Qualcomm’s VR Marvel: The Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Platform Unleashed

In a significant development a year after the collaborative XR project announcement by Qualcomm, Samsung, and Google, the much-anticipated Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 platform has been officially unveiled. This upgraded chip, succeeding the XR2 Gen 2 utilized in the Meta Quest 3, promises notable advancements in graphics processing, potentially placing it in direct competition with Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset.

One of the standout features of the XR2+ Gen 2 is its support for an impressive 4.3K resolution per eye and a 90fps refresh rate. This marks a substantial improvement over the XR2 Gen 2’s 3K resolution, ensuring users a clearer and more immersive virtual reality (VR) experience.

In addition to enhanced display capabilities, the XR2+ Gen 2 boasts improved tracking features. With the ability to support up to 12 cameras and powerful on-device artificial intelligence (AI), VR headsets using this platform can accurately track user movements and their surroundings. This advancement is expected to enable more intuitive navigation and interaction within virtual spaces.

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Qualcomm has not only improved display and tracking but also increased processing power significantly. The XR2+ Gen 2 showcases a 15% increase in graphics processing unit (GPU) frequency and a 20% bump in central processing unit (CPU) frequency compared to its predecessor. This translates to improved overall performance and the capability to handle even the most demanding VR applications.

In a bid to facilitate the development of VR headsets, Qualcomm has collaborated with Goertek to create a new reference design. There are two versions of this pre-built platform. One with XR2 Gen 2 power for 3K resolution and the other with XR2+ Gen 2 power for the full 4K experience.

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Qualcomm has confirmed that its new platform will be featured in upcoming XR products from Samsung and Google. Collaborating with at least five other hardware manufacturers, including HTC, the company aims to popularize its groundbreaking XR2+ Gen 2 platform. As Samsung’s Unpacked event approaches, anticipation builds for potential exciting VR announcements on the horizon.