Qualcomm is best known for creating processors and 5G modems for smartphones. In a strange turn of events, the company has partnered with Asus to create an Android handset of its very own — and it has the very simple name of ‘Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders.’
Qualcomm debuted its Snapdragon Insider program this past March. In short, it’s a sort of fan club for all things relating to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon brand. Members gain access to exclusive newsletters from Qualcomm, invitations to AMAs with ‘product experts,’ and the ability to win free prizes. Anyone can sign up for free, and upon doing so, Qualcomm touts they “get the inside track and help us shape the future of Snapdragon.” The program has gone relatively unnoticed since its launch, but that’s bound to change following this latest announcement.
Qualcomm announced the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders on July 8, an Android phone created in collaboration with Asus. Qualcomm touts that the phone is “a first-of-its-kind curated collection of Snapdragon experiences,” and that it was designed specifically with Snapdragon mega-fans in mind. At first glance, there’s a lot to like about the device. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, and 5G connectivity. It’s also among the first phones to support Snapdragon Sound — a wireless audio system that supports 24-bit/96kHz music playback, improved audio quality, and better connectivity with Bluetooth headphones.
Why You Probably Shouldn’t Buy This Snapdragon Fan Phone
Given that those are all positives for Snapdragon’s fan phone, why is this article titled the way it is? Ultimately, it comes down to price. When the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders launches later this year, it’ll cost a whopping $1,500. Qualcomm offsets that cost a bit by including a 65W charger, rubber bumper case, and Master & Dynamic MW08 earbuds in the box (which normally retail for $299 on their own). Even so, that’s still an exorbitant amount of money to spend considering other similarly-specced Android phones available right now.
Take the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. It has the same Snapdragon 888 processor, a brighter and sharper AMOLED display, much more capable cameras, a larger 5,000 mAh battery, and Qi wireless charging support — something the Snapdragon fan phone strangely lacks. Making that all the more impressive is that the Galaxy S21 Ultra is on sale right now for just $999. Even if someone also bought those Master & Dynamics earbuds along with the S21 Ultra, that would still be $200 cheaper than the Snapdragon phone. It’s also worth mentioning that the Snapdragon fan phone is almost identical to the Asus ROG Phone 5. It has the same processor, display, 64MP rear camera, and 24MP selfie camera. What’s strange is that the ROG Phone 5 is also better than the Snapdragon phone in a few key areas, offering a 6,000 mAh battery compared to a 4,000 mAh one, wireless charging support, a 3.5mm headphone jack (something not present on the Snapdragon phone), and a heap of exclusive gaming features. The cherry on top? The ROG Phone 5 retails for $999 — a full $500 less than the Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders.
With all of that in mind, it’s difficult to recommend this Snapdragon fan phone to anyone. The only truly unique aspect of the handset is Snapdragon Sound, but that’s something that’ll be coming to more (and cheaper) Android phones over the coming months/years. Outside of that, it’s just an overpriced Android handset with a Snapdragon logo. There is something to be said about Qualcomm using the Snapdragon brand to release a smartphone like this, but that alone isn’t reason enough to shell out $1,500.
