After focusing on improving the experience of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagship devices, Qualcomm appears to be working to extend the same level of performance to mid-range devices with its latest chipset. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 is now official, bringing flagship-like features and performance to mid-range Android devices. The chipset has undergone a major overhaul – from the manufacturing process node to its core architecture – and that’s why I believe the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 is exactly what mid-range Android phones need in 2023.
Before we get into the details, it should be clarified that the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 is actually the successor to the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. And yes, there was no Snapdragon 7+ Gen 1 or Snapdragon 7 Gen 2. The branding might seem a bit quirky, but Qualcomm told us sister site XDA developer that the “+” symbol now denotes platforms “that are at the top of their tier/series, rather than representing just a minor improvement over a previous chipset.” Qualcomm isn’t ruling out the possibility of a Base 7 Gen 2, but for the purposes of this article, let’s take a look at the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2.
A big leap in performance and efficiency
special feature | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 |
|---|---|
Manufacturing process | 4nm (TSMC) |
CPU |
|
graphic card | Adreno GPU, Vulkan 1.1 |
Storage | LPDDR5 at 3200MHz (25.6GB/s) |
AI | Hexagon DSP, AI Engine, Qualcomm Sensing Hub |
ISP |
|
Load | Qualcomm fast charge 5 |
modem | Snapdragon X62 5G Modem, 5G NR Sub-6 + mmWave, 5G/4G Dual Active SIM (DSDA) |
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 features the same 1+3+4 CPU core configuration we’ve seen in the past, but it’s the first chipset of the Qualcomm 7 series with a Cortex-X series core for the prime CPU core. The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 features a Prime Cortex-X2 core clocked at 2.91 GHz, three high-performance Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 2.49 GHz, and four power-efficient Cortex-A510 cores that are clocked at up to 1.8 GHz.
This configuration leads to a A whopping 50% improvement in CPU performance over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, which had a similar 1+3+4 CPU configuration but used Cortex-A710 instead of Cortex-X2 for the Prime core. In addition to the CPU cores upgrades, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 is also more energy efficient than before thanks to the advanced 4nm process technology. According to Qualcomm, moving to TSMC’s 4nm node process has reduced power consumption by up to 13% compared to 7 Gen 1.
High-performance GPU for extended gaming sessions
OEMs often use Snapdragon 7-series chipsets for “gaming-focused” smartphones, especially in the Asian region, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 suits them well. Qualcomm boasts about it twice better graphics performance than the Gen 1. And then there’s support for Auto Variable Rate Shading (AVRS) as well as Volumetric Rendering, which adds “realism” to games with particle graphics like fog and smoke. The GPU also offers support for 120 Hz QHD+ panels (or 4K60).
While the memory hasn’t seen any improvements – it’s still a dual 16-bit LPDDR5 memory controller – the 7+ Gen 2’s new AI engine is just as impressive as the new GPU. The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 features Qualcomm’s Hexagon processor, which the company says it can offer up to 2x better AI and ML performance compared to the 7 Gen 1.
One of the features the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 inherits from the 8-series chips is the 18-bit Spectra ISP. While it doesn’t seem like a huge upgrade on paper, it brings support for “computational HDR video capture with triple exposure,” as well as better low-light photography — an area where mid-range Android smartphones typically struggle. Other upgrades include that Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 smartphones will (theoretically) be able to record 4K 60 fps videos (of course it also needs to be enabled by the smartphone manufacturer).
How does Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 compare to the competition?
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 is not only a major upgrade over its predecessor, but also a tough competitor to other mid-range chipsets on the market. MediaTek unveiled its towards the end of 2022 Size 8200 chipset for mid-range Android smartphones, and let’s take a quick look at how the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 compares.
Starting with the manufacturing process, both chipsets are based on a 4nm node architecture. While both chipsets feature a 1+3+4 CPU configuration, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 features a Cortex-X2 core for its high-performance Prime core, while the Dimensity 8200 relies on Cortex-A78 for its Prime core core is dependent. However, it’s worth noting that the clock speed of the Dimensity 8200’s main core (3.1GHz) is faster than the clock speed of the 7+ Gen 2’s main core (2.91GHz) – although this may not make much of a difference in real-world use .
Both chipsets have powerful GPUs, but MediaTek Dimensity 8200 takes the lead in this department as its GPU supports ray tracing, while the 7+ Gen 2’s Adreno GPU doesn’t support this feature. A key area where Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 beats the Dimensity 8200 is 5G support. The Qualcomm chipset supports both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G, while the MediaTek chipset only supports the latter.
All in all, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 seems to beat the mid-range SoC. While it may not be able to compete with the high-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and MediaTek Dimensity 9200, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset allows manufacturers to inject high-quality processing capabilities into budget smartphones without sacrificing essential features. Manufacturers can avoid sacrificing critical features like battery life, screen resolution, and camera performance while delivering a smooth and responsive user experience.
Redmi and Realme will be among the first smartphone makers to adopt the new chip, and their devices powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 are expected to launch later this month.
Qualcomm has launched the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chipset aimed at mid-range Android devices. The 4nm process technology and advanced core architecture produce 50% more CPU power than the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. The 7+ Gen 2 features a Prime Cortex-X2 core clocked at 2.91 GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores and four Cortex-A510 cores which also increase energy efficiency. The chipset also includes a high-performance graphics processing unit, offers support for 120 Hz QHD+ panels and has a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine offering up to 2x better AI and machine learning performance compared to Snapdragon 7 Gen 1.
