Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor.
- This seems like a step below the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset in some ways.
- The Redmi Note 13 Pro will be the first phone with this processor.
Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon 7 series of chipsets power a decent variety of mid-range smartphones. We’ve already seen the beastly Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2 launched earlier this year, but we’ve now got a more modest chipset in the newly announced Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.
The name suggests that this could be a sequel of sorts to the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, but a closer look at the spec sheet reveals that this chip is less capable in some ways. For example, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 offers peak downlink speeds of up to 2.9Gbps versus the Gen 1’s 4.4Gbps. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 also enjoys superior camera capabilities (e.g. better slow-motion video and higher-resolution camera support).
| Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 | Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
CPU |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
4x performance cores |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
4x Cortex-A710 |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
1x Cortex-X2 |
|
GPU |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Adreno |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
Adreno 662 |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
Adreno |
|
DSP |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Hexagon |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
Hexagon |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
Hexagon |
|
Modem |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Snapdragon X62 5G/LTE |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
Snapdragon X62 5G/LTE |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
Snapdragon X62 5G/LTE |
|
Cameras |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
48MP single |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
64MP single |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
108MP single |
|
Quick Charge |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
4+ |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
4+ |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
5 |
|
Bluetooth |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
5.2 |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
5.2 |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
5.3 |
|
Process |
Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
4nm |
Snapdragon 7 Gen 1
4nm |
Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2
4nm |
As for the key specs, Qualcomm says the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 is a 4nm chip powered by an octa-core CPU featuring four unnamed big cores at 2.4GHz and four unnamed little cores at 1.95GHz. We’re glad to see four big CPU cores here, though, as many mid-range SoCs still ship with only two big cores. We’ve also got an unspecified Adreno GPU on offer.
In terms of camera-related features, you’re getting 4K/30fps video, 4K HDR support, 120fps slow-motion at 1080p, and AI denoising functionality. Other notable features include support for a 144Hz refresh rate at FHD+ resolution, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6E, and Quick Charge 4+ charging.
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 will power the Redmi Note 13 Pro, which launches in China later this month. We’ve asked Qualcomm for more info about the new chip and will update the article accordingly. We hope this processor lands in plenty of cheap phones, as it looks like a more budget-tier proposition than other Snapdragon 7 series chips.
