Even though it seems like we just got the Snapdragon 888 system-on-chip, Qualcomm is seemingly planning a mid-cycle refresh. The massive company's Snapdragon 888 Pro looks to offer some minor upgrades over the regular 888.
Leaker Digital Chat Station let slip the news, also claiming that flagship phones will be using the 888 Pro later this year, as you might expect. Testing has already started for the new chip, allegedly.
- The best Android phones
- OnePlus 9 Pro review: The ultimate Snapdragon 888 smartphone
- Plus: iOS 14.5 arrives
As far as we know, the Snapdragon 888 Pro will not feature an upgrade to the GPU. That said, the primary core, the Cortex-X1, will be overclocked to give the new one an edge over the regular 888. In all, the 888 Pro looks like it'll continue Qualcomm's bi-annual chipset releases.
If we had to venture a guess, we'd say that the OnePlus 9T will use the Snapdragon 888 Pro. If the Galaxy Note stays alive, we'd also hazard a guess and say that the Galaxy Note 21 will use the new chip. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be powered by the Snapdragon 888 Pro, but with a rumored summer release date that may be too soon.
There's still a gap between Qualcomm's best silicon compared to Apple's A14 Bionic, so the 888 Pro might stand to catch up. However, it's extremely likely the iPhone 13 will use the A15 Bionic, which might extend the A series' lead over the Snapdragon 8XX line up.
In testing and real-world use, we doubt the Snapdragon 888 Pro will offer more than its predecessor, especially since the secondary cores and GPU will probably remain at their current clock speeds. Most consumers will not likely notice the difference, especially when side-by-side with a phone using the regular 888.
Qualcomm has come a long way in the recent years, notably from the Snapdragon 810 days. The company produces the best performing chipsets you can get in an Android phone. The Snapdragon 888 is an impressive SoC, and the Pro stands to make the slightest bit better.
