Qualcomm has introduced a trio of new processors tailored for mobile gaming in handheld consoles. The lineup consists of three chips: Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, and Snapdragon G1 Gen 2. All three variants will bring "next-gen experiences" and allow customers to play cloud, console, Android, or PC games on the go.
The Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is the flagship model, which offers a 30% faster processor performance and 28% faster graphics. It packs 8 Kryo cores (one prime, five performance, and two efficiency) and the Adreno A32 GPU with ray-tracing support.
There are also improved power optimizations and memory efficiency, Wi-Fi 7 support for reduced latency, and, for the first time for Android handhelds, full Lumen support. The latter is Unreal Engine 5"s dynamic global illumination and reflection system.
With the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, Qualcomm promises 2.3 times better CPU performance (one prime core, four performance cores, and three efficiency cores) and 3.8x better graphics performance (Adreno A22) over the previous-gen Snapdragon G2. As Qualcomm says in the announcement, the chip is aimed at cloud gaming at up to 144 FPS, but it is also able to run Android games locally. Wi-Fi 7 is also supported because high-performance cloud gaming requires a good network.
Finally, the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 is for devices with 1080p 120Hz displays. This chip has an 80% faster processor and a 25% faster GPU (Adreno A12). Unlike its more expensive siblings, it only supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1. The lack of Wi-Fi 6 support is a questionable quirk, considering this processor is also heavily advertised for cloud gaming-capable handhelds.
Qualcomm says the first devices with the new Snapdragon G series processors will be available this quarter from manufacturers such as AYANEO, ONEXSUGAR, Retroid Pocket, and more.