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A New Snapdragon X Chipset for Affordable Windows Laptops is Coming, Teases Qualcomm
Arjun Sha
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Qualcomm has revealed a new Snapdragon X processor lineup that will target the sub-$600 PC market. It will go even below the 8-core Snapdragon X Plus SKU.
Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 Will Include 3rd-Gen Oryon CPU, Confirms Qualcomm
Arjun Sha
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Qualcomm revealed that the next-gen Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 will feature Oryon v3 CPU cores for Windows PCs. It's supposedly much better at performance and efficiency than Oryon v2 and v1 cores.
We have conducted several benchmarks on the Snapdragon 8 Elite to evaluate its performance and efficiency. The 2nd-gen Oryon CPU is truly impressive and the new Adreno 830 GPU hits it out of the park. Go through our article to check all our findings.
Many smartphone manufacturers have already announced their upcoming devices with the 8 Elite platform. OnePlus, Samsung, iQOO, Realme, Xiaomi, HONOR, ASUS, and REDMAGIC are all launching a device with 8 Elite SoC in a few months. Some of the popular phones include the OnePlus 13, Galaxy S25 series, iQOO 13, and Realme GT 7 Pro.
In a major escalation, Arm has issued a 60-day notice of cancellation to Qualcomm, threatening to cancel its architectural license. The legal dispute is over the Oryon CPU developed by Nuvia inside Qualcomm. The original license given to Nuvia was for developing server CPUs. The trial will start in December 2024.
Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset brings the second-gen Oryon CPU. It delivers powerful multi-core performance, however, in single-core tasks, Apple still takes the lead. The Adreno 830 GPU is very performant and outpaces the 6-core A18 Pro GPU.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Brings Apple-like Precision to Android Location Tracking
Anshuman Jain
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The Snapdragon 8 Elite Processor will include an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) chip as part of the Fastconnect 7900 connectivity suite. This integration could increase UWB chip adoption in Android smartphones, currently lacking in most models. The UWB chip, known for accurate location tracking, could improve finding lost or stolen devices.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Makes 8 Years of Android Updates a Reality; Can Qualcomm Deliver Though?
Anshuman Jain
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Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset promises up to 8 years of Android updates, a significant increase from the current 4-year limit. This change is expected to enable device manufacturers to offer longer software support for their products. While it's not guaranteed that all brands will provide extended support, this move by Qualcomm could lead to longer-lasting Android smartphones.
After months of anticipation, Qualcomm has finally unveiled the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset aka 8 Gen 4. It brings 2nd-gen Oryon CPU cores and two cores can reach up to a mighty 4.32GHz. The CPU delivers 45% faster performance and the new Adreno 830 GPU offers 40% performance improvement than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Antutu Scores Leak; Qualcomm’s Answer to Apple A18 Pro?
Sagnik Das Gupta
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In the latest leak, we see the Snapdragon 8 Elite's AnTuTu score in all its glory, beating the Apple A18 Pro by a large margin. Find all you need to know about it right here!
Qualcomm has abruptly canceled the Snapdragon Dev Kit and says all customers will get a refund. In an email, the chipmaker says it didn't meet the high standards of excellence. The HDMI port is said to have caused major issues in production, causing delays.
Qualcomm Confirms Cyberattack on Android Phones with Its Chipsets
Sagnik Das Gupta
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Researchers at Google Threat Analysis Group and Amnesty International Security Lab have spotted a major flaw in Qualcomm's chipsets that makes them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Qualcomm has finally confirmed the existence of this vulnerability and taken to its security bulletin to list the affected chipsets. See all the details here!
Qualcomm is reportedly working on the second generation of Snapdragon X2 Elite chipsets. The model number is "SC8480XP" and the internal codename is "Project Glymur." Besides that, Qualcomm may introduce a new 8-core Snapdragon X Plus SKU, X1P-24-100, into the market.
A recent WSJ report says that Qualcomm approached Intel for a possible takeover. Intel is struggling with its foundry business and is unable to compete in the server space as well. That said, the deal is unlikely to go through as it would draw the scrutiny of regulators globally.
Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 Is Merely an Overclocked Two-Year-Old Qualcomm Chip
Sagnik Das Gupta
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The Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 has silently released as a slightly overclocked successor to the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1. The difference lies in the fact that the 6 Gen 3 uses performance cores clocked at 2.4GHz instead of 2.2GHz. It still uses the same four efficiency cores as the 6 Gen 1. Besides that, there's nothing extra that it brings to the table. What makes it all the more convoluted is that the 6 Gen 3 is also very similar to the 7s Gen 2 from the Snapdragon 7-series.
Qualcomm has released another mid-tier chipset, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, and it ranks below the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3. It packs eight CPU cores, a new Adreno GPU that claims to deliver 40% better performance, and an upgraded NPU. The chipset is built on TSMC's 4nm process node.
A new leak suggests that Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will pack Oryon CPU cores, built on a 3nm process node. It will have an octa-core CPU setup, and two performance cores can reach up to 4.09GHz frequency. There is also a new 8-series Adreno 830 GPU for impressive graphics performance and power efficiency.
Qualcomm is launching the Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 processor, aiming to bring gigabit 5G speeds to entry-level smartphones, which will be initially available in Xiaomi devices. This underpowered version of last year's Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 features 2 performance cores, 6 efficiency cores, 80 MP single-shot photos, and 40-watt fast charging. It's a significant step towards making 5G technology more accessible to all.
The Snapdragon for India event will be held in Delhi on July 30. The company has also said there will be two "Historic Announcements" during the event. One of them could be the official launch of Copilot+ PCs in India, while the other could be a 5G phone launch in partnership with Jio.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 4: Potential Release Date, Leaked Benchmarks, Rumors & More
Arjun Sha
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We are just four months away from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 launch. Qualcomm has confirmed the Snapdragon Summit event which is scheduled for October 21. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is said to feature the new Oryon CPU cores and the Adreno GPU has also gained substantial performance improvements. The first batch of Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 phones will be launched by Xiaomi.
Snapdragon X Elite Reviews are Out: Solid Performance and Great Battery Life
Arjun Sha
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The embargo has finally lifted and many outlets have reviewed the Asus Vivobook S15, which is powered by the Snapdragon X Elite processor. As Qualcomm claimed, the Snapdragon X Elite chipset delivers great performance, matching the Apple M3 in multi-core tasks, and the battery life rivals the MacBook Air M3. The X Elite-powered PC delivers battery life up to 13 hours while performing everyday tasks.
Don’t Be Fooled: Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 Is a Rebranded Three-Year-Old Chip
Abubakar Mohammed
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Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 SoC. It's an octa-core SoC fabricated on 6nm process and has a clock speed on 2.3 GHz. One of its main highlights is its AI features as you may have already predicted from the "s" moniker. The SoC supports up to 120Hz FHD+ displays and a maximum camera resolution of 108 MP.
Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon Dev Kit for Windows with X Elite Chip
Abubakar Mohammed
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Qualcomm's X Elite developer kit costs $899 and it comes with a special edition 12-core X Elite processor, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, 512GB of m.2 NVMe storage, and lots of I/O. The kit will go on sale starting June 18, the same day the first batch X Elite Copilot Plus PCs go on sale.
Apple's M4 processor's impressive benchmark scores have prompted Qualcomm to reconsider their upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 application processor's design. The redesign, finalizing in June, aims for a 4.26GHz clock speed using Qualcomm's own Phoenix cores, targeting Apple's A18 chip.
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
Kanika Gogia
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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
Akshay Gangwar
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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.
Satyam Kumar
Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon X, the New Name for Its PC Platform
Vanshika Malhotra
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 to Have Two Variants: Report
Vanshika Malhotra
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 Announced; Will Power the Redmi Note 13 Pro
Vanshika Malhotra
No Apple 5G Modems as of Now! Qualcomm Will Continue to Supply Chips
Vanshika Malhotra