Qualcomm has officially unveiled the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 in March 2024, bringing significant enhancements over its predecessor, the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2, which debuted a year earlier in March 2023. While both chipsets share a similar 4nm process node and are manufactured by TSMC, the Gen 3 platform introduces key architectural upgrades and performance boosts that position it closer to Qualcomm’s flagship-level experience.
Let’s take a detailed look at the benchmark scores, core upgrades, and overall improvements Qualcomm has introduced with the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 compared to the previous generation.
The CPU configuration in the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 is one of its most notable upgrades. It adopts a more advanced tri-cluster setup with a Cortex-X4 prime core clocked at 2.8 GHz, four Cortex-A720 performance cores at 2.6 GHz, and three Cortex-A520 efficiency cores running at 1.9 GHz. This setup replaces the previous Gen 2’s combination of Cortex-X2, A710, and A510 cores, offering enhanced performance, better power efficiency, and improved thermal management.
Though the Cortex-X2 in Gen 2 runs slightly faster on paper at 2.91 GHz, the shift to Cortex-X4 architecture in Gen 3 delivers superior real-world performance and power optimization, thanks to Arm’s latest design improvements.
In early benchmark tests (such as Geekbench and AnTuTu), the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 shows up to 15–20% higher CPU scores compared to the 7+ Gen 2, especially in multi-core workloads, gaming performance, and app launch times.
Another leap forward in Gen 3 is the GPU upgrade. The new Adreno 732 GPU replaces the Adreno 725 found in the Gen 2. While Qualcomm doesn’t always reveal detailed GPU clock speeds or shader counts, practical performance tests confirm that the Adreno 732 brings better frame rates, lower latency, and more consistent thermal performance in graphic-intensive applications.
Gaming benchmarks indicate smoother performance at high refresh rates, especially when paired with QHD+ displays at 144Hz, a spec the Gen 3 natively supports. It also supports richer HDR gaming visuals, which enhances the overall user experience.
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 also steps ahead in terms of memory and storage support. It supports LPDDR5x RAM up to 4.2GHz compared to LPDDR5 at 3.2GHz in Gen 2, which results in higher memory bandwidth and faster multitasking.
Additionally, Gen 3 supports UFS 4.0 storage, a major leap over Gen 2’s UFS 3.1. UFS 4.0 significantly improves read/write speeds, reducing app load times, file transfer delays, and improving system responsiveness overall. For users who prioritize performance in heavy apps and games, this upgrade is very meaningful.
Both chipsets include a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, but the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 leverages an improved version of this AI engine. The Gen 3 NPU is optimized for advanced AI features like on-device generative AI, language processing, camera enhancements, and contextual awareness.
It also supports semantic segmentation, enabling AI-powered real-time background detection and object separation for photography and AR applications. This improvement gives Gen 3 a stronger foothold in emerging AI-driven mobile experiences, which continue to grow in demand throughout 2025 and beyond.
In terms of raw camera specifications, both chipsets are similar. They feature 18-bit Qualcomm Spectra triple ISPs, supporting up to 200MP single camera sensors and 4K video recording. However, Gen 3 benefits from AI enhancements that improve image segmentation, low-light photography, and real-time processing for filters and effects.
While there’s no change in maximum resolution or video recording capabilities, image quality is expected to be slightly superior on the Gen 3 due to its improved AI processing and ISP tuning.
Connectivity is another area where the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 takes a giant leap. It incorporates the Snapdragon X63 5G modem, offering up to 5Gbps download speeds, compared to 4.4Gbps with the X62 modem in the Gen 2.
Moreover, Gen 3 includes the Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 system, enabling Wi-Fi 7 support with peak speeds of 5.8Gbps, while Gen 2 is limited to Wi-Fi 6E with a maximum of 3.6Gbps. This is a big win for users in environments with advanced wireless infrastructure, ensuring lower latency and faster downloads.
Both chipsets support Bluetooth 5.3, ensuring modern wireless peripheral connectivity.
The Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 offers a more advanced display pipeline. It supports QHD+ at 144Hz and 4K Ultra HD at 60Hz, including wider HDR support with HDR10, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid, alongside 10-bit color depth.
In comparison, the Gen 2 supports QHD+ at a lower refresh rate of 120Hz and doesn’t include HDR Vivid. This makes Gen 3 better suited for premium multimedia experiences and high-refresh-rate gaming.
Absolutely. The Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 is a substantial upgrade over the 7 Plus Gen 2, particularly in CPU architecture, GPU performance, memory and storage speed, AI capabilities, and connectivity. While camera specs remain mostly unchanged, the enhanced AI processing, support for Wi-Fi 7, UFS 4.0, and LPDDR5x RAM make the Gen 3 chipset a compelling choice for mid-range flagship killers well into 2025.
For consumers, this means better gaming, faster app performance, smoother multitasking, and future-proof connectivity—all while maintaining battery efficiency thanks to the 4nm process node and refined power management.
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