New Qualcomm Snapdragon G Series Chips are Designed for Handheld and Mobile Gaming

Qualcomm has introduced the successor to the Snapdragon G3x CPU that drives the Razer Edge, as well as two other platforms that serve as the first models in the company’s new dedicated lines of Snapdragon gaming chips. The Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 is the company’s latest flagship product, which Qualcomm touts as “purpose-built for enthusiast features and performance” and capable of handling the “most demanding cross-platform gaming titles.”

According to the company, the CPU performance of the G3x Gen 2 is 30% quicker than that of its predecessor, while the GPU performance is twice as fast. It can power a handheld gadget with cross-platform gaming capabilities, as well as Android, PC, cloud, and remote console gaming devices. The processor is also strong enough to handle ray tracing and live streaming while gaming. The chip has WiFi 7 and 5G mmWave connectivity to provide seamless cloud and remote gaming experiences.

Qualcomm developed the Snapdragon G1 Gen 1 platform for less intense gaming on smartphones with lesser specifications. On fanless specialized handhelds, it’s intended for cloud gaming as well as remote console and PC gaming. The chip supports pictures with resolutions up to 1080p at up to 60 frames per second and connects through WiFi 5.

Last but not least, the chipmaker has introduced the Snapdragon G2 Gen 1 platform as a bridge between the two lines. It’s also intended for usage on fanless gaming devices, but only those with better specifications to enable full-featured mobile and cloud gaming. The chip can power cloud and remote console gaming handhelds through WiFi 6/6E and 5G mmWave, as well as Android and PC games.

The company has offered chosen manufacturers access to a Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 Handheld Gaming Reference Design in the aim of seeing high-end dedicated gaming devices powered by its new technology reach the market as soon as possible. It was silent about the names of the companies, but it promised that customer-specific product announcements would follow, implying that additional travel-friendly gaming gadgets like the Edge will be released in the near future.

Qualcomm senior director of product management Mithun Chandrasekhar stated, “Dedicated handheld gaming devices are the best way to experience mobile games.” But gamers want to be able to play all their favorite games across devices and ecosystems, be it their console, PC, or on a cloud service. The new generation of Snapdragon G Series powered devices will be the best place for gamers to play their favorite titles, offering them the ability to choose from the cloud, console, Android, or PC while on-the-go.”