Qualcomm today unveiled its latest mid-range chip, the Snapdragon 636 featuring its Kryo 260 CPU running at 1.8GHz. The company claims it offers a 40 percent performance improvement over the Snapdragon 630 and adds support for FHD+ displays and Assertive Display which tweaks the display visibility depending on the lighting conditions.

The Adreno 509 GPU on the chip has also seen a 10 percent performance improvement. The octa-core chip is based on the 10nm FinFET process which makes it extremely power efficient. It is also pin and software-compatible with Snapdragon 630/660 Mobile Platforms which makes it easier for OEMs to quickly use the new chip in their upcoming devices.

The chip also features Qualcomm’s X12 LTE modem which supports download speeds of 600Mbps and 150Mbps upload speeds. It also has a 14-bit Spectra 160 ISP which supports camera sensors of up to 24MP with zero shutter lag, smooth zoom, and fast AF. Lastly, there is also Qualcomm’s Aqstic codec which supports Hi-Fi audio and can playback lossless audio files. The chip supports up to 8GB of RAM, Quick Charge 4.0, up to 4K video recording and playback, and aptx playback support.

“The introduction of the Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform allows OEMs to enjoy a smooth transition from the Snapdragon 660 and 630 Mobile Platforms while supporting the deployment of superior functionality and performance to end users,” said Kedar Kondap, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Manufacturers can use the same modem and camera architecture to enable fast and efficient testing and calibration, cutting down on significant resources or time normally required when developing products on brand new platforms.”

Qualcomm will start shipping the Snapdragon 636 to OEMs from November so we should see the first devices powered by the chip from early next year. You can find more details about the Snapdragon 630 chip here.