In the Android world, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ is the new flagship chip, but Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is a new mid-range option. Snapdragon’s new 4nm platform is making several firsts possible, like an AI engine, up to 200MP image capture, and Android-Ready SE.
The new SoC is powered by a Kryo CPU cluster clocked up to 2.4GHz and an Adreno 662 GPU. In fact, Qualcomm claims that the new chip is 20% faster at handling graphics tasks than its predecessor, while it is 30% faster at handling AI tasks.
The Adreno Frame Motion Engine is claimed to double framerates in games while consuming the same amount of energy as an SD 778G. You can use up to 16GB LP-DDR5 RAM with the new chip.
Furthermore, SD 7 Gen 1 is equipped with the Snapdragon X62 5G modem, which allows for data downloads of up to 4.4 Gbps and allows for dual 5G connections, both standalone and not. There is also WiFi 6E on board and Bluetooth 5.3 with support for Snapdragon Sound and aptX.
Spectra triple ISPs from Qualcomm support up to 200MP photo capture and 4K HDR video recording. You can also take 10-bit HEIC photos and record HEVC videos here. One of the firsts comes in Android SE and Trusted Management Engine, which provide optimal security for digital keys and wallets.
A wide range of manufacturers are expected to release their first Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 phones in a few weeks. On May 23, Oppo is expected to announce the Reno8 Pro, the first phone using the new chipset.