come onto the market in 2020, but has not been heard from since then.

High quality processed with good ones Speakers

The general processing quality of the smartphone, where there is no cause for criticism in terms of buttons, sockets, millings and accuracy of fit, should be positively emphasized. As is well known, there is no arguing about design, but the SFSI with its asymmetrical structure is not exactly an eye-catcher from the editors' point of view. The midnight blue and the Snapdragon lettering should also not please everyone.

The sandwich construction typical on the market made of glass for the front and back and aluminum for the frame, which holds everything together, also works well with Qualcomm. The dual SIM slot, USB Type C and one of the two speakers are located at the bottom of the case, while the second speaker is installed above the display, which all in all ensure a good stereo effect with solid quality and volume. All buttons are on the right side of the case, whereby only the power button can be easily reached with the left index finger or right thumb – depending on your posture. The volume rocker is too high and should have been placed on the left of the case.

144 Hz faster OLED screen

The view from the front of the smartphone reveals the 6.78-inch OLED panel after switching on, which has a slightly wider bezel at the top and bottom, which ensures a symmetrical layout and, above all, that no notch is required for the front camera . Qualcomm accommodates the small lens with a 24-megapixel sensor in the upper right corner of the frame. Day and night recordings with the selfie camera can be found in the corresponding section.

6.78 inch OLED display with 144 Hz

The OLED panel comes from Samsung and is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus, currently the most resistant glass from Corning. At 6.78 inches in 20.4: 9 format, 2,448 × 1,080 pixels are gathered, which ensure a sharp 395 ppi. The SFSI cannot match the sharpness of a 1440p screen, which is outstanding down to the last detail, although the differences only become visible on closer inspection.

The screen is designed for a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, which can be activated permanently if desired. The smartphone is delivered with an automatic mode that adapts dynamically to the current content. In addition to these two modes, there is a choice of 120 Hz and 60 Hz. Above all, the two fastest modes ensure an extremely smooth operating experience that is at least equal to the best smartphones on the market – Qualcomm does not spoil here.

Bright panel with up to 1,100 cd/m²

The smartphone also does well in terms of the determined brightness values, which are not far from the information provided by Qualcomm. The manufacturer specifies the outdoor brightness as 800 cd/m², with a peak of 1,200 cd/m². Both values ​​only apply to automatic mode, presumably to protect the panel and keep energy consumption in check. In manual mode, 473 cd/m² were determined with a completely white screen, with a falling “Average Picture Level” (APL) up to 613 cd/m² were possible with 10 percent white. In automatic mode, the SFSI comes close to Qualcomm's specification with 765 cd/m² and the peak brightness is also very high at 1,100 cd/m². The 1,200 cd/m² mentioned by the manufacturer are only realistic with an even smaller APL of less than 10 percent and thus represent a very small point peak brightness. The panel has certifications for HDR10 and HDR10 +, which can be reproduced well with the determined values.

«Previous display brightness max. Display brightness min. Display contrast Next»

The one from Qualcomm on Delta E & lt; 1 figure for the deviation of the color accuracy is only achieved in the profiles according to sRGB and DCI-P3, but the somewhat oversaturated “Standard” mode with a cooler white point is preset. Qualcomm accommodates color profiles in the “Splendid” menu of the Android settings, which has a total of five profiles. There is a duplication of “Standard”, “Natural”, “Cinema”, again “Standard” and “Customized” for your own settings – probably a translation error. ComputerBase has tested the smartphone with non-final firmware, a first update is to be delivered at the end of August.

On the next page: Snapdragon 888, profiles, benchmarks, throttle test and Android