Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: A New Mid-Range SoC

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https://www.anandtech.com/show/21534/qualcomm-adds-snapdragon-7s-gen-3-midtier-snapdragon-gets-cortexa720-treatment

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This morning, Qualcomm officially announced the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, a new system-on-chip (SoC) designed for the mid-range smartphone market. This release marks the second entry in Qualcomm’s ‘S’ tier Snapdragon 7 series, which serves as the entry-level option within the Snapdragon 7 family, particularly for Qualcomm-powered devices in North America.

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Overview of Snapdragon 7-Class SoCs

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Architecture and Performance Enhancements

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The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 features a 1+3+4 core configuration, consisting of one prime core, three performance cores, and four efficiency cores. Qualcomm has adopted Arm’s latest Cortex-A720 architecture for both the prime and performance cores, with the prime core capable of reaching speeds of up to 2.5GHz, while the performance cores can reach up to 2.4GHz. The efficiency cores are based on the Cortex-A520 design, which can boost up to 1.8GHz.

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In comparison to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, the new architecture represents a significant upgrade, moving from an A78/A55 configuration to the A720/A520 setup. Although clock speeds remain similar, the performance improvements are primarily driven by enhancements in instructions per cycle (IPC), with the faster prime core providing better performance for single-threaded tasks.

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Qualcomm claims a 20% increase in CPU performance over the previous generation, although it does not specify whether this is in single-threaded or multi-threaded scenarios.

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Graphics and Video Capabilities

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The graphics performance is powered by Qualcomm’s Adreno GPU. While specific details about the GPU configuration have not been disclosed, it is expected to deliver significant improvements. Qualcomm anticipates a 40% increase in GPU performance compared to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.

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However, the video decoding capabilities appear somewhat outdated, as the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 does not support AV1 decoding, limiting it to H.265 and VP9 codecs.

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AI and NPU Enhancements

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The Hexagon NPU block in the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 incorporates Qualcomm’s latest intellectual property, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. This version of the NPU introduces INT4 support for low precision client inference, marking a first for the Snapdragon 7s family. Qualcomm emphasizes the importance of local execution for large language models (LLMs) on devices.

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In terms of AI performance, Qualcomm expects a 30% improvement over the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.

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Memory and Camera Features

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The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 utilizes a 32-bit memory controller, supporting both LPDDR4X and LPDDR5 memory types. The maximum memory bandwidth is contingent upon the memory type, with LPDDR4X-4266 offering 17GB/sec and LPDDR5-6400 providing 25.6GB/sec, consistent with the previous generation.

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Camera capabilities have also seen enhancements, with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 featuring three 12-bit Spectra ISPs. The maximum resolution for zero shutter lag and burst modes has been increased to 64MP. Video recording capabilities remain unchanged, supporting 4K HDR capture.

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Wireless Communication and Modem Features

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The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 includes Qualcomm’s integrated Snapdragon 5G modem, supporting both Sub-6 and mmWave bands with a theoretical maximum throughput of 2