Specs
The Kryo central processing unit (CPU) is what really makes this chip tick. it is based on the latest iteration of Armv9 architecture (also released this year), but it is laid out in an unusual way and manufactured in TSMC's 4nm foundry.
A Cortex-X3 core running at 3.2GHz, is unsurprising, the main CPU. There are four processing cores instead of the usual three. Qualcomm claims it can give 35% quicker performance over last year's 8 Gen 1 by using an additional core to increase performance in demanding applications like gaming, where numerous large threads are required.
There's more, however; these aren't just any old 2.8GHz cores; rather, they're a combination of two Cortex-A715 cores and two Cortex-A710 cores. The A715 cores only support 64-bit. Therefore the two A710 cores are there to make sure that older 32-bit software doesn't get left behind and has to operate on the considerably slower efficiency cores.
Compatibility
The 8 Gen 2 naturally has built-in 5G with support for both mmWave and Sub-6 bands, and Qualcomm has tweaked the implementation somewhat to boost performance. More noteworthy this year is the inclusion of Wi-Fi 7 support. In theory, that's too soon since the standard hasn't been ratified, but in reality, the technology is already set in stone.
In addition to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, Wi-Fi 7 adds capability for the 6GHz band, allowing for theoretically far higher transfer rates of up to 5.8Gbps in 8 Gen 2 smartphones. Of course, it won’t matter much until Wi-Fi 7 routers are more widely accessible, but at least your phone will be future-proofed.
Camera
While the image signal processor (ISP) in your phone's chipset may not immediately come to mind when you think about its role in photography, it is really rather important. The main improvement in this year's Snapdragon processor is the built-in AI processing, which turns it into a "cognitive ISP."
That means your phone's camera will be able to instantly implement features like face recognition, autofocus, and layering. It won't be a huge deal for still photographs since this has always been done in post-processing, but it would be nice to be able to see the results instantly in the viewfinder instead of having to wait a few seconds. Those effects may now be added to any video in real-time throughout the filming process, making this an even greater deal for the video medium.
Availability
The smartphone manufacturers that will be using Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chips have been announced. Popular brands, including Motorola, OPPO, and ASUS ROG, may be included on the list.
Although Samsung's name doesn't appear on the slide, the two firms have an agreement that will see Snapdragon processors included in Samsung devices until 2030. Qualcomm has said it would be shipping chips for the next Galaxy S23 flagships, which are expected to be released in February 2023.
