Qualcomm's Oryon Cores: Unveiling 2024 Chip Plans

Report: Qualcomm’s Anticipated Unveil of Multifarious Chips Featuring “Oryon” Cores in 2024

Qualcomm's plans

Qualcomm, in an endeavor to close the gap with Apple in the realm of high-performance ARM-based processors, secured the acquisition of chip designer Nuvia several years back. The process of assimilating novel designs into the product roadmap takes time, and thus, the debut of the initial Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, housing the “Oryon” CPU cores, is most likely deferred until the year 2024.

Nonetheless, a glimmer of insight is provided by leaked information from WinFuture, affording a more nuanced perspective on what is in store. Roland Quandt of WinFuture divulges that Qualcomm is poised to offer a diverse array of processors, each characterized by distinct configurations:

SC8380/SC8380XP with a constellation of 12 CPU cores
SC8370/SC8370XP with a constellation of 10 CPU cores
SC8350/SC8350XP with a constellation of 8 CPU cores

Quandt attributes this revelation to “online databases.”

Bearing the code name “Hamoa,” the intriguing possibility emerges that these chips might all fall under the banner of Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 nomenclature. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be astonishing if Qualcomm undertakes a minor revision to its nomenclature scheme, seeking to enhance clarity in distinguishing between the chips.

Quandt further observes that akin to the prevalent trend in contemporary mobile and PC chips, these processors are expected to adopt a hybrid architecture that seamlessly melds Performance and Efficiency cores. Hence, it should be noted that a 12-core chip is not inherently constituted of 12 high-performance cores exclusively based on Oryon designs. Instead, it could integrate a cohort of lower-power, energy-efficient cores, catering to less resource-intensive tasks.

The big.LITTLE design, characteristic of ARM-based chips for over a decade, has also found favor with Intel’s 12th and 13th-generation Core processors. While precise specifications of Qualcomm’s forthcoming generation of chips are still under wraps, Quandt speculates that uniformity might characterize these chips in terms of efficiency cores, with divergence primarily manifesting in the number of performance cores.

Quandt posits that this strategic arrangement would enable Qualcomm to take a leaf out of the playbooks of Intel, AMD, and Apple by proffering a range of three or more processor variations, all sharing identical architectural underpinnings, yet stratified into tiers of good, better, and best based on the count of high-performance CPU cores. Another potential avenue for Qualcomm is to potentially imbue certain chips with heightened CPU frequencies.

Meanwhile, my pursuit led me to a Korean forum where analogous information was disseminated in June, encompassing potential CPU frequencies and graphical processing units (GPUs). However, a degree of skepticism is warranted even as I contemplate these features, recognizing that their veracity is yet to be fully validated. In the event of accuracy, the envisaged lineup might adopt the following semblance:

For SC8380XP (three configurations):

Eight P-cores clocked at 3.4 GHz + Four E-cores running at 2.5 GHz & 1.25 GHz Adreno 740 graphics
Eight P-cores clocked at 3.2 GHz + Four E-cores running at 2.5 GHz & 1.1 GHz Adreno 740 graphics
Eight P-cores clocked at 3 GHz + Four E-cores running at 2.38 GHz & 1.25 GHz Adreno 740 graphics

For SC8370XP (two configurations):

Six P-cores clocked at 3.4 GHz + Four E-cores running at 2.5 GHz & 1.25 GHz Adreno 740 graphics
Six P-cores clocked at 3.2 GHz + Four E-cores running at 2.5 GHz & 1.1 GHz Adreno 740 graphics

A mention is made on a website regarding the development of SC8350XP, but the possibility of its cancellation prior to launch lingers.

It is prudent to exercise caution while absorbing these reports. The status of authenticity remains tentative until Qualcomm ushers in the introduction of a chip, and/or a PC manufacturer incorporates it within an imminent system. Consequently, it will be a span of time before a comprehensive evaluation of the competitive edge of these chips against the latest offerings from Intel, AMD, and Apple in terms of real-world performance can be undertaken.

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