In partnership with Meta, Qualcomm has introduced two groundbreaking Snapdragon chips tailored to drive the upcoming wave of next-generation headsets and smart glasses.
The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 stands out as the more robust of the two, boasting a remarkable 2.5 times improvement in GPU performance compared to the previous generation. It also offers up to eight times faster AI processing speeds. This chip is finely tuned to support mixed reality devices with stunning display resolutions of up to 3,000 x 3,000 per eye, delivering intricate textures and higher frame rates to enhance the user experience. For headsets capable of transitioning between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), Qualcomm’s XR2 Gen 2 facilitates a swift switch to full-color passthrough vision in under 12 milliseconds. Moreover, this chip empowers devices with up to 10 cameras, elevates wireless speeds to the level of Wi-Fi 7, and achieves a 50 percent boost in GPU power efficiency.
Alternatively, the Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chip caters to more lightweight devices like smart glasses. It brings advancements in on-device AI processing, superior noise and echo cancellation, and the inclusion of dual ISPs for improved image quality. With support for devices featuring up to 12-megapixel cameras (with 6-megapixel capability for video) and as many as eight microphones, Qualcomm’s AR1 Gen 1 chip enables spatial sound capture for enriched audio recording.
A notable aspect of this announcement is that, thanks to its collaboration with Meta, Qualcomm’s latest XR and AR processors will debut exclusively on Meta’s Quest 3 and Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, both slated for release in October. Qualcomm has indicated that “additional devices from other manufacturers” will follow next year, suggesting that Meta will enjoy a limited period of exclusivity in harnessing these cutting-edge chips.
While Meta gains an initial advantage over its competitors, the wider availability of devices featuring these chips in 2024 will open up exciting possibilities for other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to explore and innovate with these advanced Qualcomm technologies.
