Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 for entry-grade phones goes official: Features and Specs

By Deepak Singh • Updated On 9 Aug 2019

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Qualcomm today announced a new entry grade chipset, Snapdragon 215, for “mass-market devices” that cost less than $100. At this point in time, it’s really hard to recollect a Snapdragon 200-series chipset based phone, but with Snapdragon 215 Qualcomm is reinvigorating this low-end tier with what can be termed as staple features for SoCs in 2019.

Qualcomm obviously wishes the Snapdragon 215 to be employed in Android Go phones, which are modest entry grade phones meant to run Lite version of Android software and Android apps, and most of these currently use MediaTek chips or dated option from Qualcomm Snapdragon 400-series.

Snapdragon 215 Features

First off, this is the first Snapdragon 200-series chip based on 64-bit ARM architecture. Google has already mandated 64-bit for all apps by August 2019.
The Snapdragon 215 has four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 1.3GHz. Graphics are handled by Adreno 308 GPU.
Snapdragon 215 has support for NFC payments on Android.
The chipset supports Dual SIM dual VoLTE and Ultra HD voice calls.
Qualcomm has also added support for new aspect ratio displays. Snapdragon 215 phones will support up to HD+ resolution (1560 x 720).
Snapdragon 215 gets a DSP for low power audio and sensor processing.
Snapdragon 215 will support LTE Cat 4 (Up to 150Mbps download speed) and Wi-Fi 802.11ac for fast connectivity.
Snapdragon 215 phones will also support 13MP camera resolution (for photos) and Full HD (1080P) video capture. Qualcomm also adds dual ISPs to facilitate dual cameras.
The chipset supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 1.0 fast charging.

Also Read: Redmi 7A with Snapdragon 439, 12MP rear camera launched in India

More Android Go Phones on their way?

Qualcomm reinventing its bottom tiers hints that under $100 Android go phones must be on their way. This is especially relevant to markets like India where low-cost feature phones still retain a huge share, and where millions of users are yet to buy their first smartphone.

Anyways, the first set of Snapdragon 215 phones is expected to arrive in August 2019.

Deepak Singh

Deepak Singh is a technology journalist and editor with over 13 years of experience covering consumer electronics. A computer engineering graduate, he has developed deep expertise in chipsets, displays, and hardware performance.

Over the past decade, Deepak has reviewed more than 700 products, including smartphones, laptops, TVs, and audio gear. He currently leads the editorial team at Smartprix, focusing on accurate, useful, and hands-on tech reporting.

When he’s not testing new devices, Deepak enjoys reading and spending time with his family.

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