Qualcomm just introduced the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the company’s latest flagship Mobile Platform at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit 2022 event, as expected.
CPU
Compared to the predecessor, the new Kryo CPU based on latest ARM-V9 architecture promises 35% performance improvements and 40% improved power efficiency with new 1-4-3 microarchitecture. It has 1 x Prime core, up to 3.2 GHz, 4 x Performance cores up to 2.8 GHz and 3 Efficiency cores, up to 2.0 GHz.
GPU
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has a new Adreno GPU that promises up to 25% faster performance, with up to 45% better power efficiency compared to the predecessor. There are new Snapdragon Elite Gaming features, including real time hardware-accelerated ray tracing for life-like light, reflections, and illuminations to mobile games.
The company said that gamers can experience photorealistic human characters in their games with the world’s first mobile optimized support for Unreal Engine 5 Metahumans Framework on Snapdragon. It is also the first mobile platform to support Vulkan 1.3 API.
See the #Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Ray Tracing features in action on @WarThunder Edge by @GaijinEnt — it enhances overall visual quality and immersion by adding ray-traced smooth shadows with realistic penumbras, translucency, self-shadowing, and other effects. pic.twitter.com/4tqlIWcwBP
— Snapdragon (@Snapdragon) November 16, 2022
AI
The upgraded Qualcomm Hexagon Processor offers faster natural language processing with multi-language translation and advanced AI
camera features.
The Hexagon processor features brand-new upgrades to the architecture,
including micro tile inferencing and a bigger tensor accelerator for up to 4.35X increased AI performance.
This is also the first Snapdragon mobile platform to support INT4—a revolutionary AI precision format—with 60% performance/watt improvement for sustained AI inferencing.
And now, the Qualcomm Sensing Hub features dual-AI processors for the first time, powering exciting new experiences like direct-to-app voice assistance for convenient control of your favorite apps.
ISP
The Spectra 18-bit triple Cognitive ISP is the first ever AI-powered camera processor from Qualcomm. This new architecture powers real-time Semantic Segmentation, to recognize and optimize each aspect within a
frame—like faces, hair, clothes, backgrounds, and more.
Sony Semiconductor Solutions is the first to develop quad digital overlap HDR technology, and which is fine-tuned for Snapdragon. This is available in Sony IMX800 1/1.5″ and the IMX989 1″ sensors.
The Samsung ISOCELL HP3, the first 200-megapixel image sensor optimized for Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, promise professional quality photos and videos.
It offers up to 200 MP photo capture and 8K HDR video capture in 10-bit HDR. This is also the first Snapdragon to include an AV1 codec with support for video playback up to 8K HDR at 60 frames per second.
Connectivity
It has Snapdragon X70 5G Modem RF System, making it the first in the world with a dedicated 5G AI processor that offers 5G+5G/4G Dual-SIM Dual-Active, which harnesses the power and flexibility of two 5G SIMs at once.
It supports Wi-Fi 7 offering up to 5.8 Gbps speed and dual Bluetooth connectivity for sustained immersion, thanks to new Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 Mobile Connectivity System.
This is the world’s first commercial Wi-Fi 7 SoC, with advanced High Band
Simultaneous Multi-Link that enables peak Wi-Fi 7 performance globally, allowing for smooth, blazing connections when streaming, gaming, and more.
Audio
Snapdragon Sound Technology, now features spatial audio with head-tracking (when using compatible Snapdragon Sound products) for complete
surround-sound immersion.
It supports for 48kHz lossless music streaming and ultra-low latency Bluetooth streaming <48ms for lag-free gaming.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (SM8550) specifications
- 1 x Kryo Prime CPU (Arm Cortex-X3 based) at up to 3.2GHz, 4 x Kryo Performance CPUs (2 x Arm Cortex-A715 and 2 x Arm Cortex-A710 based) at up to 2.8GHz, 3x Kryo Efficiency CPUs (Arm Cortex-A510 based) at up to 2GHz, ARMv9 architecture
- 4nm Process Technology
- Built-in Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 5G modem-RF system
- 5G speeds of up to 10Gpbs down, 5G mmWave and sub-6 GHz, standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) modes, mmWave: 1000 MHz bandwidth, 8 carriers, 2×2 MIMO, Sub-6 GHz: 300 MHz bandwidth, 4×4 MIMO, Qualcomm 5G PowerSave Gen 3, Qualcomm Smart Transmit 3.0 technology, Qualcomm Wideband Envelope Tracking, Qualcomm 5G Ultra-Low Latency Suite. Global 5G multi-SIM, including 5G-5G/4G DualSIM Dual-Active (DSDA)
- Qualcomm Adreno next-gen GPU, Vulkan 1.3 API support, HDR gaming (10-bit color depth, Rec. 2020 color gamut), API Support: OpenGL ES 3.2, OpenCL 2.0 FP, Vulkan 1.3, Real-time Hardware-Accelerated Ray Tracing
- Hardware-accelerated H.265 and VP9 decoder, HDR Playback Codec support for HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision
- Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec, New Qualcomm Aqstic smart speaker amplifier, Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (THD+N), Playback: -108dB, Qualcomm Audio and Voice Communication Suite, Spatial Audio with Head Tracking
- Up to 36 MP triple camera, Up to 64+36 MP dual camera, Up to 108 MP single camera with ZSL, Up to 200MP single camera, Qualcomm Spectra Image Sensor Processor (Cognitive 18-bit triple-ISP)
- Rec. 2020 color gamut photo and video capture, Up to 10-bit color depth photo and video capture, 8K HDR Video Capture + 64 MP Photo Capture
10-bit HEIF: HEIC photo capture, HEVC video capture, Video Capture Formats: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, 8K HDR Video Capture @ 30 FPS, 4K Video Capture @ 120 FPS, Slow-mo video capture at 720p @ 960 FPS, Bokeh Engine 2 for Video Capture, Pro Sight Video Capture , Video super resolution, Multi-frame Noise Reduction (MFNR), Locally Motion Compensated Temporal Filtering, Multi-Frame and triple exposure staggered/digital, overlap HDR dual sensor support, AI-based face detection, auto-focus, and auto-exposure - On-Device Display Support: 4K at 60 Hz / QHD+ at 144 Hz, Maximum External Display Support: up to 4K @ 60 Hz, 10-bit color depth, Rec. 2020 color gamut, HDR10 and HDR10+, Demura and subpixel rendering for OLED Uniformity
- Qualcomm Hexagon Processor, Fused AI Accelerator, Hexagon Tensor Accelerator, Hexagon Vector eXtensions, Hexagon Scalar Accelerator, Support for mix precision (INT8+INT16), Support for all precisions (INT4, INT8, INT16, FP16), Micro Tile Inferencing
- Support for LP-DDR5x memory up to 4200 MHz
- Wi-Fi 7 Peak speed: 5.8 Gbps, Wi-Fi 6E, 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) Multi-gigabit, Integrated 802.11ac 2×2 (2-stream) MU-MIMO, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz and 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, LE Audio, Dual Bluetooth antennas
- Bluetooth audio: Snapdragon Sound Technology with support for Qualcomm aptX Voice, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, and LE audio, NFC
- GPS, Glonass, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC capable, Dual Frequency GNSS (L1/L5), Sensor-Assisted Positioning, Urban pedestrian navigation with sidewalk accuracy, Global freeway lane-level vehicle navigation
- USB 4.0, USB-C
- Qualcomm Quick Charge 5 technology
Availability
Qualcomm confirmed that Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform will be adopted by global OEMs and brands including ASUS ROG, HONOR, iQOO, Motorola, nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, REDMAGIC, Redmi, SHARP, Sony, vivo, Xiaomi, XINGJI/MEIZU, and ZTE, with the first commercial devices expected by the end of 2022