When Qualcomm and ASUS team up to make a mobile phone packed with the latest technology, you get a phone such as the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders. Packing a Snapdragon 888 processor, a whopping 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and 512GB of built-in UFS 3.1 storage, the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders will set you back $1,500.
What else are you getting for that chunk of change? A 144Hz 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED display with QHD+ resolution, HDR10+ certification, up to 1,200 nits peak brightness, and protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass Invictus. Qualcomm’s Quick Touch feature is present and is claimed to increase touch responsiveness by 20%.
Connectivity-wise, you’ll find Qualcomm’s 3rd Gen X60 5G modem under the hood with better support for mmWave, as well as dual-SIM support for 5G. Bluetooth 5.2, WiFi 6E, and 6GHz WiFi are also present.
There’s a 64MP Sony IMX686 main camera, a 12MP Sony IMX363 ultra-wide lens, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, 12x total zoom, and OIS. The selfie camera is a 24MP sensor, in case you were wondering.
A rather average-sized 4,000mAh battery keeps the lights on and although its capacity is somewhat lacking, Qualcomm has paired it with 65W Quick Charge 5.0 that can charge the battery in under an hour. Wireless charging is missing, which is a little odd considering that the phone is supposed to be a reference design showing off Qualcomm’s various technologies. Another surprising decision is the presence of a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel instead of under the display, but it is Qualcomm’s 2nd Gen 3D Sonic Sensor that accepts wet or dry fingerprints.
Sound is delivered by a pair of stereo speakers, one front-firing while the other is side-firing, Qualcomm has also paired up with Master & Dynamic to a pair of premium earbuds (included in the box) with ANC, 24-bit audio, low-latency Bluetooth, along with active echo and noise suppression.
At $1,500mAh, the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders (seriously, they couldn’t come up with a better name?) isn’t cheap, but in fairness, Qualcomm is pitching it to its Insider members and mobile enthusiasts. If the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders is ticking all of your boxes and you’ve got a kidney that needs selling, you’ll be able to pick one up during August in the United States, UK, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and India.
Do you plan on ordering a Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders or do you think that laying out $900 for a Galaxy S21 Ultra and keeping $600 in your pocket is a better idea?
