Qualcomm has not only taken advantage of the Snapdragon Summit 2021 to present in society the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for mobile phones. The American company also wanted to unveil during this meeting the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and Snapdragon 7c + Gen 3 , two chips for laptops that aim to demonstrate the virtues of the ARM architecture in this type of device.
The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 succeeds the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 that we've seen on some Windows PCs in the last year. According to Qualcomm, the CPU of this chip, which is manufactured in a 5 nanometer process, is 85% faster than that of its predecessor . All this, being, in turn, 60% more energy efficient (better performance per watt) than the equivalent x86 platform (Intel or AMD). Simultaneously, the new Adreno GPU is 60% faster than that of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. The chip also promises to deliver more than 29 TOPS in artificial intelligence tasks.
The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 evolves in other ways as well. One of the elements that has received improvements is the ISP (Image Signal Processor, for its acronym in English), which promises to reduce the time it takes for the laptop's front camera to turn on by 15%. It also opens the door to 4K cameras with HDR, is capable of processing the signal from up to four cameras simultaneously and incorporates the latest version of the 3A algorithms (autofocus, automatic exposure and automatic white balance). In parallel, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 promises better video calls thanks to a series of noise cancellation algorithms that eliminate unwanted sounds from video calls. The goal, as the brand suggests, is for these computers to offer an excellent experience when it comes to video conferencing.
Another interesting aspect of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 is the 5G connectivity. The chip is compatible with the X65, X55 and X62 modems. In the best case (X65 modem), the maximum bandwidth is 10 Gbps over compatible 5G networks.
Finally, in terms of security, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 has several technologies that promise to keep machine data safe (including some designed specifically for professional or educational environments) . The chip also has a dedicated processor that monitors the presence of the owner in the background so that, in the event that the owner is not in front of the screen, the device locks automatically.
All these advances are added to those of ARM processors , such as the best energy efficiency compared to Intel processors, the absence of fans or the possibility of creating super-thin computers.
Laptop computer blank white screen on table in cafe background. Laptop with blank screen on table of coffee shop blur background.
Along with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 also comes a Snapdragon 7c + Gen 3
In parallel, Qualcomm has presented the Snapdragon 7c + Gen 3 , an SoC based on the ARM architecture designed for cheap computers with both Windows 11 and Chrome OS.
Qualcomm ensures that its CPU is 60% faster than the previous model , while the GPU has evolved 70%. In AI work, the chip is capable of reaching 6.5 TOPS. And, how could it be otherwise, it has 5G connectivity thanks to the integrated X53 modem, which supports both sub-6 and mmWave networks. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E.
Both the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and the Snapdragon 7c + Gen 3 will hit the market in early 2022 aboard laptops created by different partners. The chips, at the moment, are not up to the level of Apple's M1 series – Qualcomm, in fact, recognizes it -, but they can become an interesting alternative to Intel and AMD products, especially due to their lower consumption energy, its 5G connectivity and the absence of fans.
