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Snapdragon SoC guide: All of Qualcomm's smartphone processors explained

From entry-level to cutting-edge, we break down all the major Snapdragon processors.
By

Published onMay 8, 2024

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chip in hand
Qualcomm

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors are among the most ubiquitous SoCs in the Android smartphone space. Samsung uses Snapdragon for its Galaxy S line in various markets, but these chips also power the vast majority of flagship Android phones on the market. There’s a good chance that you’re reading this on a device using a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor right now.

Snapdragon chips aren’t just found in expensive flagship smartphones though. There’s a whole portfolio of processors built for handsets at various price points. Performance and features differ a fair bit between these models, so let’s break down how the company’s latest SoCs compare and what capabilities you should expect.

Snapdragon 8 series — Premium tier

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 dummy chip.
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority

Looking for the very best Qualcomm smartphone processor family? That will be the Snapdragon 8 range. The flagship chip for 2024 is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which was announced in October 2023. It powers a host of high-end phones in 2024, such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, OnePlus 12, and the Xiaomi 14 series.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 brings a host of upgrades. For one, it packs a super-powerful CPU on paper. This is a 1+5+2 CPU consisting of one Cortex-X4 core, five Cortex-A720 cores, and two Cortex-A520 cores. In fact, Qualcomm says it’s 30% faster than its predecessor while being 20% more efficient.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is built with on-device generative AI tasks in mind.

Qualcomm is also going all-in on generative AI capabilities this time out, offering text-to-image generation in under a second, photo expansion capabilities (using image generation to expand the borders of an image), and support for large language models with over 10 billion parameters running at close to 15 tokens per second. In plain English, this is an AI powerhouse.

Other upgrades worth knowing include an Adreno GPU that’s 25% faster and 25% more efficient, support for global illumination graphics tech, night mode video support, and video object eraser capabilities.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Snapdragon 8 Gen 2Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
CPU Config
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
1x 3.3GHz (Cortex-X4)
3x 3.2GHz (Cortex-A720)
2x 3GHz (Cortex-A720)
2x 2.3GHz (Cortex-A520 Refresh)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
1x 3.19GHz (Cortex-X3)
2x 2.8GHz (Cortex-A715)
2x 2.8GHz (Cortex-A710)
3x 2.0GHz (Cortex-A510)
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
1x 3.19GHz (Cortex-X4)
4x 2.8GHz (Cortex-A720)
3x 2.0GHz (Cortex-A520)
GPU
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Adreno
(ray tracing support)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Adreno 740
(ray tracing support)
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Adreno
(ray tracing support)
DSP
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Hexagon
(fused scalar, tensor, and vector)
Mixed precision INT8/INT16
INT4 support
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Hexagon
(fused scalar, tensor, and vector)
Mixed precision INT8/INT16
INT4 support
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Hexagon
(fused scalar, tensor, and vector)
Mixed precision INT8/INT16
INT4 support
RAM support
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
LPDDR5X
4,800MHz
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
LPDDR5X
4,200MHz
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
LPDDR5X
4,200MHz
Camera support
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
• 200MP single shot
• 108MP single with zero shutter lag
• 64MP+36MP with zero shutter lag
• Triple 36MP with zero shutter lag
• Hybrid AF
• 10-bit HEIF image capture
• HDR video
• Dolby HDR photo
• Multi-frame noise reduction
• Real-time semantic segmentation for photos and videos (up to 12 layers)
• Video super resolution
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
• 200MP single shot
• 108MP single with zero shutter lag
• 64MP+36MP with zero shutter lag
• Triple 36MP with zero shutter lag
• Hybrid AF
• 10-bit HEIF image capture
• HDR video
• Multi-frame noise reduction
• Real-time semantic segmentation for photos and videos (up to 8 layers)
• Video super resolution
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
• 200MP single shot
• 108MP single with zero shutter lag
• 64MP+36MP with zero shutter lag
• Triple 36MP with zero shutter lag
• Hybrid AF
• 10-bit HEIF image capture
• HDR video
• Multi-frame noise reduction
• Real-time semantic segmentation for photos and videos (up to 12 layers)
• Video super resolution
Video capture
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
8K @ 30fps (HDR)
4K UHD @ 120fps
720p @ 960fps
Night Vision Video Capture (4K/60fps)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
8K @ 30fps (HDR)
4K UHD @ 120fps
720p @ 960fps
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
4K UHD @ 60fps
4K UHD @ 60fps (HDR)
1080p @ 240fps
Charging
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Quick Charge 5
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Quick Charge 5
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Quick Charge 5
4G/5G Modem
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
X75 LTE/5G (integrated)
10,000Mbps down
3,500Mbps up
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
X70 LTE/5G (integrated)
10,000Mbps down
3,500Mbps up
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
X70 LTE/5G (integrated)
5,000Mbps down
3,500Mbps up
Other networking
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Bluetooth 5.4
Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Bluetooth 5.3
Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Bluetooth 5.4
Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), 802.11a/b/g/n
Process
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
TSMC 4nm (N4P)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
TSMC 4nm
Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
TSMC 4nm

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s predecessor is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and most of 2023’s flagship Android phones were powered by this chip. It’s still a beast in 2024, bringing a powerful 1+4+3 CPU, a top-class GPU, and upgrades in plenty of other areas. So it’s no wonder that we’ve seen this chipset in the likes of the recently released OnePlus 12R.

The latest Snapdragon 8 series chip, however, is the Snapdragon 8S Gen 3. This was announced in March 2024 and is meant to power affordable flagship smartphones. It features a powerful CPU (one Cortex-X4, four Cortex-A720, and three Cortex-A520) and a tweaked version of the beefy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 GPU. The chipset offers on-device generative AI support too, but Qualcomm acknowledged that AI performance was slower than the 8 Gen 3.  The SoC also lacks 8K and super-slow motion video support as seen on the 8 Gen 2 and 8 Gen 3.

The Galaxy S24 series launched with the so-called Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset in some models. It offers slightly higher CPU clock speeds compared to the vanilla chip. That may translate to negligibly better performance in some demanding tasks.

Snapdragon 7 series — Bridging the gap

Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 in hand

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 series isn’t quite as straightforward as its flagship 8 series. This is due to the sheer number of them, as well as the older, lower-end chips crossing into Snapdragon 6 territory. The Snapdragon 7 series was originally conceived as an upper mid-range family of processors, but the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 blends high-end and mid-range features like few other processors.

The Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 was announced in March 2024 and brings a 4nm design and a powerful, flagship-grade CPU. Qualcomm didn’t specify the GPU details bar saying it was 45% faster than the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2. Otherwise, the 7 Plus Gen 3 also brings features like support for on-device generative AI features (e.g. Gemini Nano, image generation), 4K/60fps HDR video, and Wi-Fi 7. Just don’t expect AV1 support, 8K video recording, and the greatest modem.

The Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 brings a flagship-grade CPU and generative AI support, but dials back the GPU, camera, and multimedia capabilities.

Prior to the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3, we had the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2. This was 2023’s best mid-range chip by Qualcomm, and it looked more like a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor than anything else. You’ve got the same TSMC 4nm design, a very similar CPU (one Cortex-X2, three Cortex-A710, four Cortex-A510), and what seems like a similarly powerful ISP. We do see some compromises though, such as a less impressive but still powerful GPU, the mid-tier Snapdragon X62 modem, and missing features like 8K recording. Unfortunately, only one phone launched with this chipset.

One rung down from these two chipsets is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, announced in late 2023. Expect a notable drop in CPU and GPU performance compared to the Plus chips, but the CPU is still good for a mid-ranger (4x Cortex-A715 and 4x Cortex-A510). This chip does, however, lack features like 4K/60fps video support, Ultra HDR capabilities, generative AI, and Snapdragon Seamless.

Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2Snapdragon 7 Gen 3Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
CPU
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
1x Cortex-X4
4x Cortex-A720
3x Cortex-A520
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
1x Cortex-X2
3x Cortex-A710
4x Cortex-A510
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
1x Cortex-A715
3x Cortex-A715
4x Cortex-A510
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
4x Cortex-A78
4x Cortex-A55
GPU
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
Adreno
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
Adreno
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
Adreno
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Adreno
DSP
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
Hexagon
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
Hexagon
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
Hexagon
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Hexagon
Modem
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
Snapdragon X63 5G/LTE
5G - 5Gbps down, 3.5Gbps up
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
Snapdragon X62 5G/LTE
5G - 4.4Gbps down, 1.6Gbps up
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
Snapdragon X63 5G/LTE
5G - 5Gbps down
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Snapdragon X62 5G/LTE
5G - 2.9Gbps down
Cameras
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
108MP single
64MP+36MP dual
36MP+36MP+36MP triple
200MP snapshot
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
108MP single
64MP+36MP dual
32MP+32MP+32MP triple
200MP snapshot
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
64MP single
32MP+21MP dual
21MP+21MP+21MP triple
200MP snapshot
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
48MP single
32MP+16MP dual
16MP+16MP+16MP triple
200MP snapshot
Quick Charge
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
5
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
5
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
5
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
4+
Bluetooth
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
5.4
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
5.3
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
5.4
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
5.2
Process
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
4nm
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
4nm
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
4nm
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
4nm

Qualcomm also announced the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 in September 2023. This is the least capable recent Snapdragon 7 series processor on the list. You’ve got a good but aging CPU setup (4x Cortex-A78 and 4x Cortex-A55) and a 4nm design, but this chip lags behind as far as connectivity and camera capabilities are concerned.

Snapdragon 6 series — Value for money

Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
Supplied by Qualcomm

Where the Snapdragon 7 series tries to bridge the gap between mid-range and flagship, the Snapdragon 6 series is mostly focused on the ~$300 and under segment. And the most notable processor in this family is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1.

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is a significant step up from previous Snapdragon 6 series SoCs, offering a more powerful CPU (4x Cortex-A78, 4x Cortex-A55) and an improved Adreno GPU. In fact, Qualcomm claims a 40% and 35% performance boost over the Snapdragon 695’s CPU and GPU respectively. Other notable features include a 4nm design, 200MP snapshot support, and 4K video capture.

Snapdragon 6 Gen 1Snapdragon 695Snapdragon 690Snapdragon 680
CPU
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
4x Cortex-A78
4x Cortex-A55
Snapdragon 695
2x Kryo 660 (Cortex-A78)
6x Kryo 660 (Cortex-A55)
Snapdragon 690
2x Kryo 560 (Cortex-A77)
6x Kryo 560 (Cortex-A55)
Snapdragon 680
4x Kryo 260 (Cortex-A73)
4x Kryo 260 (Cortex-A53)
GPU
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
Adreno
Snapdragon 695
Adreno 619
Snapdragon 690
Adreno 619L
Snapdragon 680
Adreno 610
RAM
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
LPDDR5
Snapdragon 695
LPDDR4X
Snapdragon 690
LPDDR4X
Snapdragon 680
LPDDR4X
DSP
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
Hexagon
Snapdragon 695
Hexagon 686
Snapdragon 690
Hexagon 692
Hexagon Tensor Accelerator
Snapdragon 680
Hexagon 686
Modem
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
X62 5G
2.9Gbps down
TBC up
Snapdragon 695
X51 5G
2.5Gbps down
0.9Gbps up
Snapdragon 690
X51 5G
2.5Gbps down
0.9Gbps up
Snapdragon 680
X11 4G
390Mbps down
150Mbps up
Cameras
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
48MP single
25MP+16MP dual
13MP+13MP+13MP triple
200MP snapshot
Snapdragon 695
32MP single or 16MP dual
192MP snapshot
Snapdragon 690
32MP single or 16MP dual
192MP snapshot
Snapdragon 680
32MP single
16MP dual
13MP+13MP+5MP triple
64MP snapshot
Quick Charge
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
4+
Snapdragon 695
4+
Snapdragon 690
4+
Snapdragon 680
3.0
Bluetooth
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
5.2
Snapdragon 695
5.2
Snapdragon 690
5.1
Snapdragon 680
5.1
Process
Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
4nm
Snapdragon 695
6nm
Snapdragon 690
8nm FinFET
Snapdragon 680
6nm

The previous top-end processor in this series was the Snapdragon 695, it turn being an incremental upgrade over 2020’s Snapdragon 690. The 695 brings a middling octa-core CPU (2x Cortex-A77 and 6x Cortex-A55), and an aging Adreno 619 GPU. We also get 13MP triple camera support, 108MP single camera support, and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. But the big disappointment here is that it lacks 4K video recording.

Qualcomm also offers the Snapdragon 685, and this is actually a 4G-only SoC. This is a tweaked version of the Snapdragon 680, which in turn was derived from the older, budget Snapdragon 665 SoC. Expect an ancient CPU (four Cortex-A73 and four Cortex-A53), the Adreno 610 GPU which first appeared in 2020, and obsolete Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging. There are a couple of upgrades though, namely a smaller 6nm manufacturing process and Bluetooth 5.2 support.

Notable Snapdragon 6 series phones

Snapdragon 4 series — Entry-level

Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 reference design image
Supplied by Qualcomm

Now we come to the least capable Snapdragon series (aside from the shuttered/dormant Snapdragon 200 family), designed for cheap phones. But there’s good news here, as the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 actually looks decent for a low-end chipset.

The Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 was announced in mid-2022 and offers a 6nm design, a solid but unspectacular CPU (2x Cortex-A78, 6x Cortex-A55), and a 10% faster GPU than the earlier Snapdragon 480. Otherwise, this SoC has quite a few things in common with the Snapdragon 695. We’ve got the same X51 5G modem, similar camera capabilities (no 4K recording here), 120Hz support at FHD+ display resolution, and Wi-Fi 5.

The Snapdragon 4 series lacks features like a powerful GPU and 4K recording but gains high refresh rate support and 5G.

This isn’t the latest Snapdragon 4 series processor, though, as that would be the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 (announced in June 2023). It delivers a few upgrades like a 4nm design for greater efficiency, a more capable X61 5G modem, and a slightly faster CPU clock speed. Unfortunately, there are also a couple of downgrades compared to the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, namely the somewhat inferior GPU and Bluetooth 5.1 instead of 5.2. No, there’s no 4K recording support here, either.

Snapdragon 4 Gen 1Snapdragon 4 Gen 2Snapdragon 480/480 PlusSnapdragon 460
CPU
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
2x Cortex-A78
6x Cortex-A55
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
2x Cortex-A78
6x Cortex-A55
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
2x Kryo 460 (Cortex-A76)
6x Kryo 460 (Cortex-A55)
Snapdragon 460
4x Kryo 240 (Cortex-A73)
4x Kryo 240 (Cortex-A53)
GPU
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
Adreno
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
Adreno
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
Adreno 619
Snapdragon 460
Adreno 610
DSP
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
Hexagon
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
Hexagon
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
Hexagon 686
Snapdragon 460
Hexagon 683
Modem
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
Snapdragon X51 5G
2.5Gbps down,
0.9Gbps up
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
Snapdragon X61 5G
2.5Gbps down,
0.9Gbps up
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
Snapdragon X51 5G
2.5Gbps down,
660Mbps up
Snapdragon 460
Snapdragon X11 LTE
390Mbps down,
150Mbps up
Cameras
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
32MP single
25MP+13MP dual
13MP+13MP+13MP triple
108MP snapshot

Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
32MP single
16MP+16MP dual
108MP snapshot
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
25MP single or 25MP+13MP dual
64MP snapshot

Snapdragon 460
32MP single or 22MP dual
192MP snapshot
Quick Charge
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
4+
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
4+
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
4+
Snapdragon 460
3.0
Bluetooth
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
5.2
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
5.1
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
5.1
Snapdragon 460
5.1
Process
Snapdragon 4 Gen 1
6nm
Snapdragon 4 Gen 2
4nm
Snapdragon 480/480 Plus
8nm
Snapdragon 460
11nm FinFET

Go down a notch and we’ve got the Snapdragon 480. This was the first 5G-enabled processor in the Snapdragon 4 series, being announced in early 2021. This is essentially a cut-back Snapdragon 750G chipset, featuring mmWave 5G support, the same Adreno 619 GPU, the same 8nm manufacturing process, Quick Charge 4 Plus tech, and support for FHD+ 120Hz displays. It does, however, feature an older CPU and less impressive camera capabilities. The 480 was succeeded by the Snapdragon 480 Plus in late 2021, but that’s only a mild upgrade.

Notable Snapdragon 4 series phones

  • Motorola Moto G62
  • OnePlus Nord N100
  • Nokia XR21
  • Redmi Note 12 5G

That’s all for our Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC guide! Let us know your thoughts on the silicon giant’s portfolio in the comments. You can also check out our article charting the history of the Snapdragon 8 family.

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