Qualcomm could have solely launched its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in November 2022, however improvement of its successor is already underway.
Right here’s all we all know up to now concerning the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, together with confirmed info on the Snapdragon X75 5G modem and the newest Arm CPU cores.
When will the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 be launched?
We now have no official date up to now confirming the arrival of the brand new chip, however Qualcomm has established a reasonably common launch schedule over the previous few years, so we predict it’s extremely doubtless that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will likely be launched in November or December 2023.
This could be in line with all the Snapdragon 8 cell processors, which made their debuts across the similar time:
We haven’t heard any reviews that this schedule has been disrupted, so its seems good for a winter launch this 12 months.
In February, leaker Digital Chat Station steered on Weibo that the 8 Gen 3 will launch sooner than the 8 Gen 2 did, so earlier than November. If that is so, it doesn’t depart a lot time for Qualcomm to launch the anticipated 8+ Gen 2 chip for its half-year chipset replace, identical to it did in Might 2022 with the 8+ Gen 1.
Too many chips, one would possibly argue.
What new options will we see within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3?
We don’t know for certain what to anticipate within the 8 Gen 3 chipset, however due to part bulletins and some leaks, we predict we have now a reasonably good thought about just a few bits.
3nm Arm CPUs
Chip designer Arm has now unveiled its newest CPUs, and its first designed for a 3nm course of, and these are nearly sure to seem within the 8 Gen 3.
The Cortex-X4 is crucial, delivering 15% extra energy than the earlier technology at as much as 40% improved energy effectivity. It’s joined within the new technology by the A720 and A520, every of which guarantees roughly 20% improved effectivity year-on-year.
Within the 8 Gen 2, Qualcomm kitted out its Kryo CPU design with a 1+4+3 configuration, utilizing an X3, two every of the A715 and A710, and a trio of A510 effectivity cores.
If we see the identical once more, the 8 Gen 3 ought to be led by the Cortex-X4 prime core, backed up by both 4 A720 cores or a mixture of them and A715 items, and eventually rounded out by three of the brand new A520 chips.
That mentioned, we’ve heard in any other case. The often dependable tipster Digital Chat Station reported in April that the 8 Gen 3 will use a brand new 1+5+2 configuration, led by an X4 clocked at 3.7GHz (up from 3.2GHz within the 8 Gen 2’s X3). That will imply a shift to much more efficiency cores – doubtless the A720 – and fewer effectivity items.
Then once more, in that very same report the leaker claimed that Qualcomm will likely be sticking with a 4nm course of – and since we all know that the brand new Arm chips are supposed for 3nm manufacturing, that doesn’t appear proper, casting the remainder of the claims into doubt too. It might be that we see a 3nm CPU embedded in a chipset with different 4nm parts although.
Nonetheless, there was some hypothesis concerning the transfer to a 3nm course of. Samsung was the primary to realize this dimension, however initially it was reported to have solely managed to return a yield of 20% per wafer, which clearly isn’t environment friendly and would lead to elevated costs for the processors. Qualcomm has now reportedly moved manufacturing to Taiwanese producer TSMC, which has managed a a lot greater 75-80% return.
Samsung did enhance its output although, as GSMArena states that after the Korean large had partnered with US firm Silicon Frontline Expertise the yield elevated to round 60-70%.
All of this has resulted in numerous reviews saying that manufacturing will likely be both all by way of TSMC or a mixture of each. Solely time will inform who get to make the brand new Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
So, what is going to a 3nm course of deliver that makes it value all this trouble? Properly, GizChina reviews that the brand new course of ought to ship improved efficiency, plus an necessary 35% enchancment in power effectivity, with its apparent advantages on battery life.
Adreno 750 GPU
We all know much less concerning the 8 Gen 3’s GPU. Digital Chat Station has reported that it will likely be known as the Adreno 750, however past that there’s little info.
Arm has unveiled the GPUs to associate with its newest CPUs, and the flagship is the Immortalis-G720, with 15% improved efficiency on its predecessor. Nevertheless, Qualcomm has historically designed its personal GPUs somewhat than use Arm’s Mali and Immortalis designs, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see this within the new Snapdragon.
Snapdragon X75 5G modem
An enormous clue to satellite tv for pc connectivity coming as normal on the 8 Gen 3 – although removed from confirmed – is the official announcement of the Snapdragon X75, Qualcomm’s newest 5G modem.
Introduced in February 2023, the X75 is the newest next-gen 5G modem part that Qualcomm tends to announce right now of 12 months upfront of its flagship chipsets. The X70 was launched in February 2022 and ended up within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip come November, hinting closely that the X75 will duly make its manner into the 8 Gen 3.
Qualcomm says the X75 is the world’s first 5G Superior-ready modem-RF system. Translation: its transceiver can singularly deal with mmWave and sub-6 band 5G, readying it for the evolution of 5G networks that use each frequencies.
The corporate claims this design can lead to important value and energy financial savings, that are each issues smartphone makers are eager to benefit from.
The X75 additionally allegedly provides in 2.5x sooner AI processing in comparison with the X70, and has twin SIM twin lively tech to permit for 2 simultaneous 5G information connections.
It additionally appears to be a provided that the chip will embody assist for the brand new Snapdragon Satellite tv for pc tech that Qualcomm introduced at CES 2023, permitting emergency communications with out regular cell sign – and ultimately even primary two-way messaging. That is truly already included within the 8 Gen 2, and has been made out there to producers to incorporate in new handsets, so it appears sure it would seem within the subsequent technology too.
Which telephones will use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3?
Clearly, with the discharge date nonetheless far within the distance, we don’t have any confirmed reviews of which telephones will include the Gen 3 chip onboard, however going by previous historical past we are able to make just a few assured predictions.
With the earlier technology, a number of the first gadgets out of the gate have been the Vivo X90 Professional+, Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Professional, and OnePlus 11. We might be fairly sure that these telephones’ successors will even be racing to get the brand new silicon of their flagships for 2024.
As with most years, the Qualcomm processor also needs to make it to many different flagships, together with from firms like Samsung, Motorola, and Oppo.
To see which telephones these newly outfitted with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 should beat, try our present picks of one of the best smartphones, together with one of the best upcoming telephones in 2023.