Qualcomm is sticking to its habit of releasing fast chips mid-year, albeit with a few twists. The company has introduced a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system-on-chip that delivers both the usual performance boost and, most importantly, battery life. Qualcomm claims a 10 percent faster processing speed and 20 percent higher performance per watt for AI, but it also offers a 30 percent power reduction – in theory you’ll wring an extra hour of gameplay from your flagship-class Android handset.
There will be no shortage of device partners. Qualcomm expects products to arrive in the third quarter (summer) from major brands such as ASUS, Honor, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi. These are subtle overhauls rather than major overhauls, but that still means you’re getting the very best processing power.
A second announcement is more of a pleasant surprise for budget buyers. Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, a follow-up to the 778G aimed at the upper-midrange Android hardware. An upgraded Adreno GPU should be about 20 percent faster, while AI processing is about 30 percent faster. There are also a few firsts for the 7 Series. You can shoot simultaneously from three cameras, take advantage of on-chip data security upgrades, and share in the 8 Gen 1’s audio upgrades.
The first Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 phones are expected by the end of the second quarter (June at the latest) from brands such as Honor, Oppo and Xiaomi. You may not see many of these products in the US then. Still, they can make a big difference in a category where price is often just as important as game features and frame rates.
All products recommended by Engadget have been selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.