Qualcomm has unveiled a new chip designed to power the best budget smartphones, the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2, which promises key features that make affordable smartphones work as well as more expensive models, such as gigabit 5G connectivity and superior power efficiency [Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 [Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 is a chipset that delivers Gigabit 5G connectivity and is compatible with less expensive phones. To achieve that connectivity, one of the carriers will need to offer 5G in their region or country, but it's a great step in the right direction.

"The Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 mobile platform is a giant leap forward in making 5G technology more accessible, enabling more people to navigate the world at 5G speeds," said Qualcomm Technologies Inc. senior vice president and Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets at Qualcomm Technologies Inc.

Patrick also discussed the company's commitment to making more advanced technology affordable. He explained, "Thanks to cutting-edge engineering, we've managed to combine affordability with powerful performance, all-day battery life, and broad access to 5G for an enhanced mobile experience."

As for performance, the chip is manufactured on a 4nm process node, which provides enhanced power savings that are critical to keeping the phone running. It also includes Qualcomm's Quick Charge 4+ technology, which allows the phone to be quickly fully charged when the battery is low. [It offers two performance cores up to 2 GHz and six efficiency cores up to 1.8 GHz. While not comparable to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 expected in flagships like Samsung's Galaxy S25, it looks promising for an affordable chip.

Regarding availability, Qualcomm says the chip will be available for Xiaomi and other brands, with other OEMs to follow. The first commercial devices are expected to be announced by the end of the year. The company did not mention other brands or specific phones that will use the chip.