What is Qualcomm’s QCM6490 processor?

The self-repairable Fairphone 5 has given us a lot to debate, whether or not we’re lacking the times of replaceable batteries or in awe on the cellphone’s best-in-class replace coverage and eco-credentials. But equally intriguing is the processor powering the cellphone — a beforehand unseen Qualcomm QCM6490.

Poking round Qualcomm’s documentation, the QCM6490 is constructed for IoT purposes fairly than telephones. This explains the cellphone’s long-term help, as wi-fi merchandise deployed within the subject for a few years want to stay safe. The Fairphone 5 will obtain 5 years of Android OS updates and 7 years of safety patches. That eclipses the perfect smartphone replace guarantees of 4 OS and 5 years of safety, although the updates will arrive at a slower cadence.

The query is, does this chip carry out competitively sufficient for a smartphone constructed to final so lengthy, or will it really feel old-fashioned nicely earlier than the cellphone expires? To reply that, we’ve grabbed some benchmarks.

What is the Fairphone 5 processor?

First, let’s dig into what precisely makes up the QCM6490. Its Kryo 670 CPU was first launched in 2021’s flagship Snapdragon 780G and has powered a small collection of different mid-range smartphone chips. The CPU cluster includes one Cortex-A78 core at 2.71GHz, three Cortex-A78s at 2.4Ghz, and 4 low-power Cortex-A55 cores at 1.96GHz. The lack of an enormous powerhouse core isn’t going to fret at this time’s flagships, however these cores nonetheless present loads of efficiency.

Graphics are powered by an Adreno 643 clocked at 812MHz. This is the primary time we’ve seen this part, but it surely seems to be a bigger and higher-clocked model of the Adreno 642 present in 2022’s mid-range Snapdragon 782G, which boasts an analogous CPU setup.

The QCM6490 isn’t fully devoid of contemporary options. Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and a collection of location requirements are supported. Wireless capabilities additionally embody mmWave and sub6GHz 5G capabilities, although the Fairphone 5 solely makes use of the latter. There’s AI smarts within the type of Qualcomm’s Hexagon 770 DSP, which is all packaged up in a 6nm course of.

Fairphone 5 benchmarks

OK, however how does this all carry out? Let’s leap proper into the numbers and evaluate in opposition to extra mainstream handsets across the cellphone’s €699 (~$760) value level.

Based on the aforementioned specs, we weren’t anticipating the Fairphone 5 to maintain tempo with costly top-of-the-line flagships just like the Samsung Galaxy S23 or Apple iPhone 14. Cutting-edge elements have actually eclipsed Qualcomm’s older CPU, however that’s not strictly a problem. Older chipsets nonetheless carry out remarkably nicely for a lot of duties, and the Fairphone 5 falls firmly into that class.

What’s disappointing is that the Fairphone 5 performs notably worse than cheaper telephones. It’s outclassed by the Google Pixel 7’s Tensor G2 processor and the mid-range Nothing Phone 2’s last-gen Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, which value round €200 much less. Flagship efficiency on a funds is very achievable these days, however Fairphone has totally different priorities.

The Fairphone 5’s QCM6490 chip falls closest to the cheap Samsung Galaxy A54 5G. Samsung’s mid-ranger provides adequate efficiency for internet searching and messaging however actually isn’t a cellphone for avid gamers. However, the Fairphone 5 grew to become scorching shortly, elevating further questions on sustained efficiency and part well being.

As we famous throughout our hands-on time with the Fairphone 5, the cellphone faces a tough worth proposition. What the cellphone beneficial properties in repairability, longevity, and social consciousness, it relinquishes within the type of extra sometimes funds {hardware}. But the Fairphone’s most important challenge isn’t value; it’s whether or not it’s as nicely constructed to final because it appears.

Long-term software program help is no good with out future-proof {hardware} that may sustain. The Fairphone 5 performs in addition to a few of at this time’s mid-range telephones, but it surely’ll be duking it out with funds choices in two or three years. That’s not a priority for a cellphone you’ll exchange each three or 4 years, however as much as seven years is a really very long time in expertise. There are critical doubts about whether or not the cellphone can sustain with new purposes and use circumstances that arrive with no matter Android seems to be like earlier than then.

With that in thoughts, you might decide up an reasonably priced cellphone just like the Galaxy A54 5G ($449.99 at Samsung), throw in a battery substitute, and also you’ll nonetheless have a cellphone that’ll hold on for 5 years because of Samsung’s stable replace coverage. Better but, decide up the extra highly effective Pixel 7 ($449 at Amazon) and even the Pixel 7a ($477 at Amazon), which might additionally stretch out to 5 years with a little bit of TLC.

But, in fact, that’s not what makes the Fairphone 5 interesting. The ease of repairability, upgradable storage, and fast swap battery provide way more flexibility than your conventional glued-together flagship. Not forgetting the worth tag covers a dwelling wage for manufacturing unit staff, 70% truthful focus or recycled supplies, and a five-year guarantee. Of course, Fairphone can’t use sheer quantity to haggle down part costs, so there’s a producing overhead for the privilege of a cellphone that’s constructed in a different way.

All these deserves make the Fairphone 5 stand out and, as our benchmarks present, the cellphone is nonetheless aggressive with different mid-range fashions. But if you’re contemplating the cellphone as a particularly long-term buy, simply bear in mind that the cellphone won’t maintain up fairly so nicely after 5 years of service or extra.