Xiaomi debuted its new device, the Redmi 6A and what made this device special was the new processor from MediaTek which shipped the device- the MediaTek Helio A22 SoC. The Taiwanese manufacturer has detailed the features of the SoC which has been specially designed for budget level phones. The quad-core MediaTek Helio A22 SoC delivers power through the four ARM Cortex-A53 processors which clock a max frequency of 2.0 GHz. This chipset is accompanied by an IMG PowerVR GE-class GPU. Speaking of memory, the SoC is compatible with either the high-speed LPDDR4X or the cost-effective LPDDR3. It also supports eMMC 5.1 storage type. MediaTek has also claimed that CPU performance of the Helio A22 shows a 30% better performance and GPU performance is 72% better when compared to its "direct alternative".
As for the display, the SoC supports 1600 x 720 pixels and an aspect ratio of up to 20:9. This renders the SoC capable of accommodating the taller than usual displays which have become a norm in most modern phones with or without the notch. It might be due to this chipset that edge-to-edge displays in the entry-level segment can be a thing. Connectivity options include GPS, Beidou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5.0, FM radio, and Cat-4 LTE. This chipset also sports the 4G LTE WorldMode modem that ships dual 4G SIM support with VoLTE/ ViLTE to compatible Android handsets. The 600MHz band is supported for the North Indian markets
The Helio A22 also doesn't miss out on AI capabilities thanks to the Light Edge AI engine. Some AI based functions include software-based Face ID (Face Unlock), Smart Photo Album, and advanced single or dual-camera Bokeh effects. "With MediaTek NeuroPilot developers and device makers have the best possible ecosystem, with support for many common AI frameworks and full compliance with Android Neural Networks API (Android NNAPI)” as per the blog post.
The chipset also supports 13MP+8MP dual cameras with twin ISP which is promised to capture professional-grade photos with Depth of Field (Bokeh) effects, while a single camera mode of up to 21MP also supports Bokeh through help from its clever AI ability. The chipset also promises excellent low-light performance, multi-frame noise reduction and clear-image zoom technology. Further, the Imagiq capture suite includes enhancements that automatically minimise aliasing, grain, and provides defect/distortion correction techniques.
