As far as midrange Android phones go, we’ve come a long way from the days of phones with so-and-so performance, and it’s safe to say that a lot of modern midrange smartphones now come with a lot of improvements, making them viable alternatives to more expensive flagships. With that in mind, it seems that Qualcomm has its sights set on the midrange handset market, following the launch of its latest mobile chipset.
Not too long after it unveiled the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC, Qualcomm has just announced the arrival of the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, a new mobile chip aimed at upper midrange smartphones. The new SoC slots just below the 8s Gen 3, offering both end users and manufacturers a slightly more affordable option without compromising on the overall performance. Commenting on the launch, Chris Patrick, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Handsets over at Qualcomm states:
“Today, we embark on the latest expansion in the 7-series to create new levels of entertainment for consumers – integrating next-generation technologies for richer experiences… Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is packed with support for incredible on-device generative AI features and provides incredible performance and power efficiency, while bringing Wi-Fi 7 to the Snapdragon 7 Series for the first time.”
As far as performance is concerned, Qualcomm says that the 7+ Gen 3 is able to run with a significant 15% increase in performance, in addition to a 45% increase in GPU performance. Simply put, your phone will have less trouble running intensive apps, as well as graphically-intensive games, allowing for better versatility. Of course we’d be disappointed if the newer chip didn’t offer any significant upgrades, but the claims with the 7+ Gen 3 are certainly promising. Another key area of improvement is with power efficiency, with a 5% boost according to Qualcomm.
Another area that Qualcomm has prioritized with its new chipset is with its AI capabilities – given that generative AI has become quite a major part of the modern smartphone industry with companies such as Qualcomm and MediaTek pioneering the field, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 has been designed to keep up with most AI-integrated software features. This includes support for on-device GenAI, as well as compatibility with large language models including Baichuan-7B, Llama 2, Gemini Nano and Zhipu ChatGLM.
Another upgrade that the 7+ Gen 3 comes with is with regards to photographic performance, which is made possible thanks to a built-in 18-bit cognitive ISP, which ideally should be able to provide users with better-looking photos. The chip also features Snapdragons Low Light Vision technology for better image capture in dark scenarios and environments. Other features include Wifi 7 support with HBS (High Band Simultaneous) Multi-Link, and Release 17 5G.
As for availability, we can expect to see the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 in devices from companies including OnePlus, realme, and SHARP, to name a few. No specific handset models or dates were given, although it shouldn’t be too long before we see the 7+ Gen 3 in action this year.
