Using TSMC’s 4nm Architecture, the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 Touts Upgrades Not Seen on Previous Iterations
By switching suppliers and shifting to TSMC, Qualcomm had more control on the kind of upgrades it wanted to bring to the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Though the new silicon features the same 1 + 3 + 4 CPU cluster as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, all cores have received a clock speed increase. Previously, with the Snapdragon 888 Plus and chipsets before it, Qualcomm merely launched a faster speed bin of their existing silicon. Now, things have changed drastically, so check out the CPU configuration below.
One Cortex-X2 core running at 3.20GHz (Compared to 3.00GHz on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1) Three Cortex-A710 cores running at 2.80GHz (Compared to 2.50GHz on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1) Four Cortex-A510 cores running at 2.00GHz (Compared to 1.80GHz on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1)
The Adreno 730 is also said to receive a 10 percent higher clock speed than the version running in the previous SoC, so overall, we are already impressed with how just by switching foundries, Qualcomm was able to increase frequencies across the board on the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Additionally, the chip maker claims that there is a 30 percent improvement in both CPU and GPU power efficiency. Qualcomm also states that there is a 15 percent SoC power usage reduction under ‘practical usage patterns’ when compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which should improve battery life on flagships fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Aside from this, other specifications remain consistent between the two SoCs, including the integrated Snapdragon X65 5G modem, Spectra ISP, lack of AV1 support, and more. Last but not least, the clock speed increases on all cores, and the GPU means that the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 can deliver 10 percent higher CPU and GPU performance compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. While no independent individual or publication ran a benchmark comparing the two chipsets, we are sure to have these results in the coming weeks to see how accurate Qualcomm’s claims are.
When Will the New Silicon Start Appear in Mobile Devices?
Consumers are expected to see the first flagships sporting the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 in the third quarter of this year. We know that Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 will ship with one because a leaked benchmark result revealed that the foldable was being tested with Qualcomm’s latest and greatest. Many other handsets will be powered by it, so we will be patient and see how it performs. Overall, are you satisfied with the improvements brought to the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1? Tell us down in the comments.