Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 brings on-device AI to mid-range phones

The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 will bring new heights of performance and intelligence to mid-range smartphones.

Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3

Qualcomm has officially unveiled its latest offering, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform. As expected in the ever-evolving tech landscape, AI takes center stage with these new chips. Boasting support for a variety of LLMs, or large language models, this platform introduces upgrades across gaming, photography, and connectivity.

The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform is set to revolutionize on-device AI processing on mid-range smartphones with support for LLMs like Baichuan-7B, Llama 2, Gemini Nano, and Zhipu ChatGLM. Qualcomm is also emphasizing its capability to support Large Vision Models (LVMs), which are the visual equivalent of LLMs, enabling processing and understanding of visual data from images and videos. Expect OEMs to harness LVM capabilities for image search and generation functionalities.

Powering the chip’s performance are the Qualcomm Kryo CPU and Qualcomm Adreno GPU. The Kryo CPU boasts a 64-bit Architecture, 1 Prime core, an Arm Cortex-X4 core, 4 Performance cores, and 3 Efficiency cores, promising a 15% improvement in performance over previous generations. Meanwhile, the Adreno GPU is anticipated to deliver an impressive 45% boost compared to its predecessors.

The Snapdragon Elite Gaming feature enhances gaming experiences with the Game Post Processing Accelerator and Adreno Frame Motion Engine 2. Qualcomm touts these features as capable of delivering desktop-level visuals. However, while the claim sounds promising, real-world testing will be necessary to verify its performance.

Qualcomm is introducing Wi-Fi 7 connectivity for the first time with the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform, promising unprecedented speeds of up to 5.8 Gbps. The inclusion of HBS (High Band Simultaneous) Multi-Link ensures optimal Wi-Fi performance, even in densely populated areas.

In the area of smartphone cameras, Qualcomm is ensuring its OEM partners have the latest technology at their disposal. The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform will support cameras with resolutions of up to 200MP. Leveraging the Spectra 18-bit Triple Cognitive ISP, Qualcomm aims to deliver images with exceptional detail. Additionally, features like Semantic Segmentation and Video Super Resolution (VSR) enhance real-time image processing and video capture capabilities, respectively.

Beyond connectivity and imaging, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform offers a host of other compelling features. Spatial Audio with smart head tracking minimizes latency, Snapdragon Sound and Qualcomm aptX Adaptive Audio ensure consistent audio quality over Bluetooth, and support for up to 4K (60Hz) or QHD+ (120 Hz) displays caters to high-resolution multimedia enthusiasts. Furthermore, Qualcomm Quick Charge Technology facilitates rapid charging, addressing the perennial concern of battery life in smartphones.

Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform availability

Qualcomm has revealed that the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform will soon debut on a OnePlus device, expected to hit the market in a few months. Additionally, other major players such as realme and SHARP are set to be among the first adopters of this cutting-edge platform.

We are intrigued to see how manufacturers like OnePlus, realme, and SHARP leverage the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 Mobile Platform to deliver enhanced performance and features to consumers.