An earlier rumor claimed that the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 would use a CPU configuration not seen before on any previous Qualcomm SoC, and for the most part, that was correct. However, an update to that information is that the 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 configuration has been changed to 1 + 4 + 3, where the flagship chipset is rumored to use four high-performance gold cores to gain a lead against the competition.
Four Gold CPU Cores Belong to ARM’s Cortex-A715, Bringing in a Slight Performance Increase and Improved Efficiency Compared to Cortex-A710
Instead of a combination of two Cortex-A710 and two Cortex-A715 cores, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will feature four Cortex-A715 cores, according to Kuba Wojciechowski. The updated configuration will be as follows:
- One Cortex-X3 core
- Four Cortex-A715 cores
- Three Cortex-A510 cores
Wojciechowski believes that Qualcomm will switch to those four ‘gold’ CPU cores to gain a hefty performance lead against the competition, which for now, happens to be MediaTek’s unreleased Dimensity 9200. The Dimensity 9200 has so far impressed us in benchmark leaks, beating Apple’s M1 and the A16 Bionic in a separate GPU-only test. However, it appears that since the Dimensity 9200 has adopted the older 1 + 3 + 4 CPU configuration, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 may gain a lead in multi-core tests.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, so here's a clarification: the CPU config is 1+4+3 and not 1+2+2+3, like previously rumoured. pic.twitter.com/vr2Tke41A7
— Kuba Wojciechowski⚡ (@Za_Raczke) November 6, 2022
Then again, performance numbers mean little when it affects power efficiency, and since the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will be found in devices that customers carry around rather than have them plugged in all day, it will be interesting to see how this CPU change will alter battery life. Thankfully, Qualcomm’s upcoming SoC is said to be made on TSMC’s 4nm architecture, and according to an earlier rumor, it will deliver a 20 percent performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 while touting the same efficiency.
With Qualcomm having officially announced the dates of its annual Snapdragon Summit, it will not be long before we see what the company has in store for us. If you want to learn more about the upcoming flagship silicon, be sure to read out our detailed rumor roundup and be well-informed in advance.
News Source: Kuba Wojciechowski
