Qualcomm Announces New Snapdragon G Gaming Chips
While AMD appears to dominate handheld PC gaming with devices like the Steam Deck, Qualcomm’s also made decent progress. And now, they’re announcing three new chips in the form of the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, and the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2. Compared to the Linux and Windows-based offerings AMD and Intel is targeting though, the G series is reportedly designed to attract mostly Android-based systems instead.
The trio’s already bound to power the next handheld gaming devices from OEMs like Ayaneo, OneXPlayer, and even the Retroid Pocket. Let’s see how these new gaming chips fare, at least according to Qualcomm’s claims.
The Snapdragon G3 Gen 3: Ayaneo and OneXPlayer
The latest Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is an 8-core Kryo CPU chip consisting of 1 Prime, 5 Performance, and 2 Efficiency cores. It’s coming with an Adreno A32 GPU. With this, Qualcomm promises around 30% faster CPU performance and 28% better GPU performance compared to G3x Gen 2 released back in 2023.
It retains its predecessor’s FastConnect 7800 module, so you get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. However, the G3 Gen 3 is now able to support displays up to QHD+ resolution, with 144Hz refresh rates for a much smoother experience.
An impressive aspect about the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is that it’s the first of its line to support Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen; basically a system for dynamic global illumination and reflections. There’s also hardware accelerated ray-tracing features, which we usually find in gaming consoles and PCs, where it basically helps elevate a game’s look with more realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections.
The Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is already confirmed to power 3 upcoming gaming devices: Ayaneo’s Nintendo Switch-esque Pocket S2 and Gaming Pad, and OneXPlayer’s OneXSugar.
Snapdragon G2 Gen 2: Super Resolution!
In addition to that high-end gaming chip above, Qualcomm’s also releasing the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 and G1 Gen 2 for mid-range devices. Replacing the previous Snapdragon G2 Gen 1 chip, the G2 will also sport an octa-core Kryo CPU, with 1 Prime, 4 Performance, and 3 Efficiency cores.
There’s a much stronger Adreno A22 this time, which Qualcomm says offers up to a 3.8x increase when it comes to graphics performances. This also translates into a bump in display support to QHD+ as well, and up to 144Hz refresh rates too.
Only this and the much more premium Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 offers support for Snapdragon Game Super Resolution and Adreno Frame Motion Engine 2.0 technologies. Basically an upscaling solution similar to Nvidia’s DLSS or the PS5 Pro’s PSSR, supposedly used to help with frame rates and battery life.
The Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 is theorized to come in Retroid Pocket’s handheld Retroid Pocket 6; the successor to their Snapdragon 865-equipped Retroid Pocket 5.
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Snapdragon G1 Gen 2: Retro Gaming Goodness!
Given the trend we’ve been on, the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 is the entry level chip from the bunch. It doesn’t have a prime core, only coming in with 2 Performance Cores and 6 Efficiency ones though it’s still around 80% faster than its predecessor. Oh, and it runs on an Adreno A12 GPU.
Qualcomm reportedly intends for the chip to be used primarily for cloud gaming. It’s only offering support for 1080p+ displays at up to 120Hz after all, while being limited to simple WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1. Or for older, retro-style games that don’t need to run any of these fancy new rendering tech.
In terms of devices, the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 will be available in the Retroid Pocket Classic, which takes cues from Nintendo’s old Game Boy console. It’s going to feature a 3.92-inch AMOLED display with 1240 x 1080p Resolution which is more than enough for your retro gaming needs.
Gaming on Android with Snapdragon!
Of course, if you’re only looking to play Android games at high refresh rates without compromising on image quality, then Snapdragon’s own mobile offerings are more than capable of providing you the performance you need whether it's on a gaming phone or flagship!
You can try out the latest Androids like the Galaxy S25 Ultra or the Xiaomi 15 which both come equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which currently offers the best performance and battery life for Androids. Both of them are available at great prices here at Kimstore!
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