Qualcomm’s new 8S Gen 3 targets upper mid-tier devices and not quite flagship smartphones. This new tier of snapdragon chipsets now aims for upper mid-tier devices or their low-tier flagships.
Qualcomm’s New 8S Gen 3
Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 chipset, positioned just below its flagship counterpart, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This new chipset aims to bring many of the features found in the 8 Gen 3 to more affordable smartphones, representing a new tier within the 8-series chips.
In terms of specifications, the 8S Gen 3 boasts a GPU similar to the standard 8 Gen 3, albeit with slightly lower performance. It features one less performance core and runs at a lower frequency, with the prime core reaching speeds of up to 3.0GHz compared to 3.4GHz in the 8 Gen 3.
Additionally, the chipset utilizes a previous-generation modem, the X70 5G, which includes support for Wi-Fi 7. It also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing for smoother performance in photorealistic games.
The Chipset’s AI Capabilities
The chipset’s AI capabilities are noteworthy, supporting multimodal generative AI on-device and accommodating large language models of up to 10 billion parameters, such as Llama 2 and Gemini Nano. While it doesn’t offer the full range of AI capabilities found in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it does support virtual assistants and image expansion.
Qualcomm’s Deepu John explains that each Snapdragon high-level tier can be subdivided into three categories. The “S” series chip, like the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3, sits just below the standard 8 Gen 3, with a potential 8 Plus Gen 3 releasing in the future.
However, the market landscape becomes more convoluted with the presence of previous-generation flagship chipsets like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, still being used in devices like the OnePlus 12R. Additionally, there’s the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, positioned below the 8S Gen 3 but found in fewer devices.
The Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 Is Expected To Hit the Market Soon
Despite the complexity, the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 is expected to hit the market soon, with manufacturers like Honor, iQOO, Realme, Redmi, and Xiaomi already committed to adopting the platform in their upcoming devices, slated for release in the coming months. However, these devices may not be readily available in the US market.
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