Qualcomm has today announced a new focus on chips for gaming handhelds under the “Snapdragon G Series” that includes a brand-new Gen 2 flagship offering.
Snapdragon chips are popular in flagship Android phones for a variety of reasons, and one of those is the performance available both in day-to-day tasks and gaming. That gaming side has seen more emphasis in recent years, with the arrival of gaming-focused smartphones as well as handhelds.
Last year, the Razer Edge was announced as an Android gaming handheld that was powered by the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1. There hasn’t been much in the time since regarding other gaming handhelds powered by that chip, but Qualcomm seems to have some grander plans.
In a press release, Qualcomm reveals that the Snapdragon G Series will be a three-tier offering for gaming handhelds, which will be headlined by the new Snapdragon G3x Gen 2. The upgraded chip has a 30% faster CPU and a GPU that’s twice as fast as Gen 1. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon G1 Gen 1 is a chip designed for “fanless handheld gaming devices” that focus primarily on cloud gaming, like Logitech’s G Cloud handheld. The Snapdragon G2 Gen 1, on the other hand, is a middle-ground that offers 5G support, Wi-Fi 6E, and enough power for both local and streamed games.
There’s no word on exactly what devices will launch with these new chips, but Qualcomm says to expect launches from AyaNeo, Huaqin, Inventec, Thundercomm, and others. AyaNeo, a brand that has built Steam Deck competitors with Windows, launched a teaser today for an Android-powered handheld that will presumably be using G3x Gen 2.
More on Gaming:
- The Logitech G Cloud is coming to Europe, brings Shadow PC support
- Razer Edge 5G Review: Who needs an Android gaming handheld?
- Netflix testing game streaming on Google TV, Roku, more with phone-based controller
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