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We have pitted the newly launched Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 with 2022's flagship, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The key takeaway from the benchmark comparison is that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 matches the performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in all key benchmarks while maintaining better efficiency. Expect a lot of sub-Rs. 50,000 phones to feature the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 in 2024.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is targeted at the premium segment but comes with underclocked CPU cores and lacks some Snapdragon experiences. We got our hands on the first Snapdragon 8s Gen 3-powered smartphone, the Xiaomi Civi 4 Pro, and tested the chipset with multiple benchmark tests. It performed on expected lines and rivals the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset from Qualcomm.
Given how big Qualcomm's processor catalog is, it is understandable if the different generations and classes of Snapdragon chipsets confuse you. Well, they have a strategy in place for naming the Snapdragon chipsets the way that they do. The Snapdragon X Gen x series are the regular versions of the processors. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon Xs Gen x chipsets are underclocked to be cheaper, while Snapdragon X+ Gen x chipsets are overclocked to deliver more performance.
At the Game Developers Conference 2024, a Qualcomm Engineer presented a session on how PC games would run on the Snapdragon X Elite platform. Qualcomm is quite confident that PC games would work even when they are not ported to ARM64 architecture. The company is testing top Steam games on the new ARM platform. Besides that, Qualcomm has prepared Adreno GPU drivers for DirectX 11, 12, Vulkan, and OpenCL.
The new midrange king, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset, is remarkably better than the four-month-old Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and a year-old Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2. It has received all new CPU cores, comes with a significantly upgraded GPU, and the NPU can handle on-device AI models as well. Its ISP is also quite powerful and supports many premium features. You also get Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4 support.
Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, a midrange chipset in the 7-series segment. However, going by the specs, it seems like a powerful SoC. It packs the latest CPU cores, a 45% more powerful Adreno GPU, and the Hexagon NPU with on-device capabilities. The ISP is also equipped with many flagship features like semantic segmentation, video super resolution, and low light vision. For local connectivity, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 brings the FastConnect 7800 system with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.
While the new "8s" series chipset by Qualcomm may confuse consumers, the segment has been introduced to enhance the "price to performance ratio" aka to reduce the 8 series chipset price with some compromises. There are some downgrades in CPU, GPU, ISP, and other departments, however, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is still in the realm of a flagship SoC. Qualcomm says smartphones powered by Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 will be released by Xiaomi, Redmi, Realme, iQOO, and other OEMs in the coming months.
Qualcomm is ready to take on the battle against Apple in the mobile space. The Chief Marketing Officer of Qualcomm has confirmed at MWC 2024 that the upcoming flagship chip, Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, will launch with Nuvia-designed Oryon CPU cores. This will significantly raise the CPU performance on SD 8 Gen 4 and finally, Android flagships may be able to compete against Apple's A-series chips in the CPU department. Qualcomm says the SoC is scheduled to launch in October, this fall.
At the MWC Barcelona 2024, Qualcomm announced its most capable 5G modem yet, the Snapdragon X80 5G modem. It's laced with AI features to improve the overall user experience and reduce power consumption while being on mmWave bands. The new modem also has satellite connectivity baked in. The chipmaker has also announced the FastConnect 7900 system for improved Wi-Fi 7 performance using AI.
Apple’s In-House Modem Plans Fall Further; Qualcomm Deal Extended Until 2027
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Apple extends its deal with Qualcomm to continue using the company's 5G modem chips until March 2027. This news was confirmed by Qulacomm's CEO during the company's first earning call of 2024. Apple has been working hard to develop its in-house modem chip but it has seen several delays. The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro models will pack a brand-new Qualcomm X75 modem for 5G improvements.
Apple Accepts Failure in Custom 5G Modem Development Project: Report
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According to a latest report citing supply chain sources, Apple has decided to abandon the custom 5G modem development project. Despite pouring in billions of dollars and efforts, Apple has failed to develop an in-house 5G modem as efficient as the competitors. This would mean, Qualcomm will continue to supply 5G modems for iPhones.
Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon X, the New Name for Its PC Platform
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 to Have Two Variants: Report
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 Announced; Will Power the Redmi Note 13 Pro
No Apple 5G Modems as of Now! Qualcomm Will Continue to Supply Chips
Qualcomm Introduces Budget Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 5G Chipset
Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 Is Here for Mid-Range Smartphones
Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon 782G Mid-Range Chipset
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Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Chipset for Flagship Android Phones
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to Have an “Ultra High Frequency” Variant
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Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1, W5 Gen 1 Wearable Platforms Introduced
Qualcomm Wants to Form a Consortium to Acquire ARM: Report
Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Gaming-Focused Mobile Platform
Qualcomm’s Apple M1-Competitor CPU Expected to Launch in Late 2023
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CES 2022: Qualcomm and Microsoft Working on a Custom Chip for AR Glasses
Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, 7c+ Gen 3 Compute Platforms