This is the Razer handheld console, built using Qualcomm’s new gaming processor

It’s day 2 of Qualcomm’s annual Snapdragon Tech Summit, and they’ve had a surprise in store for us as they reveal the Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 system-on-chip. It’s essentially a new processor designed specifically to run games on Android, stream games via cloud gaming or from your own gaming setup as well as to watch content on the go.

Specs-wise, Qualcomm seems to be keeping their cards close to their chest. The Kyro CPU and Adreno GPU don’t have any numbering behind them, and while we know that Qualcomm are using parts ‘taken from their 8-series’ of processors, until they reveal more about it we won’t actually know for sure what CPU and GPU is in there. What we do know though is its performance, according to Qualcomm anyway. They say that you can game at 144 fps with 10-bit HDR on, while the Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 modem would provide support for WiFi 6 and 6E as well as 5G.

Furthermore, the Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 comes with Snapdragon Sound audio for low latency sound when gaming. There’s also support for USB-C for extended reality accessories to be attached, while it would also be possible to output video to an external display at a maximum resolution of 4K at 144fps. Other features include Qualcomm Game Quick Touch, Game Smoother, Game Color Plus and support for variate rate shading too.

Of course, it might be tough to visualise what the Snapdragon G3X Gen 1 can do, or what it’ll look like in a final product without actually seeing it in action. As such, Qualcomm have teamed up with Razer to build the Snapdragon G3x Handheld Gaming Developer Kit, which is available exclusively for game developers from now onwards. It has a 6.65-inch, FHD+ OLED display with support for HDR and a refresh rate for 120Hz. You’ll also obviously find the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 underneath, along with a 5MP webcam built in too. On the sides of the device is an Xbox-like controller setup, complete with shoulder buttons too.

While X86-based gaming handhelds like the Aya Neo, GPD Win 3 and the upcoming Steam Deck continue to expand on the handheld gaming console segment, the Android handheld scene is still a little niche in comparison. There’s already some like the GPD XP, while Lenovo is also rumoured to launch one of their own, but realistically the biggest competitor to any Android gaming handheld that Qualcomm wants to power won’t be a console, but rather a smartphone. Most people would find it hard to justify buying another portable Android device just to play games, especially when something like the Asus ROG Phone 5 does the job too.

Nevertheless, Qualcomm clearly think that there’s enough potential in the Android handheld gaming console space to warrant building a processor for it, and as someone who plays a lot of games I too am excited to see how far it can go. If you’d like to know more about the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1, you can check it out on Qualcomm’s website.