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Qualcomm’s first mobile chip with On-device generative AIhe Snapdragon 8 Generation 3, launched late last year to power high-end Android phones in 2024. Now Qualcomm is introducing a new chip in the series. The Snapdragon 8S Gen 3 aims to bring those top-tier features to mid-range devices.
This is the first “S” version of a chip that Qualcomm has released that offers generative AI at a lower price. The company described the 8S Gen 3 as a bridge between the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which powered last year’s premium Android phones.
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But while the 8 Gen 3 powers phones like the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and the OnePlus 12which are priced above $800, the 8S Gen 3 is designed for phones in the $500 to $800 range. Xiaomi, Honor, Realme, Redmi and other manufacturers will soon launch phones powered by 8S Gen 3, and the first will arrive in a few months.
Qualcomm’s goal is to bring premium features to cheaper phones, especially generative AI. The 8S Gen 3 is capable of supporting 30 AI models, including Meta’s Llama 2 and Google Gemini and more than 10 billion parameters in AI, the same as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The company noted that the generative AI features of the 8S Gen 3 include some applications that we have seen before, such as improving voice assistants and using broadcast stable to generate images.
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Qualcomm previously said that the lower-tier chips are designed for more affordable phones, like those previously announced. Snapdragon 7 Generation 3would have a “graceful downgrade” of AI capabilities compared to the top-tier 8 Gen 3. The peak performance of the new chip is lower than that of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This means that its AI capabilities are more limited and take longer to generate images. In other words, it lacks features such as fast and stable diffusion and speculative decoding. , which are compatible with Qualcomm’s high-end chip.
While we don’t have benchmarks for the 8S Gen 3 yet, its central processor clock speeds are lower than the 8 Gen 3 and it doesn’t have the top-of-the-line components found in other Qualcomm chips. Its X70 modem is not as advanced as the X75 modem on the 8 Gen 3, but it still supports Snapdragon Satellite and seamless snapdragonthe proprietary feature of the company’s connected device ecosystem.
In addition to on-device generative AI, the chip supports other premium features like up to 200-megapixel cameras and ray tracing for gaming, giving brands the option of an updated 8-series chip to power more affordable phones. The 7 Gen 3 may be comparable, but the 7-series chipsets may not receive a new version every year, Qualcomm said.
Phone makers could choose the 8S chip for phones costing between $500 and $800. Companies are currently using older chips in this price range. The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
While brands usually choose the latest Snapdragon 8 series chip for their high-end phones, for low-end phones they often opt for older chips to save costs. For example, last year Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (which had a launch price of $600) includes a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 instead of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that appeared in other phones that year. Presumably, brands in this situation could choose the 8S Gen 3.
The 8S Gen 3 is one of a growing number of mobile chips with on-device generative AI, from offerings from Snapdragon to MediaTek. Dimension 9300 and Dimension 8300. We haven’t seen many must-have generative AI features yet, but they could help more premium Android phones distinguish themselves from the competition.
Editor’s note: CNET uses an artificial intelligence engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.
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