It has been a while since Qualcomm introduced a toned-down Snapdragon 8 series chip with the Snapdragon 870 in 2021. For 2024, Qualcomm is using its “s” branding once again with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, which positions itself as an affordable alternative to the 8 Gen 2 and 8 Gen 3 processors.
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While it’s also a 4nm chip, the 8s Gen 3 has a 1/4/3 configuration that consists of a Cortex-X4 Prime Core running at 3.0Ghz, four Cortex-A720 Cores running at 2.8Ghz, and three Cortex-A520 Cores running at 2.0Ghz. Like its siblings, the 8s Gen 3 supports LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage, along with USB 3.1 Gen 2.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is much closer to the 8 Gen 2 with its support for 4200Mhz LPDDR5X RAM (the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 supports the faster 4800Mhz version) and the use of an X70 modem. It’s slightly toned down, however, with its use of an Adreno 735 GPU, which limits the 8s Gen 3 to 4K60 HDR video recording.
Despite that, you do get support for on-device AI, different language models like Llama 2 and Gemini Nano, an 18-bit triple ISP that can handle three 36-megapixel cameras with Zero Shutter Lag, and support for QHD+ displays at up to 144hz.
Expect phones from HONOR, iQOO, Realme, Redmi, and Xiaomi to use the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 in the coming months.
