Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 821 represent two different eras of Qualcomm processors. Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 is designed for affordable 5G smartphones, offering improved efficiency, modern connectivity, and balanced performance for everyday users. Snapdragon 821 was a premium flagship chipset focused on delivering high processing power and graphics performance for high-end smartphones launched in its generation.
General
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 821 belong to different Qualcomm processor categories and generations. Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 is a 2022 mid-range chipset designed for affordable smartphones with modern features such as 5G connectivity and improved efficiency. Snapdragon 821 was introduced in 2016 as a high-end processor for flagship smartphones, focusing on premium performance and graphics capabilities.
| Specification | Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 821 |
| Announced date | 6 September 2022 | 11 July 2016 |
| Class | Mid-range | High-end |
| Model number | SM4375 | MSM8996 Pro |
| Brand | Qualcomm | Qualcomm |
CPU
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 features an octa-core CPU with Cortex-A78 and Cortex-A55 cores, offering a balance of performance and efficiency for everyday tasks such as multitasking, browsing, streaming, and app usage. Snapdragon 821 uses a quad-core Kryo CPU with higher clock speeds, delivering strong processing performance for demanding applications and flagship smartphones of its generation.
| Specification | Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 821 |
| Architecture | ARMv8-A | ARMv8-A |
| Cores | 8 | 4 |
| Frequency | 2 x Cortex-A78 up to 2.0GHz + 6 x Cortex-A55 up to 1.8GHz | 2 x Kryo up to 2.4GHz + 2 x Kryo up to 2.0GHz |
| Instruction set | ARMv8-A | ARMv8-A |
| Process | 6 nm | 14 nm |
| TDP (Sustained power limit) | 10 W | 7.5 W |
| Manufacturing | TSMC | Samsung |
Graphics
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 comes with the Adreno 619 GPU, which is optimised for efficient gaming, smooth animations, and modern mobile applications while consuming less power. Snapdragon 821 features the Adreno 530 GPU, which was built for flagship-level gaming and graphics performance, making it capable of handling intensive visual workloads during its launch period.
| Specification | Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 821 |
| GPU | Adreno 619 | Adreno 530 |
| GPU name | Adreno 619 | Adreno 530 |
| Architecture | Adreno | Adreno |
| GPU frequency | 950 MHz | 650 MHz |
| Execution units | 2 | 2 |
| Shading units | 128 | 256 |
| Total shaders | 128 | 256 |
| FLOPS | 600 GFLOPS | 550 GFLOPS |
| Vulkan version | 1.1 | 1.0 |
| OpenCL version | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| DirectX version | 12 | 12 |
Memory
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 supports LPDDR4X memory, enabling better power efficiency and smoother multitasking for modern smartphone usage. Snapdragon 821 supports LPDDR4 memory, which provided fast data handling for premium devices of its time but offers older memory technology compared to newer chipsets.
| Specification | Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 821 |
| Memory type | LPDDR4X | LPDDR4 |
| Memory frequency | 2133 MHz | 1866 MHz |
| Bus | 32-bit | 32-bit |
| Max bandwidth | 17 GB/s | 14.9 GB/s |
| Max size | 8GB | 8GB |
Multimedia (ISP)
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 supports up to 108MP camera sensors, FHD+ displays, and modern storage options, making it suitable for users who prioritise photography, video consumption, and daily entertainment. Snapdragon 821 supports up to 28MP cameras, higher display resolutions, and 4K video capabilities, delivering a premium multimedia experience for older flagship smartphones.
| Specification | Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 821 |
| Storage type | UFS 2.2 | eMMC 5.1 |
| Max display resolution | 1080p | 1440p |
| Max camera resolution | 108MP | 28MP |
| Video capture | 1080p @ 60fps | 4K @ 30fps |
| Video playback | 1080p @ 60fps | 4K @ 30fps |
| Video codecs | H.264, H.265 | H.264, H.265 |
| Audio codecs | AAC, aptX | AAC, aptX |
Connectivity and network
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 includes the Snapdragon X51 5G Modem-RF System, providing 5G connectivity, faster network speeds, and better future compatibility. Snapdragon 821 uses the Snapdragon X12 LTE Modem, offering reliable 4G connectivity but without 5G support, making it more suitable for older LTE-based smartphones.
| Specification | Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 821 |
| Modem | Snapdragon X51 5G Modem-RF System | Snapdragon X12 LTE Modem |
| 4G support | Yes | Yes |
| 5G support | Yes | No |
| Download speed | Up to 2.5Gbps (5G). | Up to 600Mbps |
| Upload speed | Up to 900Mbps | Up to 150Mbps |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac | 802.11ac |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 4.2 |
| Navigation | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS |
