Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC, Promising 50% GPU Improvement Over Gen 2

On November 17, Qualcomm introduced its latest mobile chipset, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC, succeeding the Snapdragon 7 Gen 2. This mid-range 5G mobile platform features new on-device AI advancements and is set to be employed by China-based smartphone manufacturers Honor and Vivo in their upcoming devices. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 operates on TSMC’s 4nm process technology, designated by the part number SM7550-AB.

The All New Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3

This new chipset, following a 1+3+4 architecture, boasts peak CPU speeds of 2.63GHz. Qualcomm claims it delivers a remarkable 50% faster GPU performance and 60% improved AI performance compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 2. Additionally, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is reported to offer a 20% increase in power efficiency. Quick Charge 5 technology, incorporated into the chip, asserts the capability to charge the battery from zero to 50% in just five minutes.

The Kryo CPU configuration includes a prime core clocked at 2.63GHz, three performance cores with speeds up to 2.4GHz, and four efficiency cores clocked at 1.8GHz. Featuring select Snapdragon Elite Gaming attributes such as Qualcomm Game Quick Touch and Adreno HDR Fast Blend, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 aims to enhance the gaming experience.

In terms of display capabilities, the new chipset supports up to 4K resolution displays at a 60Hz refresh rate or WFHD+ resolution at 168Hz. Equipped with a Qualcomm Spectra triple ISP, it can handle up to 200-megapixel main camera modules and record 4K HDR video at 60Hz. The chipset is designed to manage simultaneous capture from three lenses, offering AI Remosaic and AI Video Retouch imaging features. It also supports the latest LPDDR5T RAM at 3200MHz speed.

Connectivity features include a Snapdragon X63 5G Modem-RF system with dual SIM dual active (DSDA) 5G and 4G. Qualcomm FastConnect 6700 ensures Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. Notable highlights of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 include the Hexagon NPU, support for OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.3, OpenCL 2.0 FP APIs, and triple frequency (L1/L5/L2) support in the GNSS antenna.

Honor and Vivo are set to be the first to adopt the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, with their initial devices featuring this new platform expected to be unveiled this month. Devices like the Honor Magic 6 and the Honor 100 series are anticipated to run on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset.