Qualcomm has officially unveiled the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, the company’s latest flagship System-on-Chip (SoC) designed to deliver premium performance and a personalized user experience on mobile devices. Building upon the foundation laid by the 8 Gen 3, the 8s Gen 3 offers a refined feature set geared towards AI-powered experiences, hyperrealistic gaming, advanced connectivity, and superior audio.
Focus on Performance and Personalization
At the heart of the 8s Gen 3 lies a combination of powerful CPUs and a next-generation Adreno GPU. While it utilizes the same architecture as the 8 Gen 3, the 8s Gen 3 boasts different clock speeds, potentially leading to enhanced performance. This platform prioritizes on-device artificial intelligence (AI) with capabilities for running powerful generative AI features. These features can personalize user experiences across various applications, potentially enabling tasks like real-time language translation or creating custom content.
The 8s Gen 3 boasts an always-sensing image signal processor (ISP) designed for capturing exceptional photos and videos even in low-light conditions. This ISP is backed by Qualcomm’s Spectra Image Sensor Processor, boasting cognitive processing capabilities.
Hyperrealistic Gaming and Breakthrough Connectivity
For mobile gamers, the 8s Gen 3 promises hyperrealistic experiences. It supports real-time hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a technology that simulates light behavior for more realistic graphics. However, it is worth noting that Global Illumination, a key aspect of lighting effects, is absent. Additionally, the 8s Gen 3 lacks support for Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen system, further impacting its ray tracing capabilities. Despite these limitations, the Adreno GPU within the 8s Gen 3 is expected to deliver performance similar to the 8 Gen 2, ensuring a smooth gaming experience.
The 8s Gen 3 takes connectivity to a new level with the integrated Snapdragon X70 modem-RF system. This modem offers support for 5G speeds up to 5Gbps down, encompassing both mmWave and sub-6 GHz spectrums. It boasts features like standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) modes, allowing for greater flexibility in network deployment. Additionally, the 8s Gen 3 incorporates the Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 Mobile Connectivity System with Wi-Fi 7, enabling peak speeds of up to 5.8 Gbps. Dual Bluetooth connectivity further enhances the user experience by ensuring a stable connection for peripherals.
Immersive Audio and Display
Qualcomm has not neglected the audio experience with the 8s Gen 3. The platform integrates the Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec and a new Qualcomm Aqstic smart speaker amplifier. These features promise high-fidelity audio playback with minimal distortion. Additionally, the 8s Gen 3 supports spatial audio with head tracking, creating a more immersive listening experience.
The 8s Gen 3 caters to users who demand exceptional visuals on their mobile devices. It offers on-device display support for resolutions up to 4K at 60 Hz or QHD+ at 144 Hz. For external displays, the maximum supported resolution reaches 8K at 30 Hz. Notably, the 8s Gen 3 boasts variable refresh rate support, allowing the display to dynamically adjust its refresh rate between 1 Hz and 240 Hz, optimizing battery life and visual smoothness.
Powering the Next Generation of Mobile Devices
The 8s Gen 3 is manufactured on a 4nm process by TSMC, ensuring efficient power management. It supports LP-DDR5x memory up to 4200 MHz with a maximum density of 24 GB, enabling smooth multitasking and handling demanding applications.
Availability
Qualcomm has confirmed that several global smartphone manufacturers, including HONOR, iQOO, realme, Redmi, and Xiaomi, have adopted the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 platform. The first devices powered by this SoC are expected to be announced in March 2024.
In conclusion, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 emerges as a compelling option for smartphone manufacturers seeking to deliver premium performance and a feature-rich user experience. With its focus on AI, hyperrealistic gaming, advanced connectivity, superior audio, and stunning visuals, the 8s Gen 3 has the potential to redefine the mobile landscape.
