Despite all the benefits offered by wireless headsets, they always have the same issue: they’re not suitable for gaming. The most frequently mentioned reason is latency.
Yes, it’s true that wireless audio tends to have high delay or latency, especially when most devices still rely on Bluetooth technology. However, Qualcomm seems to have a solution.
Qualcomm’s New Wireless Audio Dongle Concept to Reduce Gaming Latency
According to TechRadar, Guy Campbell, a Staff Manager and Product Marketing representative from Qualcomm, revealed a new audio dongle concept that combines Bluetooth LE with Auracast technology. This feature will be available on the S3 Gen 2 Snapdragon Sound Platform, specifically designed to deliver low-latency gaming experiences.
This means that in the future, this new audio dongle feature will be included in the Snapdragon Sound certification. Only products that pass Qualcomm’s testing will be allowed to utilize this feature, similar to the Hi-Res logo commonly found on various audiophile devices.
This USB dongle concept can be used with any audio source device such as smartphones, consoles, laptops, PCs, and even digital audio players (DAPs).
Qualcomm’s Dongle Audio Reduces Latency by over 75%
Lately, Qualcomm has shown an interest in hi-res audio streaming. However, Campbell also emphasized that the gaming market cannot be ignored.
Users can expect a low-latency gaming experience with a latency as low as <20ms. Typically, regular Bluetooth technology has a latency of around 80ms, but this can be reduced to 48ms with LE Gaming.
This low latency does not sacrifice audio fidelity or quality. The aptX Adaptive technology ensures a 24-bit/96kHz audio quality that is not entirely lossless but still maintains decent audio performance. With Adaptive, users can enjoy a wide range while the latency remains manageable.
The audio dongle concept is currently in its early stages and remains a concept for now. However, Qualcomm has announced that they are in talks with several manufacturers, which means we may not have to wait much longer for its availability.
