Qualcomm unwraps Snapdragon 855+ with faster speed for gamers

Qualcomm announced on Monday the Snapdragon 855 Plus Mobile Platform for better performance for gamers, AI and extended reality (XR).

It features a boost in performance to 2.96 GHz in the clock speed of the Kryo 486 CPU Prime core, up from 2.84 GHz in the standard 855. The GPU is also a 15% faster Adreno 640 GPU. Qualcomm also claimed that the 855 Plus would deliver superior coverage and all -day battery life in premium 5G devices, according to a statement.

Of course, the value of 5G depends not only on the device but the carrier network. 5G is still in early days and some features won’t be available for years to come, depending on the carrier. In the U.S., a few 5G smartphone models are already available, and all four top U.S. carriers have launched mobile 5G services in select cities.

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At least for phones and other devices, the 855 Plus has three times the power of the Snapdragon 845, which will offer smoother game play with better power management, Qualcomm said on its web site.

ASUS confirmed its ROG Phone 2, coming at the end of July, will have the 855 Plus, according to Android Central.

Qualcomm is including an AI Engine with more than 7 trillion operations per second. Gamers will see “ultra-responsive gaming” with this 4th generation multi-core Qualcomm technology, the company said.

Qualcomm’s aptX and Aqstic audio technologies will deliver real-time surround sound. True HDR gaming offers 1 billion shades of color for better realism. XR viewers connected to the 855 Plus with a 5G x50 Modem will have access to ultra-smooth 5G experiences.

In addition to the ROG Phone 2, other commercial devices with the 855 Plus are expected throughout the second half of 2019.