MediaTek is set to launch a new 5G chipset next week. The new chipset is expected to be a mid-range offering and will have 5G support built-in. MediaTek already has the Dimensity 800 mid-range 5G processor and the slightly more high-end MediaTek Dimensity 1000 and 1000L. The new processor could be either a more premium offering, or a more affordable one.
Trustworthy leaker Digital Chat Station mentions a new MediaTek MT6853 chip that is aimed at the entry-level segment. This could be the new chip to be launched next week. Further, there is also reportedly development going on on the Dimensity 2000 chipset to power mid-range 5G phones and succeed the Dimensity 1000.
Watch: Best Smartphones Under Rs 10,000 in India
Journey of 5G to affordable smartphones
How cheap the new processor gets will determine the price of budget phones with 5G support. Originally, 5G was a flagship feature, available only on the most expensive devices. The popularisation of 5G began with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC that brought an integrated 5G module. However, the 5G phones with the latest Snapdragon 800 series chipsets were still going to be expensive. That’s where the Snapdragon 765 chipset came into play.
The Snapdragon 765 chipset brought 5G support to more affordable upper mid-range devices. The 700 series name meant the chipset wasn’t as powerful as the 865. However, the combination affordability and decent performance meant the Snapdragon 765 could power phones that many people could fit in their budget. This would effectively bring 5G to the masses.
Similar approaches were taken by the MediaTek Dimensity series. It brought 5G to the more affordable mid-range segment where the technology hadn’t yet been implemented. Moreover, MediaTek also features the Dimensity 800 and the Dimensity 1000/1000L. Both chipsets bring 5G to lower and upper mid-range smartphones respectively.
We already have the Redmi K30i expected to come out with the MediaTek Dimensity 800 for approximately $250 (about Rs 18,986). The new MediaTek chipset could possibly open the technology to even more affordable devices. Further, these phones could be possibly priced around the Rs 15,000 mark or lower. This might just be the chipset that brings 5G to budget smartphones.
