The first Snapdragon 8gen1 phone is here — and you can not have it

The first Snapdragon 8gen1 phone is here — and you can not have it

Qualcomm recently announced the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. However, Motorola couldn't wait and announced the Edge X30, the first device with the new Snapdragon chip. The biggest drawback, however, is that it is only available in China.

The Edge X30 may one day be released internationally, but it looks like China will get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 first, and the Edge X30 looks pretty impressive with top-of-the-line specs. Here is what it has to offer.

The Edge X30 is Motorola's true flagship, with a 144Hz display refresh rate typically found only on the best gaming phones. The camera system consists of a 50MP main camera and a 50MP ultrawide, which looks high-performance on paper, but the usefulness of the 2MP depth sensor is questionable. The front camera is a whopping 60MP, and it is clear that Moto wants the Edge X30 to take good selfies.

Other than that, it's a very standard flagship, as we've come to expect. The fact that it comes with Android 12 right out of the box is a big plus. Given Motorola's strength in battery life, we expect the 5,000 mAh power pack to last quite a while. And even if it runs low, it can be quickly replenished thanks to the 68W wired charging. [The 8GB/128GB Edge X30 will cost NT$3,199 (about $500), the 8GB/256GB will cost NT$3,399 (about $530), and the 12GB/256GB will cost NT$3,599 (about $560). Obviously, these price conversions are not necessarily analogous to what the US, UK, or European prices would be if the phones were to leave China.

There is also an Edge X30 Special Edition with the same specs, but this one has a 60MP under-display camera (UDC); given how sensitive UDC is today, it is not surprising that the inclusion of such technology would justify the Special Edition's 3,999 yuan (about I am not sure if it can justify the price tag of 3,999 yuan (approx. $630) for the Special Edition.

As it stands, China will get all the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phones. Will the US have to wait for the Galaxy S22 to get the new chip?

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