Paradise News

Tag: Computers

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite with Oryon Cores Announced for Windows PCs

    snapdragon X elite

    After over two years, Qualcomm’s Nuvia acquisition finally bears fruit with new Snapdragon X series chips for PC platforms. Alongside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm has come up with a new PC chipset that could rival Apple’s M-series processor. The “Snapdragon X Elite” chipset features Nuvia-designed cores and is ready to unseat x86 Intel/AMD processors in the PC world.

    This would be the first time Qualcomm has used newly designed cores called “Oryon” instead of Kryo cores on PCs. Efficiency is something x86 processors have disappointed Windows users for a long time, but with Snapdragon X Elite, things are going to change significantly. So to learn more about Qualcomm’s new PC chipset, read on.

    Snapdragon X Elite Packs Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU and Hexagon NPU

    The Snapdragon X Elite features new Oryon cores that are designed by the Nuvia team, inside Qualcomm. It has 12 high-performance cores and is built on TSMC’s 4nm process node. All of the cores have a maximum frequency of 3.8GHz and for intensive tasks, two cores can boost the clock speed up to 4.3GHz. It has a tri-cluster design with four cores packed in 3 tiles.

    Qualcomm has managed to add 42MB of total cache to the Snapdragon X Elite. The CPU has access to eight channels of LPDDR5X memory having a bandwidth of 136GBps, which is awesome. According to the company, Snapdragon X Elite delivers 2x faster CPU performance than an x86 12-core laptop processor and matches peak performance at one-third of power consumption.

    In addition, the Snapdragon X Elite is 60% faster than other high-end 14-core x86 laptop processors, again matching peak performance at 1/3rd of the power. When compared against an ARM competitor (likely the Apple M-series processors), it offers 50% better peak multi-threaded performance.

    Coming to the GPU, the premium Adreno GPU on the X Elite is integrated with the SoC and it’s again incredibly power efficient. It delivers 2x faster GPU performance against an equivalent x86 integrated GPU in the 3DMark WildLife Stress test and matches peak performance at 1/4th of the power. When pitted against a leading x86 integrated GPU, the Adreno GPU is 80% faster and matches peak performance at 1/5th of the power, which is impressive.

    snapdragon x elite features

    The Adreno GPU on the Snapdragon X Elite can perform 4.6 TFLOPS, handle an internal 4K at 120Hz display, and output triple 4K screens or dual 5K screens. The drivers are also upgradeable and Qualcomm is working with the industry to bring more support to its platform.

    Moving to the AI unit on the Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm has packed a powerful new Hexagon NPU engine for Windows PCs to take advantage of all the smart AI features. It can perform 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) and can run LLMs locally with 13B parameters. With a 7B LLM model running, Qualcomm’s new PC chipset can generate 30 tokens per second.

    Moreover, for the first time, Windows PCs will get the Qualcomm always-sensing hub for quicker processing of AI tasks such as noise cancellation, presence detection, voice chat, and more. Not to mention, laptop manufacturers will get the option to pair the Snapdragon X Elite with the Snapdragon X65 5G modem to build an always-on, always-connected offering. It also brings lossless audio support, Wi-Fi 7 capability, Microsoft Pluton support for security, Snapdragon Seamless integration with smartphones, and more.

    Snapdragon X Elite Laptops: Availability

    Qualcomm says the Snapdragon X Elite platform will debut on Windows laptops in mid-2024 with partners, including Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft, and others. It will be available in various configurations, TDPs, and thermal designs. So what do you think about Qualcomm’s new PC chip and will it revolutionize the PC market? Let us know your opinion in the comment section below.

    Arjun Sha

    902 Posts

    Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.

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  • Samsung Galaxy S24 will arrive with improved AI capabilities

    Samsung is working hard to bring significant artificial intelligence (AI) improvements to smartphones with the Galaxy S24 series. The reports confirm that the Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra will be the most intelligent AI smartphones from the company, and will offer a lot of advancements in the AI department.

    Samsung to bring better AI capabilities to the Galaxy S24 series

    Bixby Voice

    Among the new features in the S24 series, a standout according to official information from SamMobile is its remarkable ability to craft content and narratives from mere user-supplied keywords. It’s a feature reminiscent of Google’s ChatGPT and Bard. Promising a seamless, imaginative user experience that could reshape our daily smartphone interactions.

    Gizchina News of the week


    Samsung’s commitment to AI innovation is further exemplified by the introduction of Generative AI for text-to-image conversions. This new feature enables users to transform text descriptions into lifelike images. Opening up new creative horizons for digital artists and tech enthusiasts.

    Voice-to-text transcription is also in for a new upgrade. Offering heightened accuracy and a more natural feel, courtesy of advanced AI assistance. This change not only simplifies communication but also holds the promise of making technology more inclusive.

    Also, Bixby, Samsung’s virtual assistant, remains relevant and is set to play a role in the S24 series user experience. Additionally, official reports suggest that Bixby is evolving to engage in more human-like and intelligent conversations. This expanded integration of AI brings a richer and context-aware interaction. Possibly anticipating user needs and preferences, and delivering proactive assistance.

    The prospect of an enhanced and more interactive Bixby underscores Samsung’s dedication to establishing AI as a fundamental component of its next-generation smartphones. With the Galaxy S24 series, Samsung wants to push the boundaries of AI integration in mobile devices.



    Source

  • Mortal Kombat 1 October update patch notes released





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    Mortal Kombat 1 just got hit with its largest update to date yesterday, but we didn’t know what all was contained within it.






    That’s all changed now, however, as Warner Bros. has now released the full list of patch notes for MK1’s big October update.








    Every character appears to have received changes in the new update although the vast majority of them appear to be bug fixes and minor adjustments.


    There’s also a long list of general changes that impact just about every facet of the game including hopefully and finally fixing all move list errors.



    And then there’s of course the nerfs / changes made to the Kameos as well like Cyrax and Kung Lao in particular though all of the assists seem to have been touched up too.


    The update is only listed as being available for PlayStation and Xbox users, so PC and Nintendo Switch owners may be waiting a bit longer to receive the patch as well.



    You can check out the full list of patch notes for MK1 below, which can also be found on the official website.


    General Gameplay Adjustments



    • Move list corrections

    • Localization fixes

    • AI adjustments & improvements

    • Improvements to Screen Reader functionality

    • Added Halloween Finisher, which is available in the Premium Store

    • Added Halloween Variant to Cage Mansion Arena, available for free to all players

    • Wu Shi Academy Arena Evening Variant, Koncept Art, & Music can now be unlocked by players

    • Shrine can now be activated right away after receiving a reward

    • Fixed cases where the yellow notification for New Items would not clear

    • Fixed issue that sometimes causes players to not have access to DLC while Offline

    • Adjusted camera placement for Goro (Kameo) & Motaro (Kameo) in Kustomize Photo Mode

    • Fixed situation in Kameo Kustomize where randomizing Kameo Palettes would not save new setting

    • Fixed miscellaneous circumstances of visual effects in Kustomize disappearing too quickly

    • Added ability to Tag Moves to the screen during play from the Move List

    • Move List now returns to last tab used & remembers if Advanced View is toggled

    • Fixed a physics issue likely to occur when pausing at a certain timing in Tutorial Mode

    • Tutorial Mode text adjustments & corrections

    • Removed difficulty selection from Endless Tower in Klassic Towers

    • Added Online Leaderboards to Klassic Towers

    • Added Voice Chat Options to Mute Yourself & Mute Other Players to Main Menu Audio Options & Online Pause Menu

    • In-game Ping / Connection Indicator can now be enabled in Online Options

    • Added Forever King Mode to Online KOTH

    • Fixed visual issues occurring after some brutalities were performed

    • Fixed visual issues that sometimes occurred when a Quitality happened in the air

    • Fixed an issue that could cut off some intro clash dialogue early

    • Adjusted last hit animation when defeating your opponent with a jumping attack

    • Increased default combo damage scaling on sweep & fast knockdown reactions

    • Announcer will now say the Arena name after a Random Arena is selected

    • Fixed several situations where facial animations would get stuck in one pose for an extended period of time

    • Fixed several issues that could occur when defeating an endurance opponent

    • Fixed several visual issues in Test Your Might

    • Fixed several visual issues that could occur during victory cinematics

    • Fixed a rare issue which could cause Player Select to become unresponsive if both players input a specific sequence

    • Fix for several brutalities causing the game to become unresponsive under certain rare conditions

    • Fixed situation in which the Kameo could obstruct view of the main character during the Fatal Blow cinematic

    • Fixed a rare issue which could cause Fatal Blows on hit to briefly lose invulnerability before the cinematic begins

    • Fixed issue with Kameo Summons entering from the wrong side when called near the corner during specific situations

    • Removed the ability to perform a reversal without letting go of block

    • Removed a window where Ambush Attacks would be done during the last 3 frames of block stun

    • Fixed issue that when pressing Kameo input button at the same exact timing as an attack button causes one of the inputs to be ignored

    • Fixed issue with some cancels using Enhanced specials not executing properly when used at specific timing with a Kameo Ambush

    • Fatal Blows now use the correct reduced combo damage scaling

    • Fixed issue with certain Kameo attacks when used in a combo would prevent brutalities

    • Fixed specific situations where the character performing Breaker would instantly recover

    • Fixed issue which could cause multiple input Kameo moves preventing the main character from performing a special cancel

    • Flawless Block now also reduces Super Meter gained from blocked attacks as well as block damage

    • Fixed issue with several Kameo Projectiles that could cause the opponent to face the wrong direction when hit

    • Fixed certain Kameo attacks still able to be performed while the Kameo is in a knocked out / cooldown state

    Practice Mode


    • Fixed changes to Kontrols not working correctly when using playback recording

    • Block Type now appears when Damage Text is On if the attack does zero damage

    • Fixed rare issue that could cause the AI to do Getup/Reversals even when set to off

    • Fixed issue with Auto Block not functioning if Breaker Mode is set to On

    • Fixed UI issue that could cause Kustom Dummy settings to not update after using a Playback Recording

    • Jump Movement Mode now immediately jumps after recovery has ended from being hit

    Invasions


    • Fixed some camera positioning issues

    • Adjusted Armor on some common enemies

    • Super Armor no longer reduces damage

    • Reduced the chance for Ambushes to trigger

    • Players can now toggle to a faster navigation speed by pressing R3

    • Talismans now have 1 hit of Armor reduced reduced startup & recovery

    • Fixed an issue during kombat which could cause attacks to not hit when affected by Magic Aura Modifier

    • Fixed several lingering visual effect issues during kombat

    • Adjusted rotation of Hourly, Daily, & Weekly Towers in the Gateway Mesa

    • Fixed a UI issue with stats causing them to not properly display if increased above 254 points

    • Fixed a UI issue which would not correctly display the number of Ornate Keys available when opening a Locked Chest

    • Players can now use a Talisman while morphed into opponent as Shang Tsung

    • Fixed issue which sometimes allowed brutalities to be performed in endurance modes, causing incorrect animations to occur

    • Elemental Armor is now based on number of hits instead of damage (resisted damage doesn’t count as a hit, effective damage shatters it).

    Story Mode


    • Fixed several cutscene transition camera issues

    • Fixed visual and audio issues with several Timeline Invaders during Chapter 15

    • Ninja Mime Timeline Invader will no longer talk





    • Soaring Demon (Towards + Front Kick) can no longer be 2in1 cancelled when Up Blocked

    • Fixed visual issue that would cause the opponent to have an incorrect animation after being hit by Spirit Slice and not inputting any actions for a period of time



    • Stab Stab has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Chop Chop has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Adjusted Victim Regions when stand blocking & Up Blocking

    • Fixed several issues with Bleeding Foot (Back + Front Kick) which could cause him to go outside boundaries of the Arena, move to unexpected locations when it is interrupted, and causing characters to pass through with attacks



    • Fixed issue that could cause Axe to become permanently inactive if he loses a round while performing Axe Quake or Axe Recall

    • Fixed issue that could cause Axe to become permanently inactive if his opponent uses Shujinko’s Kopy Kat while it is planted from Power Strike

    • Fixed issue which was causing all special moves to do less block damage than expected

    • Fixed visual effects issue during Fatal Blow startup




    • Shattered Sands (Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Punch, Front Punch + Front Kick) has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • History Lesson has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Interrupting History Lesson now causes combo damage scaling to be applied

    • Fixed issue with Redo which could cause it to no longer rewind Geras to his marked location when he is hit after certain attacks

    • Fixed issue that allowed Geras to block during the recovery of Redo in certain situations

    • Fixed inconsistency with direction of hit reactions when Geras and Time Clone are on opposite sides of the opponent during Double Time

    • Fixed visual issue when Geras is defeated while using Redo

    • Fixed issue with glowing eye color not changing based on selected Palette

    • AI will now execute Time Klone attacks while Double Time is active



    • Blood Bath has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Interrupting Skab Stab now causes combo damage scaling to be applied

    • Fixed issue with Corpse Taunt which would allow the opponent to block follow-up attacks in certain circumstances

    • Corpse Taunt hit reaction will no longer execute if hitting the opponent while they are under the effects of Time Stop

    • Fixed several End of Round taunt visual issues





    • Fixed issue with Show Off that could cause Down + Back Punch attacks from some characters to recover excessively slow

    • Fixed repeating sound effect issue when Johnny Cage is selected as either character during Fatality Practice



    • Enhanced Spiritual Alignment used while Shujinko Mimic ancestor is active no longer allows two Ancestors to be active at the same time

    • Fixed visual issue with Kenshi’s sword not appearing as your Kustomized sword during Ancestral Assist

    • Fixed lingering visual issue with some End of Round taunts

    • Adjusted audio during Upper Gash (Jump + Back Punch)

    • Fixed Kameo UI flickering when Kameo Gauge is set to Refill in Practice Mode while Ancestor is active




    • Fancy Strike (Back + 1) hit reaction adjusted and now has positive hit advantage

    • High Heel (Front Kick) hit reaction adjusted and now has positive hit advantage



    • Hat Toss hit reaction adjusted and now has positive hit advantage when done up close

    • Downward Slice (Towards + Back Punch) no longer has 10 more frames of blockstun if Flawless Blocked compared to Regular Block

    • Slightly Increased combo damage scaling after Enhanced Shaolin Shimmy



    • Fixed lingering visual effects when Pankration Champion (Back Kick, Front Kick, Front Punch, Back Punch) is interrupted

    • Fixed visual effects flickering at the end of her victory screen



    • Ballerenal Failure (Back Punch, Front Punch, Front Punch + Front Kick) has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Enhanced Roll has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Fixed lingering visual effects after Roll is punished on block

    • Fixed incorrect death animation if a grounded opponent is defeated by The Right Sais (Back Punch, Front Punch)

    • Fixed mask clipping issues on several Palettes




    • Blood Sacrifice now does 5 damage (down from 50)

    • Fixed issue which was causing all special moves to do slightly less block damage than expected

    • Fixed issue that was causing Enhanced Air Dash to be used instead of Air Dash if hit by a Breaker or ending a combo under certain circumstances

    • Adjusted audio during Quick Taste



    • Lightning Strikes (Back + Back Punch) has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Shocker has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Increased combo damage scaling on Enhanced Shocker

    • Electric Fly has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Double Take (Jump + Front Punch, Front Kick, Back Kick) hit reaction adjusted

    • He Can Slap (Jump + Back Punch, Front Punch, Back Punch) hit reaction adjusted

    • Whirlwind (Jump + Back Punch, Back Punch, Back Kick) damage and hit reaction adjusted






    • Water Dragon (Jump + Front Punch, Back Kick, Back Punch) hit reaction adjusted

    • Rain God hit reaction adjusted

    • Fixed Overkast (Jump + Back Punch, Back Kick) & Drownpour (Jump + Back Punch, Back Kick, Front Kick) not allowing Kameo Ambushes or special cancels to be performed

    • Drizzle (Jump + Back Punch) is now vulnerable to Up Block

    • Fixed issue with Up Flow sometimes hitting behind Rain & can no longer sometimes cause a lingering hitbox when interrupted with specific timing

    • Fixed Rain God, Ancient Trap, Geyser & Enhanced Geyser not displaying Punish when hit during recovery frames

    • Fixed rare audio issue that could cause the opponent’s sound effects to be distorted for a short time if Rain’s Throw is interrupted



    • Savage Siege (Back Kick, Front Kick) hit reaction adjusted

    • Interrupting Pale Rider now causes combo damage scaling to be applied

    • Fixed issue with Full Cross (Jump + Back Punch) into Busted Knuckles (Front Punch) causing Straight Punch (Back Punch) to execute instead

    • Fixed rare issue that could cause the AI to get stuck endlessly jumping if Fatal Blow misses




    • Tipping The Scales (Jump + Front Punch, Back Punch) hit reaction adjusted

    • Death Roll has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Enhanced Invisibility now causes Reptile to become harder to see faster than Invisibility

    • Fixed issue which would prevent fatality attempt if last round is won by hitting a grounded opponent with Force Ball

    • Fixed incorrect blood color appearing when hit by certain attacks and brutalities



    • Burning Fist (Jump + Front Punch, Back Punch) hit reaction adjusted

    • Krushing Kunai (Jump + Front Punch, Front Kick) hit reaction adjusted

    • Fixed issue with rope disappearing if hit by a freeze reaction during various attacks


    • Fixed situation where Levitate used multiple times in a combo could lead into an attack becoming unblockable

    • Fixed visual issue when Fatal Blow hits the opponent close to the corner

    • Fixed missing visual effects on Brutality Victory pose

    • Adjusted audio during Inspire & Enhanced Inspire




    • Major Complications (Jump + Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Punch) hit reaction adjusted

    • Festering Wounds (Jump + Back Punch, Back Punch) hit reaction adjusted

    • Injection has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Ground Skull & (Air) Down Skull special moves build less Super Meter on hit

    • Invisibility moves used during Form Stealer will no longer sometimes prevent Shang Tsung from returning to his base form

    • The Klassic (Down + Back Punch) brutality can now be performed when morphed into opponent

    • Fixed face animations sometimes not working as intended when morphing into opponent

    • Fixed situations where incorrect animation when Old Form Shang Tsung is defeated by a Brutality

    • Fixed AI getting stuck in situations where they stay in Old Form or Young Form for the rest of the match



    • Smoke Bomb no longer ignores combo damage scaling on last hit

    • Jump Attacks after Enhanced Smoke-Port no longer have extra recovery occasionally

    • Fixed rare visual issue when doing special cancels which could cause blood effects to move erratically

    • Fixed rare visual issue with Smoke Bomb where Smoke briefly appears again after disappearing



    • Ice Klone will no longer disappear when teleported by his own Kameo

    • Fixed issue which could sometimes cause Kameo Wakeup or Kameo Reversal invulnerability visual effect to not appear

    • Fixed visual issues when hitting Kameos with Deadly Vapors



    • Piety (Front Punch, Back Punch, Back Punch) has slightly increased range, has 2 more active frames, recovers 2 frames faster on miss, and has a different hit reaction when hitting an airborne opponent

    • (Air) Heavenly Hand has increased hitbox when used in a combo, and hit reaction changed when hitting an airborne opponent

    • Brought Low (Front Kick, Front Punch + Front Kick) has increased combo damage scaling when hit out of synced animation

    • Message From Above (Back + Back Punch, Front Kick) is now vulnerable to Up Block

    • Fixed issue that could sometimes cause Spinning Splits Kick to pass through opponents

    • Heavenly Hand, Enhanced Heavenly Hand, (Air) Heavenly Hand and (Air) Enhanced Heavenly Hand are no longer throw immune during some recovery frames

    • Fixed Seeking Guidance, Heavenly Hand, Enhanced Heavenly Hand, (Air) Heavenly Hand and (Air) Enhanced Heavenly Hand not displaying Punish when hit during recovery frames

    • Fixed visual issues with Divine Protection while under the effects of Sub-Zero (Kameo)’s Arctic Armor

    • Fixed lingering visual effect issues that could sometimes occur after Seeking Guidance



    • Adjusted combo damage scaling on Kopter Chopper & Horizontal Kopter Chopper

    • Cancelling Kopter Chopper into Horizontal Kopter Chopper now costs 50% Kameo Gauge

    • Slightly faster Kameo Gauge recharge speed after Horizontal Kopter Chopper

    • Kopter Chopper & Horizontal Kopter Chopper will no longer sometimes cause the wrong reaction facing direction on hit

    • Fixed camera issues when using Kopter Chopper during some characters Throws




    • No longer lingers around if the round ends while he is waiting to perform Eat Dirt

    • Fixed clipping issues during forward throw on some Arenas



    • Fixed issue that could cause Ice Karpet to move the opponent high in the air if they are hit close to the ground in certain circumstances



    • Increased recharge delay of Raise the Roof when used more than once in the same combo



    • Slightly Increased recharge delay of Back Breaker when used more than once in the same combo



    • Slightly Increased recharge delay of Knife Toss when used more than once in the same combo



    • Adjusted the recharge rate of Buzz Saw

    • Buzz Saw will no longer sometimes cause the wrong reaction facing direction on hit

    • Spin no longer has incorrect hit reaction when done as a reversal

    • Fixed situation where Away We Go was used 3 times in a combo it could lead to an attack becoming unblockable



    • Fixed issue with Motaro could still be interacted by the opponent if they jump over Tail Shot

    • Punish message now appears if character is hit during the recovery of Charge! Fatal Blow

    • Fixed situation where if Centurian Warp was used 3 times in a combo it could lead to an attack becoming unblockable



    • Increased recharge delay of Kia’s Blades when used more than once in the same combo

    • Fixed issue allowing opponent to gain Super Meter while being hit by Jataaka’s Kurse

    • Fixed long delay that could sometimes occur after Sareena performs her End of Round Taunt



    • Increased recharge delay of Fire Breath when used more than once in the same combo



    • Increased recharge delay of Up Rocket & Homing Rocket when used more than once in the same combo

    • Fixed Rare visual issues during Fatal Blow



    • Slightly increased recharge delay of Square Wave & Leg Grab when used more than once in the same combo




    • Increased recharge delay of Low Grenade Toss & High Grenade Toss when used more than once in the same combo

    • Low Grenade Toss & High Grenade Toss will no longer sometimes cause the wrong reaction facing direction on hit



    • Kopy Kat Ice Slide (Sub-Zero) now does 110 (up from 30)

    • Mimic Time Stop (Geras) will now cause an alternate hit reaction if the victim has already been hit by Time Stop in the same combo

    • Mimic Stab Stab (Baraka) now does correct damage to an airborne opponent

    • Roll (Mileena), Drill Kick (Tanya), Charging Pain (Reiko), and Sand-Nado (Geras) will no longer sometimes cause alternate hit reactions when used in certain combos with Shujinko’s Mimic

    • Fixed using Smoke’s Invisibility followed by Fatal Blow causing lingering invisibility proceeded by re-appearing with no visual effects

    • Shujinko morphing into a Shang Tsung opponent’s Kameo will no longer cause himself to get stuck near the corner in certain rare situations

    • Fixed visual issue when performing Kopy Kat against Havik

    • Fixed issue during endurance fights which could cause Kopy Kat and Mimic to not work as intended after the first opponent







    Source

  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Everything You Need to Know

    Qualcomm has finally unveiled its flagship mobile chipset, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, at the annual Snapdragon Summit 2023. This chip is going to power most of the top-tier Android smartphones in 2024. But has the chip maker done anything new with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3? Are we finally going to experience the power of Nuvia-designed cores on Android smartphones? To find out answers to all these questions, let’s go through everything we know about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Specifications

    CPU Octa-core, Kryo CPU
    CPU Cores 1x 3.3GHz (Cortex-X4)
    3x 3.2GHz (Cortex-A720)
    2x 3.0GHz (Cortex-A720)
    2x 2.3GHz (Cortex-A520)
    Process Technology TSMC’s 4nm process
    GPU New Adreno GPU
    Unreal Engine Global Illumination
    Memory Support LPDDR5X, up to 4.8GHz
    Machine Learning and AI New Hexagon AI Engine
    Generates up to 20 tokens per second
    Run on-device AI models
    ISP New Cognitive ISP
    Camera Capability Semantic Segmentation up to 12 layers
    Dual Camera experience
    Dolby HDR Capture
    Video Capability Night Vision for Darker scenes
    Modem Snapdragon X75 5G modem
    Up to 10 Gbps Peak Download
    Up to 3.5 Gbps Peak Upload
    Wi-Fi Support Wi-Fi 7
    Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.4
    LE Audio
    aptX Lossless
    Others AV1 Codec Support
    NavIC Support
    Snapdragon Seamless

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: CPU

    First off, let’s talk about the CPU. Qualcomm has gone with a traditional octa-core design and packed Kryo cores on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It means Android smartphones this year won’t be running the newer Nuvia-designed Oryon cores available on the Snapdragon X Elite. However, the company has used all the latest ARM cores on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The chip is also fabricated on TSMC’s 4nm process node.

    snapdragon 8 gen 3 cpu cluster design

    The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 features a single prime core, the Cortex-X4 with a max clock speed of 3.3GHz along with 3x Cortex-A720 cores clocked at 3.2GHz and 2x Cortex-A720 cores clocked slightly lower at 3.0GHz. Finally, we have 2x Cortex-A520 cores clocked at 2.3GHz. This time around, Qualcomm has surprisingly used the performance cores, the Cortex-A720 at two different frequencies – 3.2GHz and 3.0GHz, which has not been seen before. It means in multi-core performance, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is likely to perform better.

    For the 8 Gen 3, the CPU core cluster design is 1+(3+2)+2, and Qualcomm has completely dropped support for 32-bit architecture. As per the company, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 brings around 30% performance improvement and is 20% more efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which is significant

    Overall, I would say the CPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is plenty powerful and a sizeable upgrade over the 8 Gen 2. Sure, it doesn’t come close to Apple’s latest A-series chips in terms of single-core tasks, but hopefully with Nuvia cores next year, Qualcomm will be able to take the lead on that front as well.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Geekbench Score (Leaked)

    In a leaked Geekbench 6 score of Xiaomi 14, which is launching on October 26 and will be the first phone to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the single-core score stands at 2207 and the multi-core score goes up to a whopping 7494 points. We need to wait for more test results to ascertain these numbers, but yes, the multi-core score seems very promising.

    • snapdragon 8 gen 3 geekbench score
    • snapdragon 8 gen 3 geekbench score

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Adreno GPU

    In the GPU department, the Adreno 740 GPU on the previous year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 had already set the benchmark as the best mobile GPU across the ecosystem. And this year, Qualcomm is again set to redefine GPU performance and efficiency with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It’s not calling the new GPU, Adreno 750, but simply calling it a new Adreno GPU.

    unreal engine 5 lumen system on snapdragon 8 gen 3

    The new Adreno GPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 brings 25% faster performance and 25% better power efficiency. The GPU seems to be running at 903MHz, just like before so the efficiency improvement is noteworthy. Other than that, the new Adreno GPU brings support for 240FPS gaming for 240Hz displays. It has also upgraded the Adreno Frame Motion Engine to 2.0 (AFME 2.0) to generate frames in real-time from 60FPS to 120FPS.

    Qualcomm already brought support for HW-accelerated Ray Tracing last year. And now, to make the gaming experience even more visually pleasing, it has added support for the Unreal Engine 5 Lumen system with Global Illumination. This will make the light reflections realistic and accurate, identical to console-level graphics. To sum up, the new Adreno GPU on the SD 8 Gen 3 has seen a nice improvement in both performance and efficiency and we can’t wait to test it out.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: AI and ML

    As touted by Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is all about AI this year. The chip maker has partnered with Meta to deliver an on-device, private AI experience to users using the Llama 2 model. Users will be able to run AI models locally on their latest 8 Gen 3-powered devices. You can run 3B to 13B models locally on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, confirms Qualcomm. While running a 7B Llama 2 model, the new Hexagon AI Engine can generate up to 20 tokens per second.

    The fastest LPDDR5X memory is always available to the NPU to load models and seamlessly run them on the device. The new Hexagon AI Engine is also 98% faster and 40% more efficient than the NPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It can generate images in less than 1 second, which is remarkable for a smartphone SoC.

    hexagon NPU on the snapdragon 8 gen 3

    Not just Meta’s Llama 2, you can run over 20 AI models optimized for Qualcomm’s AI stack. It can also run OpenAI’s Whisper model for voice assistance. Qualcomm is touting Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 as the first mobile SoC to support multi-modality. With the CPU, NPU, GPU, LPDDR5X memory, and Qualcomm Sensing Hub working together, it can process text, images, and speech as well.

    Qualcomm says the Hexagon NPU can be used for delivering an on-device personalized AI experience. For example — you can ask the AI assistant to plan a trip, and it can take data from your location, sensors, age, etc., and come up with a plan that suits you.

    Overall, I think the ability to run on-device AI models is a huge step in making the whole AI experience private and personalized. After the GPU, the Hexagon AI Engine on the 8 Gen 3 seems to be the most powerful co-processor.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: ISP

    The ISP on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has also seen a huge upgrade, thanks to the AI units working in tandem with the ISP. Qualcomm introduced triple-ISP architecture last year, and now it has taken the Cognitive ISP architecture to the next level. It can now perform real-time semantic segmentation up to 12 layers to isolate different parts of the images and apply colors accordingly.

    Not only that, the new ISP can remove objects from captured videos as well, which is absolutely great. In addition, it can expand captured photos with the help of AI on your device and change backgrounds in images as well. The best part here is that the ISP can run small neural networks in real-time and process darker videos to make them brighter and color-accurate without any noise. Qualcomm is calling it Night Vision for video capture. You can process videos up to 4K 30FPS.

    ISP features on the snapdragon 8 gen 3

    Along with that, the ISP can also handle dual cameras at once and brings something called a “Vlogger’s view“. You can use both front and back cameras to create vlogs with much ease. Finally, it also brings support for Dolby HDR capture which has over 1 billion shades of color and supports 10-bit color depth. JPEG can only process 16.7 million shades of color.

    And in this age of AI, Qualcomm is taking the right step to maintain transparency and authenticity for photos captured on its mobile platform. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is C2PA-compliant and can hardware-assign metadata information if the image has been manipulated using AI tools.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Connectivity and Other Features

    With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm is using its latest Snapdragon X75 5G modem. It can deliver 10Gbps download speeds and 3.5Gbps upload speeds. In addition, you get Wi-Fi 7 support with speeds up to 5.8Gbps and supports Bluetooth 5.4 and LE. Qualcomm has also introduced Snapdragon Seamless which would work with PC chips like Snapdragon X Elite for seamless file sharing, screen mirroring, etc. between Android and Windows laptops.

    So that is everything you need to know about Qualcomm’s latest mobile chipset for Android smartphones. It’s a very powerful chip but falls behind on single-threaded CPU workloads if we compare it with Apple’s A-series chips. Besides that, the GPU, NPU, ISP, and other aspects have seen great improvements with impressive power efficiency. Now, it depends on OEMs on how they are going to leverage these hardware features to offer a smarter experience.

    At the event, Qualcomm also unveiled the Snapdragon X Elite chipset with new Oryon cores based on Nuvia’s technology for Windows PCs. But what do you think about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

    Arjun Sha

    902 Posts

    Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.

    Source

  • Google is preparing a feature to hide your IP in Chrome

    In the realm of secure web browsers and user privacy, Google Chrome hasn’t always been the first choice. For years, it lagged behind alternatives like Brave and Firefox in terms of privacy features. Yet, it remains the most widely used web browser. Users have long hoped for improvements that prioritize their privacy, and Google seems to be answering that call.

    Discover how Google Chrome is improving online privacy with its new IP Protection feature

    Chrome Incognito Android

    The latest addition in Google’s efforts to enhance Chrome’s privacy features is ‘IP Protection.’ This innovative feature aims to shield users’ IP addresses through proxy servers. Our IP address, a fundamental identifier of both our device and location, can pose a significant security risk if used improperly.

    IP addresses serve as the backbone for websites and online services to track user behavior, creating digital profiles used for targeted advertising. This raises substantial privacy concerns, as bypassing this tracking without third-party tools is not as straightforward as dealing with third-party cookies (if you’re cautious).

    Google recognizes the need to balance user privacy with essential functionalities while navigating the web. Their solution involves disguising the user’s IP address by redirecting traffic from specific third-party domains through proxy servers, effectively rendering the IP address invisible to these domains.

    It’s essential to note that IP addresses have pivotal roles in traffic routing, fraud prevention, and various other functions. Thus, Google has designed a system that thwarts tracking while preserving the critical functions of IP addresses.

    This feature, formerly known as ‘Gnatcatcher,’ is part of Google’s ‘The Privacy Sandbox’ toolkit. Its purpose is clearly stated: “protecting users against tracking between sites through IP addresses.”

    In the initial stages, the use of this proxy will be optional for users, and its implementation will occur gradually. Google aims to facilitate a phased approach, ensuring each region adapts to this innovation at its own pace. Initially, only domains within third-party contexts will be affected, with a focus on known tracking domains.

    Find out how Google Chrome is prioritizing user privacy by introducing IP Protection

    Chrome incognito mode

    The initial phase will involve Google directing requests exclusively to its own domains via a proprietary proxy. This setup allows Google to test the system’s infrastructure and assess the list of domains comprehensively.

    Initially, only users with a Google Chrome account and US-based IP addresses will have access to these proxy servers. A limited number of users will participate in the testing phase, and the system is expected to evolve as the testing progresses.

    To prevent misuse of this feature, Google will issue proxy access tokens through its authentication server. Additionally, Google is exploring the adoption of a double-hop proxy system, routing traffic through two distinct servers to heighten user privacy.

    Since many services rely on IP-based location information, Google plans to assign approximate and non-specific IP addresses to these proxy connections.

    Domains such as Gmail and AdServices will be among the platforms where Google tests this feature. The testing phase is anticipated to occur between Chrome versions 119 and 225, indicating that widespread adoption is still some ways off. Furthermore, the standardization of this system is far from guaranteed.

    Google acknowledges potential security vulnerabilities, especially concerning DDoS attacks. Since traffic is redirected through the proxy and Google servers, blocking DDoS attacks or detecting invalid traffic may become more challenging. In the event of a compromise in any Google proxy server, attackers could potentially observe and manipulate all traffic passing through it.

    To address these concerns, Google is considering authentication requirements for users of this feature, making it harder for proxy servers to link web requests to specific accounts. They are also contemplating implementing limitations to prevent DDoS attacks, ensuring that user security remains a top priority.

    Gizchina News of the week


    Q/A

    Google Chrome

    What is IP Protection?

    IP Protection is a new feature in Google Chrome that masks the IP address of users through proxy servers. This means that websites and online services will not be able to see the user’s actual IP address, making it more difficult for them to track and identify the user.

    Why is IP Protection important?

    IP addresses are unique identifiers that can be used to track users’ online activity and location. This information can be in use by advertisers and other companies to target users with personalized ads and to create digital profiles of their interests. IP addresses can also be in use to commit fraud and other crimes.

    How does IP Protection work?

    When IP Protection is on, Chrome will redirect traffic from certain third-party domains through proxy servers. This means that the user’s IP address will be hidden from these domains. Chrome will still send the user’s IP address to trusted websites, such as Google’s own websites.

    Which domains will be affected by IP Protection?

    Initially, IP Protection will only affect domains that are popular to track users. Google will gradually expand the list of domains that are affected by IP Protection over time.

    How can I enable IP Protection?

    IP Protection is not yet available to the public. Google is currently testing the feature with a small number of users in the United States. Google plans to roll out IP Protection to more users in the future.

    Are there any security risks associated with IP Protection?

    Yes, there are some potential security risks associated with IP Protection. One risk is that attackers could compromise a Google proxy server and see and manipulate all traffic passing through it. Another risk is that IP Protection could make it more difficult for fraud and protection services to block DDoS attacks and detect invalid traffic.

    How is Google addressing these security risks?

    Google is considering requiring users of IP Protection to authenticate with the proxy, preventing proxy servers from being able to link web requests to specific accounts, and introducing limitations to prevent DDoS attacks.

    When will IP Protection be available to the public?

    Google has not yet announced a release date for IP Protection. However, the company is currently testing the feature with a small number of users in the United States.

    Additional Information

    Google Chrome IP Protection is a new feature that masks the IP address of users through proxy servers. This feature will protect users’ privacy and make it more difficult for websites and online services to track them. IP Protection is still under development, but it will launch to the public in the future.

    • IP Protection is optional for users.
    • IP Protection will be available in phases, starting with a small number of users in the United States.
    • IP Protection will only affect certain third-party domains at first.
    • Google plans to assign approximate and non-specific locations to proxy connections.
    • Google is considering requiring users of IP Protection to authenticate with the proxy.
    • Google is also considering introducing limitations to prevent DDoS attacks.

    Security Vulnerabilities

    • Attackers could compromise a Google proxy server and see and manipulate all traffic passing through it.
    • IP Protection could make it more difficult for fraud and protection services to block DDoS attacks and detect invalid traffic.

    Google’s Response to Security Vulnerabilities

    • Google is considering requiring users of IP Protection to authenticate with the proxy.
    • Google is preventing proxy servers from being able to link web requests to specific accounts.
    • Google is introducing limitations to prevent DDoS attacks.



    Source

  • New exploit in Mortal Kombat 1 has General Shao lowering his hurtbox considerably by shrinking into the ground





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    In the previous version of Mortal Kombat 1, it was possible to use an exploit against General Shao that removed access to his ax stance by using Shujinko as a Kameo. Before the patch could be released, ECT 2023 had the ruling that players were not permitted to use Shujinko against General Shao users.






    Fortunately, the latest patch for Mortal Kombat 1 fixed this issue (we still don’t have patch notes). However, it turns out that this patch produced a brand new exploit that involves General Shao that the developers will once again need to address at some point.









    Unlike the last exploit, this is actually an advantageous position for General Shao. A clip of it occurring has been posted by M_Is_For_Machete.


    For whatever reason, General Shao sinks into the ground, reducing the visibility of his legs. This isn’t just a graphical bug as it hilariously affects General Shao’s hurtbox.


    Needless to say, the Kenshi player in the clip was having a difficult time blocking General Shao’s overhead. Funnily enough, it’s hard to blame him considering that the ax was actually swinging for the Kenshi’s legs.


    Check it out in the clip below:





    Source

  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs Apple A17 Pro: The Battle of the Titans

    After the announcement of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, all eyes are on Qualcomm and whether it can finally beat Apple in the chip race. The Apple A17 Pro was released a month ago, and now that we have the latest flagship chip from Qualcomm, it is time to pit them against each other. In this comparison between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and A17 Pro, we compare their performance improvements in CPU, GPU, NPU, ISP, Modem, and more.

    We have also included Geekbench benchmarks for both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple A17 Pro. So without wasting any time, let’s go through the in-depth comparison.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs A17 Pro: Specifications

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Apple A17 Pro
    CPU Octa-core, Kryo CPU Six-core CPU, 19 billion transistors
    CPU Cores 1x 3.3GHz (Cortex-X4)
    3x 3.2GHz (Cortex-A720)
    2x 3.0GHz (Cortex-A720)
    2x 2.3GHz (Cortex-A520)    		 2x 3.78 GHz High-performance cores
    4x 2.11GHz High-efficiency cores
    Process Technology TSMC’s 4nm process TSMC’s 3nm process (N3B)
    GPU New Adreno GPU (750?)
    Unreal Engine Global Illumination    		 Apple Pro-class 6-core GPU
    Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing
    Memory Support LPDDR5X, up to 4.8GHz LPDDR5
    Machine Learning and AI New Hexagon AI Engine 16-core Neural Engine; 35 TOPS
    ISP New Cognitive ISP Apple-designed Image Signal Processor
    Camera Capability Semantic Segmentation up to 12 layers
    Dual Camera experience
    Dolby HDR Capture    		 ProRAW photos at 48MP
    Photonic Engine
    Video Capability Night Vision for Darker scenes 4K60 ProRes videos
    Spatial video recording
    4K HDR Dolby Vision @ 60FPS
    Cinematic 4K@24FPS
    Action mode
    Modem Snapdragon X75 5G modem
    Up to 10 Gbps Peak Download
    Up to 3.5 Gbps Peak Upload    		 Snapdragon X70 5G modem
    Up to 10 Gbps Peak Download
    Up to 3.5 Gbps Peak Upload
    Wi-Fi Support Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 6E
    Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.4, LE Audio
    Dual Bluetooth Antenna
    aptX Lossless    		 Bluetooth 5.3
    Others AV1 Codec Support
    NavIC Support
    Snapdragon Seamless    		 AV1 Decoder
    ProRes codec
    Pro display engine
    NavIC Support

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs A17 Pro: CPU

    Let’s first compare the CPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple A17 Pro. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is fabricated on TSMC’s 4nm process node and has an octa-core design. It is using upgraded Kryo cores, but in terms of core cluster design, Qualcomm has done something different this year. The American chip maker has used a single prime core (Cortex-X4 clocked at 3.3GHz), 3x Cortex-A720 cores clocked at 3.2GHz, 2x Cortex-A720 cores clocked slightly below at 3.0GHz, and 2x Cortex-A520 cores clocked at 2.3GHz.

    snapdragon 8 gen 3 cpu core design
    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

    It’s using a total of five Cortex-A720 cores, all clocked at 3.0GHz and above. The Cortex-A520 cores have been reduced to just two cores. It seems ARM’s performance cores have gotten good at both performance and efficiency. Qualcomm states the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is 30% faster and 20% more efficient than its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

    Moving to the Apple A17 Pro, it’s built on TSMC’s 3nm process node, which allows Apple to pack more than 19 billion transistors on a single die. Unlike 8Gen3’s 8-core CPU, the A17 Pro has a 6-core CPU with 2x high-performance cores clocked at a mighty 3.78GHz and 4x high-efficiency cores clocked at 2.11GHz. From the CPU cluster design, you can gauge that Apple has an impressive big core that has a max frequency much higher than the Cortex-X4.

    a17 pro cpu core design

    A17 Pro is bound to score much higher than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in single-core tests. However, in multi-core tests, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is on par with the A17 Pro, as it appears from the leaked Geekbench listing.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs A17 Pro: Geekbench Score

    In a leaked Geekbench 6 listing of the upcoming Xiaomi 14, which is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it scores 2207 in the single-core test and 7494 in the multi-core test. In comparison, the A17 Pro scores 2897 in single-threaded tasks and 7261 in multi-threaded tasks. Clearly, the new CPU cluster designed by Qualcomm has done a remarkable job for multi-threaded workloads.

    SoC Single-core (Geekbench 6) Multi-core (Geekbench 6)
    Apple A17 Pro 2897 7261
    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (Leaked) 2207 7494
    geekbench comparison between snapdragon 8 gen 3 and a17 pro

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs A17 Pro: GPU

    In the graphics department, the new Adreno GPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has gotten a nice upgrade this year and most importantly, it has become even more efficient. As per Qualcomm, the new Adreno GPU is 25% more powerful & 25% more efficient than last year’s 8 Gen 2 chipset. The Adreno 740 GPU on 8Gen2 has already matched Apple’s GPU performance at a much lower power. And now with the performance bump and efficiency, the new Adreno GPU is likely to deliver better results.

    unreal engine 5 lumen system on snapdragon 8 gen 3
    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

    Apart from that, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 now supports the Unreal Engine 5 Lumen system with Global Illumination. It will result in better and more accurate reflections, similar to console-level graphics. Besides that, the Adreno GPU supports HW-accelerated Ray Tracing and has introduced a new Adreno Frame Motion Engine (AFME 2.0) to upscale 60FPS graphics to 120FPS in real-time. Not to forget, it brings support for a 240Hz display so 240FPS gaming won’t be a problem on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

    Apple, on the other hand, moved to a 6-core GPU design with the A17 Pro based on the new Shader architecture. Apple has also brought hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing support to make the gameplay console-level. You can play AAA games like Resident Evil Village, Death Stranding, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, etc. on your latest iPhone 15 Pro models. Similar to Snapdragon’s AFME, Apple has brought MetalFX Upscaling to boost the frame rate on the A17 Pro.

    a17 pro gpu specs
    A17 Pro

    That said, many tests point out that the new 6-core GPU falls short in terms of efficiency. It draws close to 11W of power to match the peak performance that the 8 Gen 2’s Adreno 740 GPU can deliver at just 8W. However, in ray-tracing graphics tests, the A17 Pro performs much better than the Adreno GPU. We need to perform more tests to find the GPU performance difference between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and A17 Pro. However, if we go by Qualcomm’s numbers, it looks like the new Adreno GPU is going to outclass Apple’s 6-core GPU again.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs A17 Pro: AI and ML

    Qualcomm has done a fantastic job this year to bring generative AI capabilities to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It has built a new Hexagon AI Engine that is 98% faster and 40% more efficient than the previous-generation NPU. Qualcomm says its new AI Engine can run AI models locally and generate up to 20 tokens per second.

    The new Hexagon NPU can run 3B to 13B AI models on the device and deliver a private and personalized experience. It has partnered with Meta to use its Llama 2 model commercially on 8 Gen 3-powered devices. Apart from that, you can run other AI models optimized for the Snapdragon platform.

    hexagon npu on the snapdragon 8 gen 3
    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

    Besides that, in terms of image synthesis, the Hexagon AI co-processor can generate images in less than one second which is quite impressive. Qualcomm says its NPU can also process multi-modal data using the CPU, GPU, NPU, fast memory, and Qualcomm Sensing Hub to offer a personalized AI experience.

    Apple has also done a remarkable job with the A17 Pro in the AI and ML department. Its 16-core Neural Engine now offers 2x better performance than the previous-generation AI engine. It can effectively perform 35 trillion operations per second (TOPS), which is surely amazing. We don’t know the TOPS figure of the 8 Gen 3, but the Hexagon AI Engine on the Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm’s latest chip designed for PCs, can perform 45 TOPS.

    a17 pro tops figure
    A17 Pro

    Qualcomm has again said that both platforms have different AI Engines so yeah, we can’t compare both numbers. However, it seems like both Apple and Qualcomm are fighting neck and neck in the race to become the hardware platform to run AI models.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs A17 Pro: ISP

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3’s ISP has become pretty smart this year. Qualcomm is calling it Cognitive ISP which can perform real-time semantic segmentation up to 12 layers. It can isolate the subjects and various scenes from the image and apply accurate colors to match the scene. Other than that, it can remove objects from captured videos, expand captured photos using AI, boost the brightness and clarity in dark videos using Night Vision AI, and much more.

    snapdragon 8 gen 3 ISP capabilities
    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

    Along with that, you get simultaneous front and back camera support to record your vlogging experience. Qualcomm has also brought Dolby HDR photo capture which has over 1 billion shades of color, in comparison to JPEG’s 16.7 shades of color.

    Moving to A17 Pro’s ISP, well, you can shoot 4K 60FPS ProRes videos, ProRAW images, and even Spatial videos which can be viewed on the Apple Vision Pro. It has a capable ISP that works in tandem with the Photonic Engine to offer sharp and accurate images. Overall, both ISPs are quite powerful, but 8 Gen 3’s AI-infused ISP makes a case for itself.

    Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vs A17 Pro: Connectivity

    On the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm is using its in-house Snapdragon X75 5G modem. It delivers peak download speeds of up to 10Gbps and upload speeds of up to 3.5Gbps. For local connectivity, it’s equipped with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and LE.

    Apple A17 Pro uses Qualcomm’s X70 5G modem, however, it’s a discrete modem whereas the 8 Gen 3 has an integrated modem in place. Along with that, you will get Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support. So in terms of connectivity, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and A17 Pro are on almost equal footing.

    The Verdict: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or A17 Pro?

    Looking at the on-paper specs, it looks like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has received significant upgrades in all aspects. While it can’t beat the Apple A17 Pro in single-threaded CPU tasks, in multi-core CPU tasks, it has breached Apple’s fortress. Add an efficient GPU, powerhouse AI Engine, AI-powered ISP, latest connectivity options, and you get an overall great package.

    Having said that, we need to perform more tests and monitor real-life performance to fully conclude our judgment. So stay tuned as we bring you more benchmark figures for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Meanwhile, you can go through our comparison of the Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and share your opinion in the comment section below.

    Arjun Sha

    902 Posts

    Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.

    Source

  • Vivo V29e International Variant Debuts with Many Changes

    In August of this year, Vivo released the V29e in India. It came with a Snapdragon 695 SoC and a 64 MP camera on the back. Now, the brand has launched a new version for the international market.

    From the front, the Indian and international versions of the Vivo V29e might seem like the same phones. But there are some differences between the two. These differences range from the display to the battery capacity to the processor clock speed.

    Main Differences Between Vivo V29e International and Indian Versions

    The screen is the first noticeable change in the international version of Vivo V29e. While the Indian version came with a 6.78-inch panel, the international one sports a smaller 6.67-inch screen. There’s a difference in terms of peak brightness. The international version has a rating of 1150 NITS, while the Indian version features 1300 NITS.

    India vs International V29e

    Gizchina News of the week


    Moreover, the international variant doesn’t have support for HDR10+ and 1 billion colors. But both the Vivo V29e versions have AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rate. Also, both of them feature an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication.

    The battery capacity is also different between the Vivo V29e variants. The Indian model features a 5000mAh battery, while the other comes with a 4800mAh cell. But the good news is that both have the same wired charging speed at 44W.

    Camera Setup Vivo V29e international

    Besides, there are some changes in the camera configuration of the two Vivo V29e versions. The Indian version has a 64 MP shooter with OIS, 8 MP ultrawide, and a 50MP selfie sensor on the front. On the other hand, the international variant has the same configuration, but the aperture of the primary and selfie sensors is different.

    Also, the international variant of the Vivo V29e has a circular smart Aura Light flash. Vivo made some changes to the processor too. The Snapdragon 695 in the international version is closed a bit higher. It also gets an IP54 rating, but there’s no microSD card slot.



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  • Nintendo’s new Community Tournament Guidelines for ‘community tournaments’ sound incredibly restrictive for the competitive scene





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    Though Nintendo has plenty of fans around the world, they don’t exactly have the best reputation when it comes to the support of the competitive scenes surrounding their games. This is especially true with the Super Smash Bros. community.






    Earlier today, Nintendo Japan’s Twitter and the official Nintendo UK website posted new Community Tournament Guidelines. However, it should be noted that there’s yet to be a post about this on the Nintendo of America Twitter, Nintendo Versus Twitter account, or Nintendo US website, sparking confusion about the whole thing.









    “Thank you for sharing your passion for Nintendo’s games, characters and worlds,” begins the guidelines’ statement on the Nintendo UK website. “Nintendo cares about the community and would like to support individuals who want to celebrate that passion by creating memorable co-operative and competitive play experiences. At the same time, we want to ensure that fans who are doing so are engaging with our games, characters, and worlds in a way that positively supports other fans, players and Nintendo.”


    “In that spirit, we have created guidelines for individual [organizers] to follow when hosting not-for-profit, small scale community tournaments (Community Tournaments) involving games for which Nintendo owns the copyright (Nintendo games),” continued the statement. “Please [familiarize] yourself with the guidelines below before planning a Community Tournament.”


    Later in the guidelines, it’s stated that the types of tournaments not permitted by these guidelines are the following: for-profit tournaments, online tournaments that collect admission fees from spectators, tournaments that requires a subscription or membership to participate, tournaments in which participants are paid a “performance fee,” tournaments that receive goods or money from third-party sponsors, and tournaments that involve the sale of food, beverages, and merchandise.


    Additionally, for a tournament to fall into these guidelines, offline events can’t have more than 200 entrants while online events can’t have more than 300. However, Nintendo does note that a tournament organizer may divide their event into separate blocks that can be held each day, so long as the number of players participating during a day or block does not exceed the restriction.


    The guidelines also dictate that tournament organizers “may not generate commercial revenue except as permitted by these guidelines” which include “[organizers] collecting fees must publicly disclose all accounting related to the costs of hosting the event promptly, including entry fees, admission fees and prizes distributed by posting them on a website and/or on social media accessible to everyone” and “only with the prior consent from participants can [organizers monetize] posting of videos, still images, etc., related to Community Tournaments on personal accounts.”


    Nintendo also notes that spectators at an offline event cannot be charged more than £14 / €15 (about $15.88 to $17.00) per person, and organizers cannot earn more than equivalent of £9,000 / €10,000 over the course of a 12-month period through monetization of videos and images related to the event.


    Nintendo also preemptively answered questions that they were expecting as a response to these new guidelines. Here are a few of the more peculiar questions and answers:


    A1. A Community Tournament permitted by these guidelines must meet the following requirements:

    • Nintendo’s copyrighted games will be used in the tournament

    • It is a tournament organised by individuals

    • It is a tournament in which players, as individuals, or non-profit teams, are Participants

    • It is a not-for-profit tournament (for-profit tournaments include not only those where organisers or persons running the tournament seek to receive direct benefits, such as money, or indirect benefits through advertising and promotion but also those that benefit third parties.)

    • It is a small-scale gaming tournament with 300 or fewer Participants for online tournaments, or 200 or fewer Participants for in-person tournaments


    A3. Tournaments that are not permitted by these guidelines include, but are not limited to the below:

    • For-profit tournaments (these are not permitted under these guidelines, even if they only charge entry fees and admission fees below the amounts specified in these guidelines)

    • Online tournaments that collect admission fees from Spectators

    • Tournaments that make it a condition of entry in tournaments or viewing tournaments to subscribe to or follow a YouTube channel, an X account, or any other streaming channel or social media account, or subscribe to a paid membership

    • Tournaments in which Participants are paid a performance fee or other expenses

    • Tournaments that receive goods or money from third parties, such as sponsors

    • Tournaments involving the sale of food, beverages, or merchandise

    Please note that Nintendo does not currently grant permission for individuals to [organize] commercial tournaments. We ask for your understanding.


    A4. When organizing in-person Community Tournaments that collect admission fees, please set the maximum number of Spectators in advance, and ensure that the actual number of Spectators does not exceed the maximum. Please ensure that the amount obtained by multiplying the maximum number of Spectators by the per capita admission fee will not exceed the cost of setting up the tournament. In the unlikely event that the total amount of admission fees collected exceeds the cost of the tournament setup, the excess amount must be returned to the Spectators who paid the fee.


    A7. For posting or livestreaming Community Tournament-related content, such as videos and still images that use footage and screenshots captured from Nintendo games, to personal accounts on appropriate video- and image-sharing sites, or [monetizing] your posts, please obtain permission from the Participants beforehand and refer to the Nintendo Game Content Guidelines for Online Video & Image Sharing Platforms in addition to these guidelines. If you decide to [monetize] your Community Tournament-related posts, such as videos and still images, based on the Nintendo Game Content Guidelines for Online Video & Image Sharing Platforms, please be aware of the limits on the total amount of revenue that you can earn from your posts, as stated in these guidelines.

    Please note that Community Tournaments and Nintendo games cannot be used to advertise or promote any entity, products or services, or that promote any campaigns or initiatives based on personal or [organized] opinions, ideologies or beliefs. Therefore, with the exception of advertisements added by content distribution platforms such as YouTube, please ensure that ads (in particular, third-party advertisements and logos) do not appear in the videos, still images, etc., that you share.


    A11. Currently, we do not grant permission for individuals to [organize] tournaments with more than 300 Participants in an online tournament or more than 200 Participants in an in-person tournament. We appreciate your understanding. If you would like to [organize] a tournament that exceeds the cap, please consider dividing it into blocks, as described in Q12. If you want to host a tournament using Nintendo games as an [organization], such as a club, please apply apply for a [license] as described in Q14.


    Q12. The total number of Participants across all blocks is expected to be over 300 in my online tournament (or over 200 in my in-person tournament). If a tournament is divided into blocks, such as Block A, Block B, and so on, and the total number of Participants in the blocks held on the same day does not exceed 300 people for online tournaments or 200 people for in-person tournaments, can I still host a Community Tournament based on these guidelines?

    A12. These guidelines permit a community tournament divided into blocks, hosted by a single [organizer], as long as the total number of Participants per day does not exceed 300 for online tournaments and 200 for in-person tournaments. For example, in a tournament [organized] by a single [organizer], if there are 100 Participants in Block A, 150 Participants in Block B, and 80 Participants in Block C, hosting Block A and Block B tournaments on the same day is not allowed under these guidelines since the total number of Participants in a day will exceed 200.

    However, these guidelines permit hosting Block A and B tournaments on different days since the total number of Participants in a day will not exceed 200 on either day. Hosting Block A and Block C tournaments on the same day is permitted under these guidelines because the total number of Participants in a day would not exceed 200.


    A13. School clubs are [organizations]; however, they may conduct competitions without requiring a [license], as long as the following conditions are met and they adhere to the stipulations within these guidelines.

    Participation in the tournament will not be open to the public, and the Participants will be limited to the members of the school club.

    The game tournament can be a standalone head-to-head competition between up to two schools, but will not involve three or more schools, and the tournament will not serve for ranking or qualification for a later tournament or championship.

    Any tournaments that meet the above conditions could use the names of the two participating schools or school clubs in their name as long as the schools agree. If the above does not apply to your tournament, or if you are an [organization] other than a school, such as a neighborhood association, please apply as specified in Q14. If an individual wishes to use the name of a school or company in the name of a Community Tournament [organized] by the individual, please see Q5. Schools can also register with and participate in tournaments hosted by licensed partners of Nintendo.


    Q19. I’m planning to organise a game tournament, and I made an announcement about it before these guidelines were released. However, Q14 of the guidelines states that I would need to make a separate application and obtain permission to conduct my tournament. The tournament is scheduled to take place after the effective date of these guidelines. Do I need to make a separate application to obtain permission?

    A19. For information on whether or not a separate application is required, please see below:

    • Tournaments announced before the date of release of these guidelines that will be conducted before the end of 2023: you are not required to make a separate application to obtain permission.

    • Tournaments announced before the date of release of these guidelines that will be conducted in 2024 or later: you are required to make a separate application to obtain permission.

    • Tournaments announced after the date of release of these guidelines that will be conducted after the effective date: you are required to make a separate application to obtain permission.


    As of right now, we don’t know if these rules will have any impact on Super Smash Bros. events and other Nintendo-related games in North America. We’ll just have to wait for clarification from Nintendo to find out.









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  • Xiaomi 14 Design and Camera Samples Officially Revealed

    Xiaomi is gearing up to release the Xiaomi 14 series. As a successor of the Xiaomi 13, the brand-new lineup has plenty in store. So far, Xiaomi has officially confirmed the camera configuration and the launch date of the devices. In case you have missed it, the new phones will feature a Leica VARIO-SUMMILUX camera setup.

    That will make the Xiaomi 14 devices the first flagship phones to feature this advanced Leica-powered camera setup. As for the launch date, the devices are set to launch this Thursday, which is October 26. Now, Xiaomi has officially revealed the design of the new phones.

    A Closer Look at the Design of Xiaomi 14

    As you can see from the pictures attached below, the Xiaomi 14 will come with a punch-hole screen. The display features ultra-narrow bezels, which should greatly enhance the viewing experience. Xiaomi has also confirmed that the base model will feature a 6.36-inch display.

    Xiaomi 14 vs iPhone 15 Series

    That means the regular Xiaomi 14 will be a fairly compact phone. Besides, the edges of the devices are flat, offering a premium hand feel. They also have a shiny appeal, so it’s safe to say that the phone will have a stainless-steel frame. Interestingly, the device’s top edge doesn’t have anything on it.

    Gizchina News of the week


    Xiaomi 14 Sides

    On some of the other Xiaomi devices, this top-edge came with an IR blaster, noise-canceling microphones, and a speaker. One of the images shared by Xiaomi gives a glimpse of the bottom edge. It houses a microphone and a SIM slot, which is quite common to see in some of its flagships.

     

    That said, the back of the Xiaomi 14 features a square camera module. It houses three cameras, which include the 50MP primary sensor with the Leica VARIO-SUMMILUX lens mentioned earlier. Xiaomi shared some samples of the camera, which you can find below.

    The 14 Pro will feature the same design but will have a larger screen than the base model. And Xiaomi will likely share more details tomorrow, and the day after that, we can get a full glimpse of the devices as they land. Stay tuned for more updates.



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