Qualcomm announces 5nm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 with 85% performance improvement

Windows on ARM is getting its most significant boost thanks to the new 8cx and 7c+ Gen 3 processors.

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What you need to know

Qualcomm just announced two new processors for Windows on ARM at its 2021 Snapdragon Summit.

While these chips arenotpart of the next-genNuvia processors, which are expected to ship in consumer products in 2023, these are the most significant leap in performance to date for Windows on ARM. The new chips also push new technology like AI, Wi-Fi 6E, and 5G to more devices.

The Snapdragon 8cx and 7c+ Gen 3 chips are due to ship in new PCs in the first half of 2022, making a quicker turnaround than previous announcements for the company.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3

The big story is the new Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, which, for the first time, hits 5nm for Windows PCs.

Qualcomm claims the 8cx Gen 3 is substantially more powerful than the Gen 2, currently found in the MicrosoftSurface Pro X SQ2and the HPElite Folio, with a boost of 40% for single-core, 85% for multi-core, and 60% for GPU performance over the 8cx Gen 2 making the most substantial improvement yet.

The claims seem to hold going by recentlyleakedGeekbench 5 benchmarks for the 8cx Gen 3. The single-core score of 1,010 puts the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 in the range of theLenovo Yoga C740with anIntel Core i5-10210UCPU.

The multi-core scores of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 look even more promising. A Geekbench 5 multi-core score of 5,355 places the processorabovetheHP Spectre x360 14with an IntelCore i7-1165G7.

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While those numbers still fall short of Apple’s M1 line of processors, for most consumers, getting Core i7 multi-core performancewithmuch better battery life is still a winning combination, especially when put into unique 2-in-1 form factors that are entirely fanless.

Battery life is still claimed at “over 25 hours,” although that number is device-dependent and under specific scenarios. Qualcomm, however, told us that battery life is effectively the same between the 8cx Gen 2 and Gen 3 despite the significant performance improvement.

Qualcomm goes into more detail in its press release:

The enhanced Qualcomm Kryo CPU combines high-performance cores for power when you need it and energy-efficient cores for less intensive tasks, delivering responsive performance and long-lasting battery life. Our efficiency cores now match the performance cores of the previous generation while significantly decreasing overall power draw. Along with the integration of new “Prime” performance cores, Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 delivers up to a 40 percent boost for single-thread workloads and 85 percent boost for multi-thread workloads compared to the predecessor. This improvement in performance per watt means getting work done faster, while saving plenty of room for entertainment and content consumption.

Gaming and graphics are also getting a “tremendous” boost:

… with up to 60 percent performance gains compared to the previous generation. That’s more power for video and photo editing applications, video conferencing, and gaming. Games can run at full HD resolution at up to 120 FPS, making Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 an entertainment powerhouse.

Besides raw performance, the chipset is also getting upgrades in other areas, including:

Overall, the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 looks very promising and more interesting than any previous upgrades to its PC compute line.

Of course, Intel is expected to announce its12th Genmobile processors in early 2022 (with a spring release), likely at CES, utilizing its similar Performance and Efficiency core design, possibly giving Qualcomm a run for its money.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3

Up until now, Qualcomm has had the Snapdragon 7c and 7c Gen 2 processors for entry-level devices like the SamsungGalaxy Book Go. While the 7c Gen 2 edges out Intel’s entry-level chips in some areas, they’re still not very competitiveas we’ve argued, suggesting people should wait for a “Gen 3.”

The new Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 could be that chip. It will be sold alongside the 7c Gen 2, but it is considered a slightly higher tier.

Qualcomm didn’t go into too much detail about 7c+ Gen 3, but it did note it’s now a 6nm architecture. Performance is “up to 40 percent better CPU performance and 35 percent better graphics performance” than the 7c Gen 2, which is noteworthy.

Like the 8cx Gen 3, the 7c+ Gen 3 adds “FastConnect 6700, bringing incredible Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E speeds” and an integrated Snapdragon X53 Modem-RF System bringing 5G to entry-level devices for the first time.

Availability

While no new Windows PCs were announced with either chip, Qualcomm remarked that this would be quicker than previous announcements where devices didn’t ship until an agonizing eight months later.

Instead, Qualcomm is confident we’ll see new hardware with the 8cx Gen 3 and 7c+ Gen 3 in the first half of 2022. That means we could get some actual announcements during CES, which takes place in early January, with a commercial release towards May (which follows Intel and AMD’s market execution).

Likewise, Qualcomm continues to push “always connected” 4G and 5G Windows on ARM PCs. Still, the company allowsWi-Fi-only modelslike Surface Pro X and Galaxy Book Go to compete more aggressively in price. That practice will continue with these news chips, leaving the decision up to OEMs on which features and price points they would like to target.

Besides the new PC processors, Qualcomm also announced a new gaming-specific chip. TheSnapdragon G3x Gen 1will be featured in a new handheld reference design made with Razer and focuses on game streaming. The company also announced its latest smartphone processor, theSnapdragon 8 Gen 1.

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer,podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.