Qualcomm has unveiled an upgraded version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Named Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, this flagship SoC brings 30% better power efficiency and improves CPU and GPU performance over its non-plus sibling.
So, let’s go through the specifications and ability of this new premium chipset from Qualcomm.
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Overview
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is built using TSMC 4nm process. The company switched from Samsung 4nm process to TSMC, which has allowed the chip to be 30% more power efficient. The platform also delivers 15% additional power savings and extended performance across the board
The other upgrade on the 8+ Gen 1 is all the CPU clusters have been overclocked. Its Cortex-X2 CPU core is clocked at 3.2GHz, Cortex-A710 cores at 2.8GHz, and Cortex-A510 cores at 2.0GHz, up from 3.0GHz, 2.5GHz, and 1.8GHz, respectively. According to Qualcomm, the CPU now provides 10% better performance.
Similarly, the company claims the chip brings a 10% increase in GPU speeds and also a 20% better AI performance per watt. The chipset further supports Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity that includes Qualcomm’s latest aptX Lossless technology and Bluetooth LE Audio.
In simple words, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is more powerful and power efficient at the same time compared to SD 8 Gen 1.
Specifications
- Process: TSMC 4nm
- CPU: eight-core Kryo CPU, 1x 3.2GHz (Cortex-X2), 3x 2.8GHz (Cortex-A710), 4x 2.0GHz (Cortex-A510)
- GPU: Qualcomm Adreno GPU
- Display: max; 4K @ 60 Hz, QHD+ @ 144 Hz
- AI: 7th Gen AI engine
- Memory: LPDDR5 @ 3,200MHz
- Video Capture: 8K @ 30fps (HDR), 4K UHD @ 120fps, 720p @ 960fps
- 4G/5G Modem: X65 LTE/5G (integrated) 10,000Mbps down
- Charging: Quick Charge 5
- Other Networking: Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n
The rest of the SD 8+ Gen 1 is identical to the SD 8 Gen 1. It has the same 18-bit image signal processor (ISP) that supports 8K HDR video recording in HDR10+ format. Likewise, the chip supports LPDDR5 RAM with a frequency of up to 3200MHz and a density of up to 16GB.
Snapdragon X65 Modem with 5G support for up to 10Gbps speeds also remains the same. There's also a Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 Mobile Connectivity System that brings wireless connectivity with up to 3.6Gbps speeds over Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E standards.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 Availability
Smartphones with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset are expected to arrive in Q3 2022. Companies like Realme, Asus, and OnePlus have already teased their upcoming smartphones with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor.
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