Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon Wear Elite, billing it as the world's first Personal AI wearable platform. Built on a 3nm process, the chip features a Hexagon NPU delivering up to 12 TOPS of AI performance with support for 2 billion parameter models running entirely on-device, eliminating the need for cloud connectivity for AI-powered features.
The platform delivers substantial performance improvements over the previous Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2, with up to 5x faster single-core CPU performance and 7x faster GPU performance, while simultaneously offering 30% better battery life for multi-day operation. The chip supports fast charging with up to 50% charge in under 10 minutes. It includes an Adreno GPU with OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan 1.2 support, 16-bit LPDDR5 memory at 6400 MHz, and 32GB eMMC storage.
Connectivity options are comprehensive, featuring a cellular modem with 5G RedCap, 4G LTE, and NB-NTN satellite support, along with tri-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth 6.0, UWB for proximity-based interactions, and dual-band GNSS supporting GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS, and NavIC. The platform works with Android, Wear OS, FreeRTOS, and Linux operating systems, and supports over 50 sensors for advanced health and fitness tracking including continuous heart rate monitoring and sleep analysis.
The first devices powered by Snapdragon Wear Elite are expected within the next few months, with Samsung's next-generation Galaxy Watch confirmed as one of the first products to use the chip. More details are available on Qualcomm's product page and in the press release.
