Android phones come in many shapes and sizes and with different features catering to different markets and for different budgets.The price of these phones is often dictated by the specs of the components, the most important of which being the mobile processor inside.If you prefer shopping for more affordable budget and mid-range Android handsets, your next device could end up using one of two new chipsets from Qualcomm, a firm that supplies processors to most of the major manufacturers, including Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Sony and Motorola.Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Read more: WhatsApp’s latest free update could spell the end of your voicemail Read more: Amazon’s popular Android Fire tablet is currently less than £45 and selling fast Tech news, reviews and latest gadgets plus selected offers and competitions Subscribe Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you.
This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding.You can unsubscribe at any time.Read our Privacy PolicyQualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 and Snapdragon 4 Gen 4, new chips that will likely find their way into competitively priced phones in 2026 and beyond.The firm tends to upgrade its various line ups of processors each year, hence a new ‘Gen’ (generation) version number.The Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2, as the name suggests, only supports 4G networks, and is aimed at entry-level devices.
Though its networking capabilities are stunted, Qualcomm says it improves mobile photography, performance and AI features for any phone that ends up using it.Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTAdvancements in mobile processors at the low-end of the market means cheaper phones get better every year.This means those on a budget can still enjoy solid smartphone cameras, battery life and software features without having to spend hundreds more on the most expensive phones out there.
Article continues below ADVERTISEMENTThe 6s 4G Gen 2 runs on an older 6nm process (the very best out there are up to 3nm these days - like golf scores, lower is better), supports phones with up to 8GB RAM, makes up to 108MP photo capture possible and can even support Hi-Res audio playback.Samsung launch 'A Friend for Christmas' campaign Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 is more powerful with a 4nm process, and supports 5G.Its CPU has 2 performance cores up to 2.3 GHz and can support the Quick Charge 4 Plus charging standard.Still aimed at low-cost phones, it’s another option for manufacturers to consider if they want to offer phones with a few more perks.Qualcomm’s higher end chips such as the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are more talked about in the tech press as they tend to be found in the more talked about phones.
The 8 Elite Gen 5 is the firm’s latest flagship chipset already seen in the OnePlus 15 and likely to power next-gen phones in 2026 from Samsung such as the Galaxy S26 Ultra.The chip is blisteringly fast, allowing for the very best in mobile photography, AI tools, battery life, gaming performance and multi-tasking.As great as that sounds, it comes at a price.The OnePlus 15 costs £899, and a lot of that cost will be to offset what OnePlus had to pay per uni to get its hands on the 8 Elite Gen 5.When companies want to sell phones that do the basics and do them well, they will be looking towards the new chips at the other end of Qualcomm’s range.
