Update: we tested it! Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 benchmark results
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 borrows some features from the top line to become an incredible value package that focuses on providing stability and power for gamer-oriented phones. Of course, its capabilities will also serve well for any other smartphone applications, seeing as it’s built for speed and efficiency.
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Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1: what’s new?
At the very basic level, we can see that the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 can now push up to 3.2 GHz with its performance core, a full 200 MHz higher than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. But that’s a very superficial way of looking at it. Diving deeper, here are the performance improvements of Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1:
- 10% faster CPU and GPU
- 30% improved power efficiency (CPU and GPU)
- 20% better performance per watt from the AI engine
In total, the power efficiency improvements, Qualcomm reports, are around 15% in favor of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
Of course, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 also features all of the bleeding-edge tech that’s packed in the Snadragon 8 Gen 1 — volumetric rendering, an ISP that’s capable of capturing 8K HDR footage, Bokeh Engine for video, support for up to a 200 MP camera sensor, the high-quality X65 5G modem, and the baked-in on-device security from Qualcomm Secure.
The two processors will exist in tandem, meaning that for the rest of 2022, we can expect phones to launch with both the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. So, is it worth gunning for the Plus variant exclusively?
Sit tight until we get the benchmarks!
Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 battery savings
As per Qualcomm, the battery savings provided by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 can result in:
- Around 1 extra hour of gaming
- 80 minutes of video streaming
- Around 1 extra hour of social media browsing
- Up to 17 extra hours of music
Of course, these numbers are highly dependent on how OEMs decide to build their devices and optimize their software. However, this improvement in battery longevity is definitely something gamers will be interested in, seeing as how 3D games tend to absolutely melt those percentages away.
Obviously, non-gamers will also enjoy the higher uptime.
So, what improvements made the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 better?
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is built on a 4 nm process, same as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. However, for the Plus edition, Qualcomm is strictly employing the services of TSMC.
There isn’t a specific list of things that very accurately point out which part of the process improves what. Plus, we are diving in some industry secret territory here.
It is safe to say that Qualcomm worked closely with TSMC in designing the construction process in ways to maximize efficiency, and every little gain in every little step of the way adds up to the total improvements.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1: for the gamers
Qualcomm’s philosophy is to push the envelope with its top-tier SoC projects, but then — once they have the production stream going — trickle the premium features down to the more affordable models.
In this case, we have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, which is the direct successor of the Snapdragon 778G. It is still a high-quality chip that you will be seeing in a lot of higher-tier devices, but by focusing on what’s most important, Qualcomm’s 7 series can cost less, and its partners can pass the savings on to the user.
Borrowing the Adreno Frame Motion Engine from the Snapdragon Elite Gaming feature library, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 can upscale content to double framerates without increasing energy consumption. On top of that, the Qualcomm Game Quick Touch works behind the scenes to dramatically reduce touch response time. Essentially, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is here to deliver speed and accuracy where it matters most.
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 778G improvements are:
- 20% faster graphics rendering
- 30% improved AI performance
- 20% better performance per watt from the AI engine
- Snapdragon X62 modem for faster connectivity
- Bluetooth 5.3 audio (now lossless)
- Qualcomm Secure suite that supports digital car keys, licenses, more
So, a good hump in performance can be observed, but OK — that’s natural, it’s a new generation of Snapdragon 7.
It’s worth noting that the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 can power 144 Hz FHD displays, so we should expect some lower-cost gaming phones with 1080p screens and super-high refresh rates. For QHD, this chip can still hold on for 60 Hz.
What’s more interesting here is how many premium features the Snapdragon 7 borrows from the top line. Lossless audio over Bluetooth is pretty cool and it comes with Anti-Howling technology, which ensures there will be no feedback when communicating with your squad while gaming. So, you can leave that mic open.
The new X62 modem can hit up to 4.4 Gbps and supports more networks, frequencies, and bandwidths globally, compared to the 3.7 Gbps of the older X53. And the new Qualcomm Secure brings premium security features to upper-midrange platforms.
