Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 for Handheld Consoles With Support for Ray Tracing, Quad HD+ 144Hz Displays Launched

Qualcomm has launched three new Snapdragon G-series chips for handheld gaming consoles, including the high-end Snapdragon G3 Gen 3. It supports 144Hz Quad HD+ displays as well as ray tracing and Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen system. On the other hand, the company’s Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 processor will power the mid-range device with support for Wi-Fi 7 connectivity just like its more expensive siblings. The entry-level Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 chip delivers a 1080p gaming experience at 120fps and is designed for cloud gaming devices.

Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 specifications

The newly launched Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is an octa-core chipset that includes one main core, five performance cores, and two efficiency cores. It features the Adreno A32 GPU, which is the first processor in the Snapdragon G series to support ray tracing and Lumen on Unreal Engine 5.

The new Snapdragon G series
Image source: Qualcomm

Manufacturers can equip devices powered by Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 with up to 144Hz Quad HD+ displays. They will also offer support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 connections. Qualcomm claims that the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 offers 30% and 28% improvements in GPU and GPU performance respectively over its predecessor (Snapdragon G3x Gen 2).

Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 specifications

Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 are both octa-core chips designed for mid-range and entry-level models respectively. Compared to its more powerful sibling, the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 has one less performance core and one more efficiency core, and is paired with the Adreno A22 GPU. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 has two performance cores and six efficiency cores, along with the Adreno A12 GPU.

(Left to right) Ayaneo Pocket S2, OneXSugar Sugar 1 and Retroid Pocket Classic
Image source: Qualcomm

Qualcomm says devices powered by Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 can also feature 144Hz Quad HD+ displays, while the entry-level chip supports 1080p displays with a 120Hz refresh rate. Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 offers the same connectivity as Snapdragon G3 Gen 3. On the other hand, Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 supports Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1.

Snapdragon G series launched

According to Qualcomm, Ayaneo, OneXSugar and Retroid Pocket are expected to launch new handheld gaming consoles powered by these chipsets in the coming weeks. The upcoming Ayaneo Pocket S2 and OneXPlayer’s OneXSugar Sugar 1 will both be powered by the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 chip. The Retroid Pocket Classic, on the other hand, will be powered by Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 processor, according to the chipmaker.