Qualcomm is going big on new chips with on-device generative AI. The company’s next silicon is for phones priced below the top-tier iPhones and Samsung Galaxys, but that doesn’t mean it can’t run large language models and powerful AI applications. The new Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is an upgraded version of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 that launched last November. It sits just below the recently announced 8S Gen 3.

The Mobile Platform supports a wide range of AI models including large language models (LLMs) such as Baichuan-7B, Llama 2, Gemini Nano and Zhipu ChatGLM.

Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 also brings new select Snapdragon Elite Gaming features to the 7-series including Game Post Processing Accelerator and Adreno Frame Motion Engine 2, enhancing game effects and upscaling gaming content for desktop-level visuals. Plus, this platform brings top-notch photography features with industry-leading 18-bit cognitive ISP.

The 7+ Gen 3 improves on its predecessor with 15 per cent better CPU and 45 per cent better GPU performance. It’s also the first in the 7-series to support Wi-Fi 7.

The new chip is different from the company’s recent launches. For example, the 8S Gen 3 chip has slightly higher performance, gaming features like ray tracing and audio capabilities like the Aqstic Speaker Max Technology that the 7+ Gen 3 doesn’t have.

Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 will first be adopted by OEMs including OnePlus, Realme and SHARP with the first device expected to be announced in the next few months.