Apart from releasing the new flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform, Qualcomm has also introduced two new compute platforms, namely Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and the Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3, at its 2021 Tech Summit. While the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 is meant for premium PCs, the Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 is for entry-level Windows PCs and Chromebooks. The chips are expected “to modernize PC experiences and redefine mobile computing for end-users.”
Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Specifications
Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 is the world’s first 5nm Windows PC platform and comes with the Qualcomm Kryo CPU. It is claimed to offer up to an 85% increase in CPU performance, a 60% increased GPU performance, and 2x longer battery life as compared to the predecessor. The new Adreno GPU is expected to deliver up to 60% improved graphics performance.
It also supports Snapdragon X55, X62, or X65 5G Modem-RF systems to ensure download speeds of up to 10Gbps, Wi-Fi 6/ 6E with Qualcomm FastConnect 6900, and the ability to switch to 5G or 4G LTE.
The platform also improves the camera performance. With the Qualcomm Spectra ISP, users will be able to start a video conference 15% faster. Plus, there’s support for Autofocus, Auto White Balance, and Auto Exposure for enhanced video calling experiences. It also supports Qualcomm Noise and Echo Cancellation technology to improve the quality of other users’ audio. The 8c Gen 3 also gets support for 4K HDR camera quality and up to 4 new cameras. Thus, we can expect future PCs to come with more than one camera.
The platform also includes AI improvements, which will deliver an incredible 29+ TOPS of AI acceleration for a more advanced user experience. On the security part, there’s support for a new standard to keep users’ data safe, Qualcomm Secure Processing Unit (SPU) with Microsoft Pluton Security Solution to secure stolen data, and a new camera framework for better authentication to keep the data safe.
New Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 Specifications
As for the Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 platform, it is based on a 6nm process and offers up to 60% faster CPU performance and up to 70% faster GPU performance. It will also introduce 5G to entry-level PCs. There’s support for the Snapdragon X53 5G Modem-RF system, which supports sub-6 and mmWave 5G.
It also includes Qualcomm AI Engine for improved AI performance and FastConnect 6700 for multi-gigabit Wi-Fi 6 and 6E with speeds up to 2.9 Gbps.
Miguel Nunes, Vice President, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc, said, “With Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3, we are raising the bar in the entry-tier by extending 5G mobile computing across ecosystems. Whether for consumers, business, or education, Snapdragon compute platforms deliver the capabilities and experiences that our ecosystem customers and end-users need.”
Additionally, it also comes with 4K HDR support and Echo-cancellation and noise suppression (ECNS) for crisp audio, security features, up to triple rear cameras, PCIe NVMe/SSD, eMMC 5.1, SD 3.0, and UFS 2.1.
Devices with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and the Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 will release in the first half of 2022. Lenovo and Motorola devices are expected to come with the high-end 8cx Gen 3 platform.
