Qualcomm and Razer unveiled yesterday the Snapdragon G3x handheld gaming developer kit, a Nintendo Switch-like device powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 gaming platform. The handheld device is designed to play Android games and access cloud gaming services such as Xbox Game Pass, and it’s currently available exclusively for developers.
Overall, the Snapdragon G3x handheld gaming developer kit is pretty large with a 6.65-inch OLED 120Hz Full HD display surrounded by A 5MP/1080p60 webcam on the top, and built-in Xbox-like controls on the sides. Under the hood, the Qualcomm Adreno GPU can run games at 144 frames per second, and the built-in Qualcomm modem supports 5G mmWave and sub-6 and Wi-Fi 6E for the fastest connectivity for low latency gameplay.
the Snapdragon G3x handheld gaming developer kit also comes with two microphones, 4-way speakers, a 6000 mAh battery, and a USC-C port for multi-screen experiences. This is quite an impressive device on paper in an era where the Nintendo Switch continues to dominate the console market despite its outdated specs.
With Valve planning to launch its Steam Deck handheld device in February 2022, there’s definitely a growing interest for more open and powerful alternatives to the Nintendo Switch. Qualcomm and Razer explicitly highlighted Xbox Cloud Gaming and Steam Remote Play as a use case for the Snapdragon G3x handheld gaming developer kit, and the built-in support for ultra-fast 5G connectivity is right on point.
“Together, Qualcomm Technologies and Razer will lead the way with new and innovative solutions that push the boundaries of fidelity and quality available in portable gaming, transforming the way these games are experienced,” said Min-Liang Tan, Razer co-founder and chief executive officer. While the Snapdragon G3x gaming developer kit will be just for game developers, it will be interesting to see if Razer and other manufacturers could soon use Qualcomm’s new mobile gaming platform to create Android-based handheld gaming consoles for consumers.
