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Galaxy S23 custom Qualcomm chip has got Samsung written all over it

Updated: Jan 18, 2023, 6:57 PM

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Galaxy S23 custom Qualcomm chip has got Samsung written all over it

After years of pleas from fans, Samsung has finally decided to equip all regional variants of the Galaxy S23 series with a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, instead of forcing its homegrown Exynos chips - which are believed to be slower and prone to overheating - down European and Asian consumers throat. Apparently, the chip is not quite the same as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that powers the likes of Vivo X90, Moto X40, and OnePlus 11.

Not all Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chips are created equal

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered phones that were released in the first half of 2022 received flak for running very hot and the problems were apparently traced back to issues with Samsung's manufacturing process. Disappointed, Qualcomm went back to TSMC for the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 and viola - the complaints went away.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has also been made by TSMC and reviews so far have been promising. We have been hearing for a long time that Samsung may use an overclocked version of the chip for its Galaxy S23 phones and a couple of leaks had suggested that this version of the SoC would be manufactured by Samsung.

Samsung will have its cake and eat it too

As you may already know, Samsung doesn't just make mobiles, it also makes a host of other things including sensors, memory chips, and processors, and also has a foundry business. Exynos chips were doubly profitable for the South Korean giant as it not only got to design the chip but also manufactured them so the company money stayed within the company. A customized chip theoretically also allowed for a more tailor-made experience.

By opting to not go for an Exynos chip, Samsung has shown that it listens to its customers, but it hasn't exactly settled for an off-the-shelf solution.

9to5Google reports that the Galaxy S23 series will be underpinned by a custom version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 dubbed the 'Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy'. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip features an Arm Cortex X3 prime core running at 3.2 GHz. Samsung's custom version increases the clock speed to 3.36GHz.

Other specs are believed to be largely the same as those of the regular 8 Gen 2 but the chip will probably be manufactured by Samsung and not TSMC.

Late last year, it was reported that Samsung's foundry unit solicited the services of American semiconductor company Silicon Frontline to conduct an audit and help it improve operations. So, thermal issues may have been taken care of.

The Galaxy S23 is also expected to have a cooling system that's more than twice as good as the one on the S22 and so even if thermal issues crop up, throttling won't be required or so say rumors.

Leaked benchmark results indicate that the Galaxy S23 will be 36 percent faster than the Galaxy S22. Hopefully, thermals will be kept in check, otherwise, Samsung will end up infuriating US and Chinese customers, who are accustomed to getting an untampered-with version of Qualcomm's flagship chip.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.