At the 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC), Qualcomm unveiled three new Snapdragon G-Series processors designed for handheld gaming devices: the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, Snapdragon G2 Gen 2, and Snapdragon G1 Gen 2. These chips are built for gaming on the go, supporting cloud, console, Android, and PC titles.
The Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 features an octa-core CPU with a 1+5+2 core configuration, paired with Qualcomm’s Adreno A32 GPU. It supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing and can drive a QHD+ display at 144Hz. For connectivity, it includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.
Compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon G3 Gen 3 delivers a 30% faster CPU and a 28% faster GPU. Notably, Qualcomm claims it is the first G-Series processor to support Lumen and Unreal Engine 5’s Global Illumination and Reflections system on Android-based handheld gaming devices.
The Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 is designed for both on-device and cloud gaming, delivering up to 144FPS performance. It features an 8-core CPU with a 1+4+3 configuration, paired with the Adreno A22 GPU. Like the G3 Gen 3, it supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 for seamless connectivity. Qualcomm claims the G2 Gen 2 offers 2.3x better CPU performance and 3.8x faster GPU performance compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon G2 Gen 1.
Meanwhile, the Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 is optimized for cloud gaming on Android-based handheld devices, supporting 1080p gaming at 120FPS over Wi-Fi. It features an 8-core CPU with a 2+6 setup, the Adreno A12 GPU, and connectivity options including Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1. Additionally, an optional Snapdragon X61 5G modem can be paired with this processor for enhanced connectivity.
As for availability, OEMs are expected to launch handheld gaming devices powered by the latest Snapdragon G-Series processors starting in March 2025.
