Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Set to Power Next-Gen Smartphone Flagships
Just days after MediaTek revealed its Dimensity 9500 chipset, Qualcomm has responded with the launch of its own flagship processor – the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This new chip introduces the third-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which the company claims to be the fastest mobile CPU to date.
According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 offers a 20% boost in overall performance compared to its predecessor. It also brings an updated Adreno GPU, delivering up to 23% better graphics performance, which may translate to smoother gameplay in mobile titles. The integrated Hexagon NPU, which handles AI tasks, is reportedly 37% faster than the previous generation, enhancing on-device AI processing.
Efficiency has also been a key focus, with the chip designed to better manage power use during heavy tasks. As a flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will be featured in high-end smartphones from a wide range of brands. These include Honor, iQOO, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, POCO, realme, REDMI, RedMagic, ROG, Samsung, Sony, vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE.
Alongside its latest mobile processor, Qualcomm has also introduced new additions to its Snapdragon X Series for Windows laptops.
The Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme is Qualcomm’s latest high-performance chip for ultra-premium Windows 11 PCs. Aimed at users with demanding workflows like media professionals and data analysts, this chip is powered by the same 3rd Gen Qualcomm Oryon CPU. It is claimed to be up to 75% faster than rival processors.
Qualcomm says the new Adreno GPU architecture delivers 2.3 times better performance per watt compared to the previous generation. Its Hexagon NPU, with 80 TOPS (trillion operations per second) of AI processing, is designed to support Copilot+ features and simultaneous AI workloads. The chip also promises multi-day battery life depending on device configuration.
Meanwhile, the Snapdragon X2 Elite is positioned as a premium-tier chip for Windows 11 PCs. It focuses on delivering efficient multitasking performance across heavy workloads, claiming up to 31% faster performance at ISO power and requiring up to 43% less power than the previous generation.
Like its Extreme counterpart, the X2 Elite also includes an 80 TOPS Hexagon NPU, aiming to support Copilot+ and other concurrent AI features. Devices using the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme are expected to roll out gradually in the first half of 2026.
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