Qualcomm's 'Nintendo Switch Pro' rival console runs Xbox games, debuts G3x Gen 1 gaming platform

HAWAII, USA (Pocket-lint) - It's not conscionable flagship mobile devices wherever Qualcomm is looking to pb - see the announcement of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 for that - arsenic the institution conscionable revealed its G3x Gen 1 platform. Bigger than that, however, it has showcased this successful a handheld instrumentality with integrated surface and controls that is, well, a large capable woody to rival the never-happened Nintendo Switch Pro.

The prototype device, which is termed arsenic the Snapdragon G3x 'Handheld Developer Kit', is produced by Razer. And earlier you motion it disconnected arsenic yet different Android gaming handheld destined for nonaccomplishment there's a cardinal take-away to consider: it tin tally Xbox Game Pass and adjacent your PC's Steam library, meaning its offering isn't conscionable mobile titles, but much precocious games designed for gameplay with a controller.

The Razer prototype houses a Full HD+ 6.65-inch OLED sheet that tin tally astatine 120 frames per second, acknowledgment to Qualcomm's Adreno GPU, delivering the benignant of must-have spec that next-gen gamers volition beryllium looking for. That's a akin size to the Nintendo Switch OLED's 7-inch panel, but treble the refresh complaint and with 10-bit HDR colour goodness.

Plug the Qualcomm handheld into a compatible TV, however, and output astatine 4K is imaginable - although, arsenic acold arsenic we tin determine, astatine a little refresh complaint of 60Hz.

The handheld besides houses a 6,000mAh artillery capacity, a 1080p webcam (plus picture-in-picture), Wi-Fi 6E for speedy wired web connectivity, and the aforesaid class-leading 5G mmWave and Sub-6GHz speeds arsenic offered successful Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

It's that connectivty facet which makes this handheld instrumentality adjacent much tempting, arsenic its quality to beryllium connected to the unreality - awesome permitting, of people - means you tin crippled connected the go. Dig into those Xbox Game Pass titles erstwhile and however you please.

So portion Qualcomm and Razer's instrumentality looks similar a handheld to get gamers excited, there's an evident caveat: it's not a existent merchandise that's yet destined to spell connected sale. But if the close partners leap connected committee then, who knows, this could beryllium an breathtaking improvement successful handheld gaming - the benignant to fto america hide astir Google Stadia and the like. For present it represents a truly absorbing showcase of Qualcomm's Elite Gaming technologies that different developers could besides leap aboard.

Writing by Mike Lowe. Originally published connected 1 December 2021.