Qualcomm has announced the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. The processor is built to deliver high-end performance without the premium price. It sits just below the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, aiming to bring flagship features to more affordable phones.
The chip is made on a 3nm process and runs on Qualcomm’s third-generation Oryon CPU. It packs two prime cores at 3.8GHz and six performance cores at 3.32GHz.
Compared to the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm says the new chip is 36% faster in CPU tasks, 11% better in graphics, and 46% stronger in AI performance. It also uses 13% less power.
For graphics, the chip uses the Adreno 840 GPU with Frame Motion Engine 3.0. It doesn’t include the extra high-performance memory found in the Elite model, but it does support Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU for on-device AI.
The chip also comes with the Spectra ISP for camera processing and the X80 5G modem, the same modem used in the Elite version.
OnePlus will be the first to launch phones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, starting with the Ace 6T and 15R. Other brands like iQOO, Motorola, and vivo are expected to follow. Early comparisons suggest the chip’s CPU is close to the Elite, though its GPU runs slower.
Also Read: Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 6s Gen 4
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 could change the premium mid-range and basic flagship landscape while keeping costs in check.
