Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 To Bring On-Device AI And Wi-Fi 7 To Cheaper Phones
Qualcomm is making a spirited push to expand the reach of on-device AI experiences to more affordable smartphones, rather than limiting it exclusively to premium handsets. We got a glimpse of this earlier this week with the unveiling of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, which essentially a tamer version of Qualcomm's flagship chipset, and now it's introducing the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 with AI capabilities and other goodies.
The Snapdragon 7 series primarily takes aim at the upper echelon of the mid-range segment. Now with the release of the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, Qualcomm is upping the ante with improved on-device AI performance to help "crush your to-do list," as well as a claimed 15% boost in CPU performance and a more sizable 45% GPU performance uplift. Qualcomm's also touting a slight power efficiency uptick (5%), and for the first time, Wi-Fi 7 support (via FastConnect 7800) arrives in the 7 series.
"Today, we embark on the latest expansion in the 7-series to create new levels of entertainment for consumers—integrating next-generation technologies for richer experiences," said Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is packed with support for incredible on-device generative AI features and provides incredible performance and power efficiency, while bringing Wi-Fi 7 to the Snapdragon 7 series for the first time."
Whereas the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is a trimmed-down version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 looks like a cut-down version of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3. To that end, it features a single Cortex-X4 high-performance (or 'Prime') core clocked at 2.8GHz, four Cortex-A720 performance cores clocked at 2.6GHz, and three Cortex-A520 efficiency cores clocked at 1.9GHz.
It's a sweeping upgrade over the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2, which features a single Cortex-X2 core clocked at 2.91GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 2.49GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 1.8GHz.
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 also features a fatter 64-bit LPDDR5X memory bus, which is an upgrade over the Gen 2's 32-bit LPDDR5 memory bus. This is undoubtedly where some (and probably most) of the improved GPU performance is coming from, assuming Qualcomm's 45% figure holds up to scrutiny.
OnePlus says it will be one of the first to adopt the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3.
"With this powerful platform, we are excited to bring our customers outstanding on-device intelligence, exceptional gaming experiences, and remarkable photography capabilities, among other features. Stay tuned for the upcoming announcement of our commercial devices, as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation and deliver extraordinary experiences to our users," said Louis Li, President of OnePlus China.
Additionally, Qualcomm confirmed that both realme and Sharp will soon be announcing devices based on the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3.
