Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: The whole thing we all know thus far by means of NewsFlicks

This week, Qualcomm unveiled its next-gen cell system-on-a-chip (SoC), the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

We are living in an international the place tech refreshes once a year. That isn’t simply true for smartphones just like the iPhone 17 or the Samsung Galaxy S26, however the generation inside them as neatly. For Android fanatics, that suggests a brand new Snapdragon chipset that can energy maximum flagship-level telephones launched over the following yr.

For starters, the chip has already been rebranded as soon as. Its authentic title used to be the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, in order that it adopted within the footsteps of the Snapdragon 8 Elite that went into flagship telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely. Then again, identical to Microsoft when it skipped Home windows 9 and Apple when it went from iOS 18 to iOS 26, Qualcomm made up our minds to skip a couple of numbers and move immediately to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This coincides with the truth that it’s if truth be told the 5th era chip within the Snapdragon 8 lineup, so now the numbers make extra sense. 

This is the whole thing we all know concerning the new flagship cell chipset, together with when it is coming to the North American marketplace.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Specifications

Let’s get started with the specifications and examine them to the present Snapdragon 8 Elite to provide us an concept of the way the chip will likely be other from ultimate yr. There are nonetheless some query marks concerning the SoC in spite of it being absolutely introduced. As an example, Qualcomm didn’t come with the GPU title within the product temporary however did point out that it used to be an Andreno GPU of a few kind. 

• Style title: SM8850-AC

• Procedure dimension: 3nm

• Cores: 2 high cores and six efficiency cores

• Frequency: 4.6 GHz (two cores), 3.62 GHz (6 cores)

• Cache: 24MB

• GPU: These days unnamed Adreno GPU clocked at 1.2 GHz

• Reminiscence cache: 18MB of Adreno Prime Efficiency Reminiscence (HPM)

• NPU: A brand new Hexagon NPU with an upgraded Qualcomm Sensing Hub

• ISP: Qualcomm Spectra AI

• Modem: Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF

• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB: Qualcomm FastConnect 7900 Cell Connectivity Gadget

So, immediately, there are a few things we will be able to glean. The highest clock pace is somewhat upper than the outgoing Snapdragon 8 Elite. The Elite Gen 5 additionally will get the upgraded X85 modem and a number of upgrades to the core tech, like a sooner GPU and NPU. 

Then again, it’s no longer an improve around the board. Closing yr’s Snapdragon 8 Elite additionally housed the FastConnect 7900 components, so Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB specifications would be the identical as they had been in 2025. 

The brand new {hardware} additionally allows some new options, such because the Complicated Skilled Video (APV) codec, making it the primary cell platform to take action. As well as, the brand new Adreno GPU permits for mesh shading, which supplies cell sport builders extra environment friendly choices when rendering video games. 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Efficiency enhancements

Qualcomm guarantees moderately a pleasing little efficiency bump. Listed below are the entire promised efficiency enhancements, even though we’d observe that those percentages will without a doubt exchange from machine to machine relying on plenty of elements. 

CPU

• 20 p.c single-core development

• 17 p.c multi-core development

• 32 p.c responsiveness development

GPU

• 23 p.c GPU efficiency development

• 20 p.c extra GPU potency

• 25 p.c ray tracing efficiency development

• With the Adreno Prime Efficiency Reminiscence, Qualcomm is boasting 10 p.c energy development and 38 p.c sooner efficiency over the outdated reminiscence

• 30 p.c sooner “AI inference for awesome 5G efficiency”, which Qualcomm says will result in a 50 p.c aid in latency whilst gaming

ISP, Modem, and NPU

• 4x better dynamic vary because of the brand new ISP chip

• 37 p.c upper NPU efficiency, resulting in hugely stepped forward on-device AI efficiency

• Can take care of AI inquiries at 220 tokens consistent with 2nd, up from the 70 tokens of the Snapdragon 8 Elite

• The AI-powered modem boasts a 40 p.c energy financial savings over the prior type.

If you happen to’re questioning if those claims grasp as much as benchmarks, it seems that as regardless that they do. In accordance with benchmark checks carried out by means of Android Police, Scorching {Hardware}, and others, Geekbench 6 ratings seem to take a seat proper the place Qualcomm promised they might when in comparison to the reference {hardware} from a yr in the past. In truth, it’s just right sufficient to position it in the similar ballpark as Apple’s A19 Professional. It’s truthful to mention that the 2 platforms have roughly reached parity, a minimum of at the benchmark aspect of items. 

When is it coming to The usa?

With cell phones being how they’re, numerous those efficiency advantages will most effective be noticed in particular use instances. As an example, telephones don’t lag when scrolling Instagram anymore, so a pace building up might not be spotted by means of informal customers. Then again, they’re going to understand the greater battery potency, and gear customers, like avid gamers, will without a doubt understand that their video games run at extra strong FPS numbers whilst additionally eating much less battery. 

The chip is predicted to make it into the following wave of Android flagship gadgets. In truth, OnePlus has already introduced the impending OnePlus 15 will run the Elite Gen 5. The OnePlus 15 is predicted to release globally in October, and rumor has it the flagship handset will arrive in North The usa sooner than same old, perhaps once mid-November. In step with OnePlus, that can make the OnePlus 15 the primary telephone in North The usa to run the brand new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.