Qualcomm admits that its brand new Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 isn't actually new

Qualcomm didn't make much noise about the release of the Snapdragon 6s Gen 3, and there's a good reason why. As we speculated during our launch coverage, the SoC isn't actually new. Instead, it's a rebrand of the Snapdragon 695 5G from 2021 with refinements.

This confirmation comes from Qualcomm itself. The company says, "Snapdragon 6s Gen 3 is an enhanced version of Snapdragon 695," but the chipset can offer improved "CPU, GPU, and AI performances." There's nothing to be surprised about here, as the two processors were found to be almost identical at launch.

For example, both the Snapdragon 695 and 6s Gen 3 have similar model numbers (SM6375 and SM6375-AC). They are also made using the same TSMC manufacturing process. Another dead giveaway is that the two have the same CPU configuration, GPU, and modem. Even the wireless connectivity and camera capabilities are the same.

However, given the higher CPU clock speed and other refinements, the new processor should offer better performance than the Snapdragon 695 5G. But yes, it's disappointing to see Qualcomm rebranding an aging SoC instead of launching a proper lower-mid-range processor (8+256 GB Redmi Note 13 curr. $187.47 on Amazon).