Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 with Faster CPU, Improved Power Efficiency Announced

Qualcomm today introduced the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (not 8 Gen 1+) processor at its launch event in China, despite prior speculations that the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 will be postponed until the second half of 2022. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 plus variant was announced sooner than previous-generation plus chipsets, which normally arrive in late June or early July. So, let’s have a look at the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor.

What’s New in Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1?

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 mobile platform attempts to address the problems of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, delivering increased power efficiency while boosting performance. A small adjustment has allowed this to happen. The 8+ Gen 1 is built on TSMC’s 4nm process node, rather than Samsung’s, which was used in the conventional 8 Gen 1. That means we expect this chipset to resolve the majority of user complaints concerning throttling and thermal issues.

Let’s get into the details of the specifications, starting with the CPU and GPU. A single Cortex-X2 core, three Cortex A710 cores, and four Cortex A510 cores remain in the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. The Cortex-X2 prime core is now clocked at up to 3.2GHz, while the performance and energy-saving cores are clocked at the same frequency (as opposed to 3GHz on the 8 Gen 1). This indicates that your overall performance will improve by 10%.

The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 has the same Adreno 730 GPU as the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2. However, Qualcomm has managed to boost the GPU’s clock speed by 10% to improve gaming performance on next flagship Android devices. Furthermore, when compared to Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the business lowered GPU power usage by 30%, which is incredible. Features like Snapdragon Elite Gaming and HDR gaming are still supported.

The rest of the characteristics remain the same, such as the triple 18-bit ISP that can record 3.2 gigapixels per second, the 7th-generation AI Engine with 27 TOPS performance, and the FastConnect 6900 Mobile Connectivity System. There is one minor difference in terms of wireless connectivity: the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 now supports Bluetooth 5.3.

Finally, when comparing the AI engine on the 8+ Gen1 to the SD 8 Gen1, the 8+ Gen1 gives 20% greater performance per watt. That means you’ll get more battery life from this updated chipset when using AI and ML-based functions. “The company’s newest flagship platform, Snapdragon 8+ (Gen 1),” according to the official press release, “is a premium-tier powerhouse giving power and performance upgrades for the ultimate boost across all on-device experiences.”

Qualcomm claims that devices powered with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 would be available in Q3 2022. Leading OEM partners such as Asus ROG, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Motorola, Oppo, iQOO, OSOM (a startup founded by former Essential workers), and others will soon deliver commercial products.