Qualcomm has just announced a new generation of Snapdragon chips designed for handheld gaming consoles, and they’re promising some serious performance upgrades.
The Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 is the flagship of the range and replaces the G3 Gen 2. It is said to deliver 30% faster CPU performance and 28% faster graphics than its predecessor.
The G3 Gen 3 also supports up to QHD+ 144Hz displays, Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen lighting tech and Wi-Fi 7.
That’s a decent upgrade, but it’s not quite as good as the jump from the G2 Gen 1 to the G2 Gen 2, which looks to be around 2.3 times faster in the CPU and 3.8 times faster for the GPU.
The mid-range G2 Gen 2 also supports displays with a refresh rate of 144Hz and QHD resolutions.
Completing the range is the G1 Gen 2, which will sit as the entry-level processor and appear on more affordable devices, likely with a focus on streaming.
The G1 Gen 2 supports up to 120Hz on FHD+ screens, so it’s still capable of delivering a smooth experience.
What sort of devices will use these chips?
Alongside the new chips, Qualcomm has also shown off several devices from its vast array of partners that’ll arrive toting the new hardware. The standout one looks to be the Ayaneo Pocket S2, which will be powered by the high-end G3 Gen 3.
The Pocket S2 has a 6.3-inch, 2k display, a big battery and improvements to the cooling system compared to the outgoing Pocket S. It’ll be available later in March, with pricing still to be revealed.
There’s also a new Retroid Pocket PR Classic on the way with a Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 processor and a very distinctive retro-inspired design. That’ll have a 1080×1240 AMOLED screen with up to 500 nits brightness, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 5000mAh battery.
All three of these chips look very capable and they could lead to some interesting handheld devices hitting the market. However, the big portable gaming device of 2025 will be the Nintendo Switch 2.
Nintendo is yet to fully divulge what sort of chip will power its next-gen console, but the power on offer in these Qualcomm offerings could have that device beat – at least in terms of raw power – before it’s even been properly announced.
