Newsletter
The new Snapdragon next-gen VR chips, the XR2 Gen 2 and the AR1 Gen 1 are now official. These chips will power the next generation of VR products that will hit the market soon. Some said VR products include headsets and smart glasses from various tech companies around the world.
Meta collaborated with Qualcomm to launch these chips, making them more suitable for VR products. This collaboration is remarkable because Meta is one of the leaders in the VR industry and already has a ton of VR products available and some in the pipeline. Already, the more powerful Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor is in use on the new Meta Quest 3 VR headset.
As for the less powerful AR1 Gen 1 processor, it’ll find its way to smaller VR products that will launch in the future. An example of a VR product that already uses this new processor is the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Here are the technical specifications of these new Snapdragon next-gen VR chips that are making a wave.
Specifications of the new Snapdragon next-gen VR chips that will be in use on VR products
Let’s start with the new XR2 Gen 2 processor that is built for XR devices. This new processor comes with a single-chip architecture that helps improve user experience on XR devices. It helps to improve battery capacity and graphics quality and brings faster response time for improvements to the user experience.
With Qualcomm adding AI capabilities to their processor, the new XR2 Gen 2 also features some on-device AI technology. The new chip also improves upon the video-see-through quality on XR headsets, helping users stay in touch with their environment. It also packs a faster GPU in comparison with its predecessor, and this helps bump up performance.
As for the new AR1 Gen 1 processor, it is built for usage on smart eyeglasses. It brings Dual ISPs, which help to improve picture (12MP) and video (6MP) quality. There is also an upgrade to the binocular display quality, which is important for reading notifications.
Just like on the XR2 Gen 2 processor, the new AR1 Gen 1 processor also comes with next-gen AI capabilities. Qualcomm also made improvements to the audio capabilities of this new AR processor. Battery life here is also more efficient and better designed to suit the smaller AR glasses and eyewear.
If you hope to try out these new processors in real life, then you can consider getting any of the new Meta VR products. In the coming months, more XR brands will launch more products that will make use of these two new Snapdragon next-gen VR chips. This marks the start of a new era for the VR industry and might attract even more competitors.