Qualcomm unveiled the third-generation 5G Modem-RF system Snapdragon X60

Qualcomm has officially announced its third-generation 5G Modem-RF System - Snapdragon X60, with countless notable improvements.

Snapdragon X60 is Qualcomm's latest 5G antenna and modem solution, manufactured on the 5nm process (the world's first 5nm 5G chip), and is also the only 5G Modem-RF system currently supported. Supporting the combination of both mmWave and sub6, it promises to be able to increase the 5G speed to an optimal level in all permissible spectrums, with a maximum throughput of up to 5.5Gbps. At the same time, enabling operators to increase capacity and expand coverage.

Qualcomm unveiled the third-generation 5G Modem-RF system Snapdragon X60 Picture 1

As we all know, 5G is a combination of mmWave - are super-fast high frequency bands, but can be hampered by the smallest thing, like a drop of water, a window or a piece of paper - and sub6 , lower frequency bands can easily pass through any object, but do not possess the ability to transmit signals as quickly as mmWave. The unification of these two 5G segments will allow them to work more seamlessly together, and that will be an important part of solving outstanding issues with 5G technology. It's similar to how important mobile network aggregation is with 4G LTE, and in fact, the Snapdragon X60 has also added sub6 mobile network aggregation capabilities. That means we can also see a strong boost of sub6 speed on the Snapdragon X60, possibly double that of the Snapdragon X55.

In addition, the use of Snapdragon X60 in parallel frequency division (FDD) and time division (TDD) will also provide maximum flexibility, thereby improving the efficiency of using the fragmented 5G spectrum.

The manufacturing process on the 5nm process allows the X60 to use the QTM535 mmWave antenna module with a significantly more compact design than the previous generation, so it can be fitted on smartphones. Smart is more compact, while still ensuring superior reception and performance.

The Snapdragon X60 and QTM535 are expected to ship in the first quarter of this year, but it is not until early 2021 before we can experience the first smartphones equipped with this modem.