Qualcomm Refreshes Snapdragon G-Series Chips with Major Upgrades for Handheld Gaming
Since 2023, Qualcomm has been actively developing dedicated Snapdragon chips for handheld gaming consoles under the Snapdragon G-series. Unlike the company’s smartphone and tablet processors, these gaming-focused chips are designed to deliver optimized performance and efficiency for portable gaming devices.
Qualcomm Refreshes Snapdragon G-Series Chips with Major Upgrades for Handheld Gaming
Today, Qualcomm has announced a major refresh of the entire lineup, bringing significant improvements in processing power, graphics capabilities, and connectivity.
Snapdragon G3 Gen 3: A High-End Powerhouse
The Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is the most powerful chip in the lineup and introduces features never seen before in Qualcomm’s gaming series. One of its biggest highlights is support for Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen. This is a real-time global illumination and reflection system that enhances the realism of in-game lighting. Additionally, the chip includes hardware acceleration for ray tracing, a feature absent in the previous G2 and G1 models.
Beyond these new features, Qualcomm has significantly boosted performance. The eight-core CPU (1x prime core, 5x performance cores, and 2x efficiency cores). It delivers a 30% increase in speed compared to its predecessor, the G3 Gen 2. Meanwhile, the Adreno A32 GPU is 28% faster. It also provides smoother graphics rendering and improved overall gaming experience. These upgrades make the G3 Gen 3 an ideal choice for high-end handheld gaming consoles.
Snapdragon G2 Gen 2: A Big Leap in Performance
The Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 is another major step forward, offering a 2.3x boost in CPU performance and a massive 3.8x improvement in GPU performance compared to its predecessor. The CPU now features a 1+4+3 core configuration instead of the 1+5+2 layout seen in the previous version, but Qualcomm has not disclosed whether these cores are Kryo or Oryon.
On the graphics side, the Adreno A22 GPU supports Snapdragon Game Super Resolution (for upscaling) and Adreno Frame Motion Engine 2.0 (for frame generation), both of which are also available on the Adreno A32 in the G3 Gen 3. However, unlike the G3 Gen 3, the G2 Gen 2 does not include hardware-based ray tracing. Despite this, it can drive QHD+ displays at up to 144Hz, ensuring smooth visuals for gaming.
Snapdragon G1 Gen 2: A Budget-Friendly Option for Cloud Gaming
Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 for gamers looking for an affordable handheld gaming experience. This chipset is primarily designed for cloud gaming. It also supports 1080p+ resolution up to 120Hz. It offers Wi-Fi 5 (ac) and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, with an optional 5G variant for enhanced online gaming.
The CPU configuration (2+6) does not include a prime core, but still manages to be 80% faster than its predecessor. The Adreno A12 GPU offers a 25% improvement in performance, focusing more on efficiency rather than sheer power. This makes it ideal for streaming games from the cloud rather than running high-end titles locally.
Connectivity and Availability
All three new Snapdragon G-series chips come with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 for better wireless connectivity. Both the G3 Gen 3 and G2 Gen 2 support 5G (sub-6GHz and mmWave), ensuring fast network speeds for online gaming.
Qualcomm has confirmed that handheld gaming devices powered by these new chips will start arriving this quarter. Brands such as AYANEO, ONEXSUGAR, and Retroid Pocket are among the companies set to launch products featuring these upgraded Snapdragon G-series processors. However, the company has not provided exact release dates, despite Q1 nearing its end.
With these updates, Qualcomm aims to push the boundaries of handheld gaming, delivering more power, better graphics, and improved efficiency. In my opinion, the new Snapdragon G-series chips will surely play a key role in shaping the next generation of portable gaming devices.
See Also: Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 (vivo V50) vs Exynos 1580 (Samsung A56) vs Helio G100 Ultra (Redmi Note 14 Pro)
