This Snapdragon chip is going to power this year’s top mid-range Android phones

Qualcomm has revealed its latest upcoming phone tech for 2024. The new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset is going to power some of 2024’s best mid-range Android phones. It’s a step down from the flagship 8 Gen 3 chipset that’s powering the high-end handsets releasing this year.

• Read more: Best mid-range smartphone: affordable mobiles reviewed

Crafted using a 4-nanometer process, this chipset is one step down from its overachieving sibling, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Qualcomm’s Deepu John explained that it comes just below the 8 Gen 3, and an 8 Plus Gen 3 would sit on top (if one arrives). It’s sporting a peculiar 1+4+3 core configuration, with a prime ARM Cortex X4 that hums along at a cool 3.0GHz.

You’ll find it accompanied by four performance cores at 2.8GHz, and a trio of 2.0GHz cores dedicated to efficiency. The chip also packs a last-gen X70 5G modem and offers Wi-Fi 7 support. This is good news because, let’s face it, who wants to wait for videos to buffer? For gamers, hardware-accelerated ray tracing is here to make virtual worlds a tad more lifelike. Audio-wise, it supports Qualcomm’s Aqstic Speaker Max tech and Auracast for high-definition sound.

On the AI front, this chip is no slouch either. It can handle generative AI models up to the hefty size of 10 billion parameters, catering to high-maintenance AI assistants and photo expansion. However, it seems Qualcomm left out a few AI party tricks from the 8 Gen 3’s repertoire, but who’s counting? It’s more than capable enough to support models like Gemini Nano and Llama 2.

The arrival of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is a little confusing, especially when you remember the likes of the OnePlus 12R still rocking last year’s 7 Gen 3. This chip is set to debut in a range of mid-range smartphones from Honor, iQOO, Realme, Redmi, and Xiaomi. Announcements are expected later this month and beyond, although none of the devices are expected to launch in the US.

• Related: Best AI phones: which smartphone has the best AI features?

Connor Jewiss

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around seven years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home