The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that Qualcomm officially announced is recognized by its unique model number SM8550-AB, but there is a possibility that the company has a second variant that has not been publicly disclosed. One tipster believes it could be an exclusive version given to Samsung for use in the Korean firm’s Galaxy S23 series launching in 2023.
Different Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Version Also Features a Varying Model Number to Indicate Some Specification Differences
The revelation was spotted on Twitter and comes from Ice Universe, who claims another Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 version with the model number ‘SM8550-AC’ exists. It is unclear why Qualcomm chose never to disclose the existence of this variant or if this one actually exists. Then again, we did report previously that the San Diego chipset maker was rumored to be working on two Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 versions with varying CPU clock speeds.
Qualcomm's announcement stated that its Cortex-X3 operates at 3.20GHz, while an earlier rumor claimed that a second variant could have its frequency operating as high as 3.50GHz, resulting in increased single-core and multi-core performance. Ice Universe has not disclosed the specification differences between the two chipset versions but does hint that SM8550-AC might be exclusive to Samsung and its Galaxy S23 family.
The model of Snapdragon 8Gen2 is SM8550-AB, which means that SM8550-AC exists. Is this the exclusive version of Samsung?
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) November 16, 2022
It is possible that SM8550-AC is simply a higher-binned version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with higher CPU and GPU clock speeds, and this practice is not uncommon amongst chipset makers since Apple follows it for a wide range of products. Also, making a deal with Samsung behind closed doors for a higher-performing Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 would be in the best interest of Qualcomm since the Galaxy S series sells in millions annually.
Despite an economic slowdown, we still expect Samsung to ship several million Galaxy S23 units in 2023, and if the three smartphone models sport a binned version of the newly announced SoC that was sourced at a higher price, it would be financially beneficial for Qualcomm. We have reached out to the company for more clarification, but we recommend our readers treat all of this information with a pinch of salt for now.
News Source: Ice Universe
