Rumor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to adopt a unique chip layout built on a 4nm process

Ben Schoon | Jun 9 2022 - 11:59 am PT

While we just got the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 a few short weeks ago, Qualcomm is, of course, hard at work on its next-generation chip. The presumed Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will power next year’s flagships and, according to a new rumor, it’ll be using a layout that’s out of the ordinary.

Digital Chat Station, a fairly reliable source out of China, posted to the Weibo social network claiming that Qualcomm’s SM8550 is in development under the code name “Kailua.” It’s further claimed that the chip will be manufactured by TSMC on a 4nm process.

Notably, Google’s second-gen Tensor chip is also expected to be manufactured on a 4nm process but by Samsung instead of TSMC.

What’s more interesting about Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in this rumor, though, is that Qualcomm is changing its usual layout. Apparently, this next chip will be using a 1+2+2+3 layout. That layout is unique as most modern chips only have three types of CPU cores, whereas Gen 2 would be using four.

This would consist of a single Cortex A73 core, two Cortex A720 cores, two Cortex A710 cores, and three Cortex A510 cores. The A73 and A720 cores hint that we could see a performance boost of up to 30% compared to X1 and A78 cores, as GSMArena pointed out. However, this will be a relatively modest boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 at best.

In terms of the GPU, an Adreno 740 is apparently on the docket. It’s unclear, though, how much of an upgrade that will be over the 730. We’ll probably see the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in all its glory later this year.