Introducing the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2: Qualcomm’s Latest Mid-Range Chipset
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has been impressing smartphone users with its high performance and long battery life, but Qualcomm recognizes that not everyone needs such a powerful chipset. That’s why they’ve created the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2, which is designed for those who require a mid-range device that can handle daily tasks efficiently.
Although the last mid-range chipset release was the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 in 2021, Qualcomm has decided to launch a “Plus” version of the chipset right away. The “Plus” designation doesn’t mean it’s an improvement over the previous version, but it signifies that it’s on top of the particular series.
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 features the 1x3x4 architecture with a “Prime” Cortex-X2 core clocking in at 2.91GHz, three “Performance” Cortex-A710 cores at 2.49GHz, and four “Efficiency” Cortex-A510 cores at 1.8GHz. This architecture is almost identical to last year’s mid-generation Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 that continues to impress in phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4.
With a 50% improved performance and a two-times-faster Adreno GPU capable of Auto Variable Rate Shading, Volumetric Rendering, and HDR gaming, the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 is a significant upgrade from its predecessor. It supports three cameras with its 18-bit ISP, records in 4K60, and can power QHD+ displays at 120Hz.
While the X62 5G modem that supports mmWave and Sub-6 is retained, AV1 support is once again missing on this year’s 7-series entry. It’s unclear whether the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 will be available in the US, as the previous 7-series chipset was mostly exclusive to devices like the Xiaomi 13 Lite. Hopefully, this year’s mid-range chipset upgrade will persuade OEMs to use it in globally-available smartphones.
