Qualcomm X60 modem made 5nm can combine mmWave with sub-6GHz

Qualcomm has announced its Snapdragon X60 modem. The 5g modem is made at 5nm and supports carrier aggregation of mmWave frequencies and frequencies lower than 6GHz. The modem also offers carrier aggregation at sub-6GHz.

Carrier aggregation allows the modem to communicate with different frequencies simultaneously, which provides more bandwidth. This technique has been used in lte modems for years to boost 4g speeds. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X60 is the first 5G modem where it is possible to stack mmWave frequencies with sub-6Ghz frequencies.

According to Qualcomm, the maximum download speed is 7.5Gbit/s and the upload is a maximum of 3Gbit/s. If only sub-6GHz frequencies are used, the download speed is limited to 5Gbit/s. Qualcomm does not specify the upload speed. The X60 modem also supports carrier aggregation on sub-6GHz frequencies only.

On paper, the X60 modem offers speeds comparable to its predecessor. However, the manufacturer mentions the theoretically maximum achievable speeds. With the new support for carrier aggregation on 5g, the X60 will in practice allow higher speeds on average than the X55. Like the X55 modem, the X60 also supports 4g, 3g and 2g networks. At what speeds is not yet known.

Qualcomm also comes with a new mmWave antenna module. This QTM535 is smaller than its predecessor, so it fits into smaller or thinner smartphones. However, Qualcomm has not yet given dimensions. According to the manufacturer, the performance is also better. The antenna supports frequencies at 26, 28 and 39GHz. According to AnandTech, Qualcomm recommends manufacturers use at least three of the antennas per device.

Smartphones with the new X60 modem will probably have to wait a while. TSMC has started its 5nm process, but it is not yet ready for mass production. Samsung is also able to make 5nm chips, but is less advanced than TSMC. Maybe the X60 won’t make it to consumer devices until next year. Qualcomm has also not yet revealed all the details about the modem. The chip manufacturer has its annual Tech Summit in December, at which it takes a deep dive into its chips.

The Snapdragon X60 is Qualcomm’s third 5G modem. It is the successor to the X55, which was announced a year ago and will appear in many smartphones this year. Android manufacturers are combining the X55 in phones with the Snapdragon 865. Apple will use the X55 in iPhones this year and will stop the X60 in models that come out in 2021.