Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 and G1 Gen 2 Unveiled at GDC 2025

Key Takeaways

1. Qualcomm launched two new SoCs for gaming handhelds: Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon G1 Gen 2, alongside the premium Snapdragon G3 Gen 3.
2. The Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 features an 8-core CPU and an Adreno G22 GPU, offering significant performance boosts over its predecessor, with 2.3x CPU and 3.8x GPU improvements.
3. Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 supports QHD+ displays at up to 144 Hz and includes advanced connectivity options like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.
4. The Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 is a budget-friendly option with two performance cores and six efficiency cores, designed mainly for cloud gaming.
5. Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 supports FHD+ displays at up to 120 Hz but has limited connectivity with Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1, making it less powerful than its counterparts.

Along with the premium Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, Qualcomm has introduced two new system-on-chips (SoCs) intended for gaming handhelds, named the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon G1 Gen 2. As their names imply, these are less powerful versions of the G3, aimed at various levels of gaming consoles.

Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 Features

The Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 is equipped with an 8-core CPU that includes 1 prime core, 4 performance cores, and 3 efficiency cores. While Qualcomm typically does not disclose the specific Arm cores used, one might logically deduce that these could be a Cortex-X4, Cortex-A710, and Cortex-A510. The SoC is powered by an Adreno G22 GPU, which supports features like Snapdragon Game Super Resolution and Adreno Frame Motion Engine 2.0.

Qualcomm asserts that the Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 provides a 2.3x increase in CPU performance and a 3.8x boost in GPU performance compared to the Snapdragon G2 Gen 1. Additionally, it is capable of handling QHD+ displays at refresh rates of up to 144 Hz and offers connectivity options like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.

Entry-Level Snapdragon G1 Gen 2

The Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 serves as the budget-friendly option among these new chips. It features two performance cores and six efficiency cores, indicating its roots in a mid-range SoC, such as the Snapdragon 6 Gen tier or older. According to Qualcomm, this chip is primarily designed for cloud gaming tasks rather than running applications natively.

This less powerful CPU is paired with an Adreno A12 GPU. The Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 can support FHD+ displays at refresh rates of up to 120 Hz. Notably, it only offers Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1, which places it behind its more advanced peers. This chip is expected to be utilized in devices like the PlayStation Portal, which depend on an external device to handle most of the processing.

Source:
Link