The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is the upcoming flagship processor from Qualcomm, as an annual upgrade. Qualcomm will be unveiling its latest chipset to the world at the Snapdragon Summit, scheduled on October 24 in Hawaii. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will be the first processor by Qualcomm to be developed on the 3nm fabrication.
It is being reported that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will feature two variants, one with the modern 3nm architecture and the other with a 4nm architecture. A leaked document from the meeting between Qualcomm and Samsung suggests that Qualcomm will be releasing two new flagship processors at the Snapdragon Summit.
Qualcomm Will Release Two Variants of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Qualcomm will be releasing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor at the Snapdragon Summit, which will be hosted in Hawaii between 24-26 October. A new leaked document has surfaced online containing confidential communication from a partners-only meeting between Qualcomm and Samsung.
The document was shared by gamma0burst, which suggests that Qualcomm will be releasing two variants of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. The first variant will be developed on the latest 3nm architecture, whereas the second option will be engineered on the older 4nm fabrication.
Qualcomm is known to release two variants of the same chipset with some minor improvements. However, the company always keeps a gap between the two launches and never releases two flagship chipsets at the same time. If the report is believed to be true, then we might see Qualcomm launching two new flagship chipsets simultaneously for the very first time.
If we look at the current nomenclature of Qualcomm, then the two chipsets could be named the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 3. The first set of devices with the new Qualcomm chipset is expected to launch in November 2023.
Why Would Qualcomm Launch Two Variants of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3?
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 will be manufactured on a 3nm architecture, which is a very challenging engineering process. As of today, the A17 Pro chipset in the iPhone 15 Pro is the only mass-produced 3nm chipset in the world, which is being made by TSMC.
Reportedly, Apple has already purchased the entire 3nm manufacturing capacity from TSMC till December 2023, to keep up with the demand for the iPhone 15 Series. The only other semiconductor facility capable of producing 3nm processors, is Samsung.
However, Samsung’s yield of 3nm manufacturing is currently lower than TSMC. Qualcomm may also be hesitant to partner with Samsung, as their last partnership for the 4nm-based Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 resulted in heating and power efficiency issues.
The problems were so extreme that Qualcomm had to partner with TSMC to develop the Snadpagon 8+ Gen 1, on the same 4nm architecture. The shift from Samsung to TSMC fixed a majority of the heating issues for Qualcomm’s flagship chipset.
Since the 3nm manufacturing capacity is currently limited, it is possible that Qualcomm may release a secondary variant of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, with a 4nm architecture.
