An exciting revelation about the future Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset has been revealed thanks to a leaked document featuring private correspondence between Qualcomm and Samsung. This flagship chip may come in not one, but two versions, which would be a huge break for Qualcomm from how they typically roll out new products.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is Qualcomm’s future flagship CPU for the year, and it will be unveiled on October 24 at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. This chipset stands out because to its advanced 3nm production process, which represents an improvement in chip manufacturing sophistication.
The leaked paper, which was made public by gamma0burst, suggests that Qualcomm plans to sell the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in two different configurations. The more modern 3nm design will be used in one type, while the more traditional 4nm production method will be used in the other.
Qualcomm’s choice to possibly deliver two flagship chipsets at the same time is a break from their customary strategy, which often entails staggered releases with little enhancements. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 3 could be the names Qualcomm gives the two chipsets if this rumor is accurate.
In November 2023, the first wave of products featuring these new Qualcomm chipsets is anticipated to be released.
What motivates Qualcomm to introduce two Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 models, though? The difficulty of the 3nm fabrication process most certainly holds the key to the solution. As of right now, only TSMC is able to mass-produce 3nm chipsets, and Apple has secured all of TSMC’s production capacity for the A17 Pro chipset used in its iPhone 15 Pro until December 2023.
Samsung, Qualcomm’s alternate choice for 3nm production, has yield issues, which makes it a less desirable option. Furthermore, problems with heating and power efficiency in Qualcomm’s prior collaboration with Samsung for the 4nm-based Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 led Qualcomm to work with TSMC to create the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 on the same 4nm architecture.
A secondary version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor with a 4nm architecture may be under consideration by Qualcomm to ensure a smoother and more effective launch given the restrictions in 3nm manufacturing capacity and the desire to avoid prior mishaps.
In the quickly changing field of semiconductor technology, Qualcomm’s prospective choice to make the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 available in two versions demonstrates their dedication to providing outstanding performance while overcoming the difficulties of state-of-the-art chip production.
