Qualcomm introduces Snapdragon X75 modem for mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G

Qualcomm announces its Snapdragon X75 5G modem. This offers support for 5G Advanced, a new release of the 5G specification that includes improved MIMO. The modem also has an improved AI accelerator and the same downlink and uplink as the current X70.

The Snapdragon X75 supports 10x carrier aggregation on mmWave frequencies and up to 5x carrier aggregation on the sub-6GHz bands. The modem also supports MIMO on the uplink and can handle frequency division duplexing for simultaneous transmission and reception of signals on different frequencies. The maximum theoretical downlink and uplink speeds remain 10Gbit/s and 3.5Gbit/s, as in the previous Snapdragon X70.

According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon X75 will have a new architecture with a combined mmWave and sub-6GHz transceiver. According to the manufacturer, the modem therefore takes up 25 percent less space and consumes up to 20 percent less power, which should ensure better battery life. As with the previous X70 modem, the X75 features an AI tensor accelerator that should help boost speeds and reduce latency, Qualcomm claims. According to the manufacturer, this accelerator is up to 2.5 times faster than the one in the previous generation.

The modem also supports Release 17 and 18 of the 5G specification. According to telecom standards organization 3GPP, the latter should mark the beginning of 5G Advanced. The releases include improved uplink MIMO performance and better coverage and stability. 3GPP already announced the arrival of 5G Advanced in 2021. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 is the first modem announced to support the standard.

The Snapdragon X75 should be used in the first devices in the second half of this year. The current X70 is integrated into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 soc that Qualcomm released for high-end smartphones at the end of last year.