Snapdragon 730G Elite Gamer Chip Leads Qualcomm's AI Infused Mid-Range Mobile Platform Refresh

Qualcomm is introducing three new SKUs today: the Snapdragon 730, Snapdragon 730G and Snapdragon 665 Mobile Platforms. All three of the new SoCs employ artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced camera features, which are both becoming more important in today’s smartphones. And one SKU has some added power for the enthusiast community.

Starting off with the Snapdragon 730 (8nm process node), it features an octa-core Kryo 470 CPU that operates at up to 2.2GHz. The Kryo 470 offers up to a 35 percent performance uplift over the preceding Snapdragon 710 and is paired with an Adreno 618 GPU. A Hexagon 688 processor is onboard along with a Hexagon Tensor Accelerator with dedicated AI processing. The fourth generation AI engine offers as much as a 2x performance uplift over the previous generation.

The Qualcomm Spectra 350 ISP can support up to dual cameras (up to 22MP), and a single camera up to 192MP; the HEIF photo format is supported. The Spectra 350 features a dedicated Computer Vision ISP which delivers a 4x reduction in power consumption. Maximum display resolution supported is 2520x1080, and the SoC includes an integrated Snapdragon X15 LTE Category 15 modem (800Mbps) along with support for Wi-Fi 6.

In a somewhat surprising move, Qualcomm is also introducing a Snapdragon 730G SKU, which is specifically targeted at “elite gamers.” The Snapdragon 730G has some specific enhancements including a supercharged Adreno 618 GPU that offers an additional 15 percent performance uplift over the Snapdragon 730 (and a 25 percent boost over the Snapdragon 710). There’s also the Jank Reducer feature that cuts down stuttering in games by up to 90 percent, Anti-Cheat Extensions and a latency manager for the Wi-Fi controller.

Finally, there’s the Snapdragon 655 which is not nearly as powerful as its 700 Series siblings with regards to performance or features. The Snapdragon 655 is based on the 11nm process node and includes an octa-core Kryo 260 CPU that operates at clock speeds of up to 2GHz. It features an Adreno 610 GPU, Hexagon 686 DSP, Snapdragon X12 LTE Category 12 modem (600Mbps) and only supports Wi-Fi 5. The Spectra 165 ISP can support up to dual 16MP cameras or a single camera up to 48MP. Like its counterparts, the maximum on-device display resolution is 2520x1080.

According to Qualcomm, the first devices shipping with the Snapdragon 730, Snapdragon 730G and Snapdragon 665 Mobile Platforms will be available by mid-year.