Qualcomm has finally given us the newest addition to its mobile chipset lineup, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2. Designed for midrange devices, the new SoC comes with several improvements including general performance, AI capabilities, and even photography.
Qualcomm’s last big launch was the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, although that chipset was geared towards more powerful and premium Android phones. With the new 7-series chip though, the company gives extra focus on mid-range and budget-friendly devices – let’s see what it has in store.
Improvements to Performance
Qualcomm has designed the 7+ Gen 2 to work with the Kryo CPU and Adreno GPU for better overall performance, including up to 13% improvement in terms of power efficiency during daily usage. This makes it a great option for gamers who are looking for impressive performance without compromising the price-to-spec ratio. Other features supported by the chip include Auto Variable Rate Shading (VRS), Volumetric Rendering, and Snapdragon Sound with Qualcomm aptX for lossless music streaming and reduced lag during gaming.
AI Capabilities
The proliferation of AI-infused apps, hardware, and platforms in the past couple of years has seen a significant shift with regards to how consumer electronics are designed, and the 7+ Gen 2 takes full advantage of this widespread adoption.
According to Qualcomm, the chip comes with an integrated AI Engine that features 2x improved AI performance with 40% better performance per Watt compared to its predecessor.
The 7+ Gen 2 also features the Qualcomm “Sensing Hub” which comes with a dedicated AI processor, allowing it to work in contextually-aware use cases including user activity recognition, as well as acoustic scene detection. Other features include AI Super Resolution, which allows the 7+ Gen 2 to upscale game scenes or photos for superior visual quality from a low-resolution image (1080p to 4K).
Photography
Another key area of focus, the snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 will also allow devices to tap into improved camera capabilities. The new chip features an 18-bit Triple ISP which enables devices to take better low-light pictures. Qualcomm says that this will allow a device to take 30 images, pick out the best shots and combine them into a single photo with the best exposure and colour. There’s also support for 200MP photos as well as staggered HDR video capture with triple exposure from two cameras simultaneously.
Availability
As for availability, Qualcomm says that it’s collaborated with known hardware partners to bring the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 into the hands of consumers. Big names such as Redmi and Realme will each introduce new devices in the coming months which will feature the new chipset.
Additionally, more smartphone brands are expected to launch handsets featuring the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 as the year progresses.
