On October 21, 2024, Qualcomm officially launched its next-generation flagship mobile computing platform—the Snapdragon 8 Elite—in Hawaii. Lei Technology provided in-depth coverage of this platform at the summit. Now, various smartphone brands are introducing new models powered by this platform.
As Qualcomm’s annual flagship chip for the first half of the year, the release of the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a milestone for both consumers and the Qualcomm brand. For consumers, It brings desktop-level performance with the Oryon CPU into the mobile ecosystem, significantly enhancing computing power for mobile devices and accelerating the integration of mobile and desktop computing capabilities.
Image source: Lei Technology
For Qualcomm, the release of the Snapdragon 8 Elite once again demonstrates its influence in the mobile chip sector. Similar to when Apple introduced the M1 chip in the iPad, Qualcomm has integrated the Oryon CPU, Hexagon NPU, and Adreno GPU into a mobile platform. This not only solidifies Qualcomm’s lead in the Android flagship chip market but also leverages the Hexagon NPU to expand Qualcomm’s AI capabilities across more fields, enhancing its industry impact.
So, what other key points should we pay attention to with this new AI-powered mobile chip? We’ve summarized some questions and answers.
What are the actual CPU performance improvements in the Snapdragon 8 Elite?
In two words: high performance and low power consumption.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is equipped with Qualcomm’s independently developed Oryon CPU, a next-generation mobile processor architecture that combines super cores and performance cores, with a maximum clock speed of 4.32 GHz. Unlike the previous generation Snapdragon chips with “big, medium, and small core” configurations, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has removed the small cores, retaining only the super cores and performance cores.
Image source: Lei Technology
Introduction to Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 introduces significant advancements in CPU architecture, most notably with a larger L2 cache of 24 MB. This enhancement optimizes timing management, resulting in more efficient data reading and task responses, particularly beneficial in multitasking environments and generative AI applications. The improvements notably reduce data access latency and enhance CPU resource utilization.
Benefits of Increased L2 Cache
More Intelligent Memory Scheduling
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 features multiple optimizations in its memory architecture, including a larger cache and an intelligent prefetch mechanism to improve data processing efficiency. With 12 MB of L2 cache allocated to each CPU cluster, totaling 24 MB, this design minimizes data processing delays for bandwidth-intensive tasks, such as AI image inference and scenarios involving high data throughput.
Moreover, the introduction of a data timing prefetcher allows the processor to load data based on application characteristics ahead of time, thereby reducing task response times. By transforming random read/write operations into sequential ones, it minimizes memory waiting times for data access. This optimization is particularly critical in scenarios involving generative AI, real-time image processing, and high-frame-rate gaming.
Image source: Lei Technology
Energy Efficiency Improvements
These memory architecture enhancements also yield energy efficiency benefits, reducing the frequency of accesses to the main memory. This helps the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 manage overall power consumption while extending battery life. For users, this means smoother performance in demanding tasks like gaming and AI generation, along with reduced instances of frame drops and lower heat generation.
Significance of Multimodal AI Support
Faster Response without Preprocessing
Qualcomm has enhanced the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s multimodal processing capabilities through an upgraded Hexagon NPU and AI engine. This allows smartphones to seamlessly handle various AI tasks, such as voice, image, and text inputs, providing users with a more intelligent interaction experience and significantly boosting efficiency.
For instance, without multimodal model support, if the NPU receives a voice command, it would first need to convert the voice into text through an external engine, adding extra time to the response. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, however, can manage more complex tasks locally, including real-time reasoning for large language models and visual recognition. This capability allows smartphones to handle voice assistant responses and real-time image processing without relying on cloud computing, protecting user privacy and minimizing delays associated with data transmission.
Image source: Lei Technology
Enhancements in AI Performance
The AI engine in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 optimizes scalar and vector accelerator cores, providing higher processing performance and energy efficiency, which are crucial for everyday functions like voice assistance and image enhancement. This improvement enables a faster response and more natural interactions while reducing power consumption, aligning AI experiences with diverse user needs.
Furthermore, during interviews, Qualcomm noted that the addition of scalar and vector cores based on the Hexagon NPU has optimized the processing logic for generative AI and large language models. Through efficient model compression and precision adjustments, even models with a large number of parameters can run smoothly on the device. This is especially important for AI applications requiring low-latency responses, such as voice activation, visual recognition, and real-time interactions.
Image source: Lei Technology
Conclusion: A Key to the AI Era
The release of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 significantly enhances the AI capabilities and user experience of mobile devices. With desktop-level CPU performance, a more powerful NPU, and multimodal AI processing capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 markedly elevates the computational power of mobile devices and lays a solid hardware foundation for diverse AI interactions.
More importantly, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 fosters the widespread adoption of AI applications by providing developers with an efficient platform. As previously mentioned, AI is set to become an integral feature across entire ecosystems, not merely a standalone function. The technological advancements showcased by Qualcomm at the Snapdragon Summit mark a substantial step towards this vision.
Image source: Lei Technology
Future Prospects
Looking ahead, AI is poised to play an even more significant role across various domains, becoming a critical driver of societal advancement and economic development. From smart homes to smart cities, and from healthcare to entertainment, the applications of AI will be ubiquitous. With the launch of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the future of mobile intelligent devices is filled with boundless possibilities. AI technology will further integrate into our daily lives, ushering in a new digital era.
