What is the Difference Between Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 and Snapdragon S3?

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The Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 and Snapdragon S3 are two sets of System on Chips (SoCs) developed by Qualcomm for the mobile computing market. The main differences between them are as follows:

  • Graphics Performance: The Snapdragon S3 is designed to offer 2x the graphics performance of the S2 and 4x the graphics performance of the S1.
  • CPU: Both Snapdragon S2 and S3 are driven by Qualcomm's own Scorpion CPU. However, the S3 class of processors feature a dual-core Scorpion CPU at speeds of up to 1.5GHz per core, while the S2 has a single-core Scorpion CPU.
  • Memory: Snapdragon S3 supports both L1 cache (instruction and data) and L2 cache hierarchies, allowing it to pack up to 2GB low power DDR2 memory modules, while the S2 does not have these features.
  • Release Date: The Snapdragon S2 was released in Q2 2010, while the Snapdragon S3 was released in Q3 2010.

A comparison of popular SoCs in each category is as follows:

Feature Snapdragon S2 (MSM7230, MSM7630, MSM8255, MSM8655) Snapdragon S3 (APQ8060, MSM8260, MSM8660)
Release Date Q2 2010 Q3 2010
Type SoC MPSoC
First Device HTC Vision HTC Sensation
CPU Qualcomm Scorpion Qualcomm Scorpion (Dual-core)
ISA ARM v7 ARM v7
Graphics Adreno 200, Adreno 205 Adreno 220

Overall, the Snapdragon S3 offers better graphics performance, a more advanced CPU, and improved memory capabilities compared to the Snapdragon S2.

Comparative Table: Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 vs Snapdragon S3

The Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 and Snapdragon S3 are both system-on-chips (SoCs) designed for mobile devices, but they have some differences in terms of performance and features. Here is a table comparing the two:

Feature Snapdragon S2 Snapdragon S3
CPU Qualcomm Scorpion (ARM v7) Qualcomm Scorpion (ARM v7)
GPU Adreno 205 Adreno 220
Graphics Performance 2x performance boost over S1 2x performance boost over S2, 4x performance boost over S1
Release Date Q2 2010 Q3 2010
First Device HTC Vision HTC Sensation
Memory LPDDR2 32 bit Dual-channel 333 MHz (5.3 GB/s) Up to 2GB low power DDR2 memory modules, L1 cache (instruction and data) and L2 cache hierarchies
Manufacturing Process 45 nm 45 nm

Both Snapdragon S2 and Snapdragon S3 are driven by Qualcomm's Scorpion CPU and based on Qualcomm Adreno GPU. The Snapdragon S3, however, offers improved graphics performance compared to the S2, with a 2x performance boost over the S2 and a 4x performance boost over the S1. Additionally, the S3 supports higher memory bandwidth and has L1 cache (instruction and data) and L2 cache hierarchies.