Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Qualcomm will bet on TSMC
With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus still on the way, it appears that some clues regarding what the new generation of Qualcomm's flagship processors will offer us have already begun to emerge, with some Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that allude to a total overhaul in its manufacturing process.
While the first generation used the Samsung casting method, the popular "ice universe" leaker has recently announced on Twitter that both the next iteration and generation of these processors, which are expected in the second half of this year and the beginning of next, will be built by TSMC.
Concerning the rationale for the shift, several industry insiders suggest that TSMC's rate of return is higher than Samsung's. Using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus as an example, as of Q3, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus would have produced more than 50,000 units every quarter, achieving a current yield rate of more than 70%, demonstrating much higher capacity than the one provided by Samsung.
Furthermore, data suggests that the TSMC process is more energy-efficient than the existing one. Using the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 as an example, when compared to one of its key competitors, the Dimensity 9000 (which uses TSMC's 4-nanometer technology), the latter is said to be more power-efficient. Furthermore, the latter's heat control is outperforming Samsung's method.
On the other hand, Qualcomm recently announced the new generation of the Snapdragon X70 5G, the next-generation modem that will be responsible for providing wireless connectivity to a large number of high-end smartphones next year, and that it aims to be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2's future travel companion. As a result, the new CPU generation is intended to deliver performance and enhancements in line with the expectations of this new modem.
Snapdragon X70 – the latest Snapdragon for iPhone?
The Snapdragon X70 modem is Qualcomm’s next-generation 5G modem, replacing the Snapdragon X65 modem featured in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC. The new X70 modem varies from its predecessors in that it supports the same spectrum and has theoretical maximum speeds of 10 Gigabits per second. It also has a new AI core.
According to Qualcomm, the 5G AI processor provides more efficient resource utilization, optimizing management for lower battery consumption, smart network selection, and antenna tuning. The findings are “two-digit improvements” when combined with Qualcomm’s third-generation 5G PowerSave technology.
