Snapdragon XR1 vs XR2: What’s the Difference?

Two Leading XR Platforms from Qualcomm

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Snapdragon XR1 vs XR2: What’s the Difference?
Mixed RealityInsights

Published: November 3, 2021

Rebekah Carter

Rebekah Carter

The innovative companies building a new generation of XR headsets need more than just access to lightweight plastics and high-quality screens. The right platform for XR development is a must-have in this industry, and there are already a handful of companies making a name for themselves in the space. Known around the world for enabling access to disruptive technology, Qualcomm is one of the market leaders in XR development platforms.

The Snapdragon XR1, the company’s first “dedicated” XR platform was introduced in 2018. This device aimed to deliver a way for manufacturers to bring down the costs of basic XR headsets, with an accessible environment for building immersive experiences. The XR2 platform, introduced in 2019, was designed to not only outshine the XR1, but also the flagship product previously used for the first Oculus Quest: The Snapdragon 835 platform.

Today, we’re going to discuss the differences between these two environments, to help you understand their impact on the XR ecosystem.

Snapdragon XR1 Platform Features

According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon XR1 platform is an extended reality solution designed to help companies build more accessible immersive experiences. Pitched to OEMs in search of a simple and affordable solution for immersion in mixed reality worlds, the XR1 wasn’t intended to outshine the Snapdragon 835 chipset. Instead, this offering combined accessibility, affordability, and flexibility in a reliable environment.

The Snapdragon XR1 platform from Qualcomm eventually became the foundation technology behind a selection of Enterprise AR glasses, like the Vuzix M400 headset and Google Glass Enterprise 2 smart glasses. Features included:

  • Qualcomm AptX audio, Aqstic Audio technologies and 3D Audio Suite
  • 4K UltraHD content support at up to 60 FPS
  • Qualcomm Spectra ISP for reducing image noise
  • Integrated display processor with hardware accelerated composition
  • Leading graphical API support for tools like OpenGL, OpenCL, and Vulcan
  • Advanced visual processing with visual-inertial odometry
  • Always-on voice assistance with wake-word activation
  • Head-related transfer functionality for 360-degree binaural sound
  • 3 or 6 degrees of freedom

It’s easy to see why the Snapdragon XR1 platform became such a popular tool for companies trying to build the next generation of AR business smart glasses. The advanced vision processing capabilities built into the platform, supporting tools like “VIO” (Visual Inertial Odemetry) are essential for AR. The technology ensures users can move around in a virtual world more naturally, and interact with augmented objects, using both 3 and 6 degrees of vision.

Snapdragon XR2 Platform Features

While the Snapdragon XR1 platform from Qualcomm captured the imagination of AR smart glasses manufactures, the XR2 solution aimed to change the way we approach not just virtual reality, but mixed reality too. Enhanced with a combination of AI innovation and 5G connectivity support, the XR2 is an improvement on all of Qualcomm’s previous platforms for extended reality.

The XR2 5G platform was the first in the world to unite AI and 5G for XR innovation, and it was built to enable extended reality experiences like no other, with features that outshine even the incredible Snapdragon 835 platform. As the solution behind the Oculus Quest 2, the XR2 5G platform is already proving itself in the immersive landscape. Features include:

  • Support for ultra-fast, low-latency 5G connectivity
  • Access to up to 7 concurrent camera streams
  • 360-degree visuals with 8K resolution and 60 FPS performance
  • Voice UI for smart assistance with contextual awareness
  • AI efficiency decisions for power saving
  • Machine learning support
  • 3D video passthrough for mixed reality content
  • Intelligent environment monitoring

The XR2 platform uses AI technology to enhance immersive experiences, making it easier for companies to combine the virtual, real, and augmented worlds like never before. Companies can use 3D passthrough to enable both AR and VR on a single device, so users can control how “immersed” they want to be in any situation. 5G connectivity ensures that you can unlock more realistic lag-free video experiences too.

What’s the Difference between the Snapdragon XR1 and XR2?

The Snapdragon XR1 and XR2 platforms are both powerful solutions for companies investing in the new era of immersive experiences.

The XR1 platform was supposed to be the accessible platform built by Qualcomm to make extended reality experiences more achievable for a wider range of standalone headset creators. Its biggest use-case so far, however, has been in the augmented reality space.

In the enterprise smart glasses environment, features of the XR1 platform like visual inertial and odometry and spatial sound combine to enable more powerful augmented experiences. This isn’t to say the platform wouldn’t be beneficial for other XR experiences too.

The platform offers access to an integrated display processor, support for high-quality video streaming at up to 4K, and AI enhancements. For pros, it’s safe to say Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR1 AR smart viewer reference design makes it clear the XR1 platform is best-suited to AR.

The Snapdragon XR2 platform, on the other hand, is clearly better suited to VR and mixed reality opportunities. The platform has already helped the Quest 2 headset to achieve incredible improvements compared to its predecessor, including massively enhanced GPU and CPU performance, and the most powerful display ever offered by Oculus (to date).

With the XR2 platform, the Quest 2 was able to achieve more than 11 times the AI processing power of the original quest. Access to features like 3D video passthrough also means companies will be able to go beyond just VR or AR with the XR2 platform and enter the realm of mixed reality. Features like 5G connectivity will definitely unlock new doors for designers.

Snapdragon XR1 and XR2: Which is Best

Your choice between the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR1 and XR2 devices will depend on the kind of experiences you want to build. The Snapdragon XR1 platform is definitely a good choice for AR innovation, but it may be a little too simplistic for companies hoping to innovate with VR and MR.

Alternatively, the XR2 platform has already paved the way for innovative tools like the Oculus Quest 2, and it’s capable of accomplishing a lot more.

AR Smart GlassesIndustry 4.0Mixed Reality HeadsetsRemote Guidance
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