Qualcomm’s new trio of chips are developed for handheld gaming machines, proper on time to catch the wave as these units rise in recognition. The primary handhelds utilizing Qualcomm’s new silicon, which the corporate confirmed off at GDC 2025, will come out later this month.
Qualcomm launched the primary of its handheld-intended chips, the Snapdragon G3X, for premium handhelds again in 2021, and has launched new variations within the years following. Although gaming on telephones continues to be well-liked, the Nintendo Swap and Steam Deck proved the aptitude of high-end units for taking part in on the go, paving the best way for related handhelds to develop right into a extra mainstream area of interest, from smaller units just like the Analogue Pocket to premium platforms just like the Lenovo Legion Go S.
Qualcomm’s three new chips match totally different tiers of gaming units: the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 for top-end handhelds, the G2 Gen 2 for normal handhelds and the G1 Gen 2 for units that principally stream video games. Like their predecessors, these chips are constructed particularly for gaming, and are designed for various workloads than telephones, PCs or different classes Qualcomm releases silicon for.
“The factor that actually separates the cell world from the hand held world is that the hand held is a bespoke gaming system, it is supposed to be picked up and performed for a very long time,” mentioned Micah Knapp, Snapdragon Gaming Platforms enterprise and product lead. “We’re actually designing the entire platform — the software program, the {hardware}, every part round it — to have the ability to get that peak efficiency however then additionally maintain it over a protracted time period.”
Qualcomm introduced three chips at GDC 2025: the G3 Gen 3 meant for top-end units, the G2 Gen 2 for mid-grade handhelds and the G1 Gen 2 for handhelds that principally stream video games.
On the high of its new lineup, the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 has 30% higher CPU and 28% higher GPU (Adreno A32) efficiency in comparison with its 2023 predecessor, helps as much as Quad HD Plus shows with 144Hz refresh price, and its Qualcomm FastConnect connectivity chip allows Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity.
Qualcomm confirmed three units that can embrace the G3 Gen 3 chip. The Ayaneo Pocket S2, a sleeker rectangular system with a 6.3-inch show, shall be coming in March. The bigger Ayaneo Gaming Pad, with massive controller-like handgrips and an 8.3-inch 120Hz show, shall be out there in Could. Lastly, the OneXPlayer OneXSugar 1, the primary Android gaming system with twin screens one on high of one other (the highest one is removable), can even be coming in Could.
The Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, which has 2.3 instances higher CPU and three.8 instances higher GPU (Adreno A22) efficiency over its 2023 predecessor. It additionally helps up high Quad HD Plus shows with 144Hz refresh price and the identical FastConnect 7800 connectivity chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.
This chip is for extra inexpensive handhelds that are not fairly on the stage of the Lenovo Legion Go S or Asus ROG Ally X, however aren’t as costly as these, both. Whereas Qualcomm did not title the precise system, handheld maker Retroid Pocket may have a tool introduced in “a really brief time” that runs the G2 Gen 2.
Lastly, the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 is supposed for units that may play video games, however will almost definitely be streaming them utilizing cloud providers like Xbox Sport Go and GeForce Now. Its CPU has 80% higher and GPU (Adreno A12) has 12% higher efficiency than the chip’s 2023 predecessor.
The Retroid Pocket PR Traditional runs the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 chip.
Qualcomm’s G-series energy the growth of handhelds
Qualcomm’s three chips are meant for various units with totally different capabilities and bought at totally different costs — they usually’re coming at an excellent time. Handheld gaming is having fun with a brand new period with wildly differing designs, codecs and functions, from low-cost pocket-sized units ordered from on-line marketplaces to high-end units just like the wedge-sized 8-inch and 11-inch Acer Nitro Blaze that launched at CES.
It is secure to say that these differing handheld gaming units — a few of which appear to be shrunken Nintendo Sport Boys, a few of which observe the central-screen format of the Nintendo Swap — aren’t simply low-cost Android telephones, and have not been for a while. Accordingly, Qualcomm’s G-series chips swimsuit gaming platforms’ wants for longer sport classes at excessive efficiency, fairly than the shorter, repeated gaming classes when enjoying on telephones.
That mentioned, Qualcomm’s handheld gaming and cell chips share some DNA, as all three of the corporate’s new chips are supposed to energy Android-based units. But additionally they use Kryo CPUs, older designs than the Oryon CPUs that debuted on Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon 8 Elite cell and Snapdragon X Elite PC chips, which boasted efficiency will increase and AI capabilities. The corporate justified this by saying that its Kryo CPUs are well-suited for powering the various units that handheld producers are releasing on a quicker foundation, at the very least for now.
“Can Oryon assist right here? Completely. And are we taking a look at it sooner or later? Completely,” Knapp mentioned.
Whereas there are lots of totally different sorts of handhelds that run their very own bespoke working programs, from small outfits to the Steam Deck operating SteamOS — and even Home windows. However Qualcomm’s chips give attention to powering units that run Android, which the corporate says advantages the portability of a sport to run on totally different platforms, like telephones and automobiles (each of which Qualcomm makes chips for). It additionally offers handhelds easy accessibility to the various video games on the Google Play retailer.
However there’s been growing overlap between the Home windows and Android house because it turns into simpler to port software program from one or the opposite. Knapp pointed to Epic Video games, which made the Unreal Engine and has made the method so swift that it may possibly “have a PC sport and hit a button and have it operating on Android the identical day,” he mentioned. As builders have struggled with shifting their sport to a contact interface for Android-running units, handhelds are an important alternative contemplating their gamepads and buttons which are simpler to port to.
“I do assume this new kind issue with the hand held and the gamepad is actually going to speed up extra PC video games shifting to Android,” mentioned Dave Durnil, head of gaming at Qualcomm Applied sciences. “Over time, we’ll begin to see [PC games] present up perhaps even quicker on cell units due to this good bridge that handheld gives from PC to Android.”
