Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a new addition to its 8-series chipsets designed to deliver flagship-level performance at a more accessible price point. This chipset sits just below the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in Qualcomm's lineup but aims to bring high-end features to a wider range of devices.
Manufactured using a 3nm process, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features Qualcomm’s third-generation Oryon CPU, which includes two prime cores clocked at 3.8 GHz and six performance cores running at 3.32 GHz. This architecture boosts efficiency and processing power.
In performance comparisons, Qualcomm highlights the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5’s improvements over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, a chip released two years ago. The new chip offers a 36% increase in CPU performance, an 11% enhancement in GPU output, a 46% leap in AI task efficiency, and a 13% reduction in overall system power consumption.
The chipset integrates the same segmented Adreno 840 GPU paired with the Frame Motion Engine 3.0, as found on the 8 Gen Elite 5. However, it omits the Adreno High-Performance Memory (HPM) feature.
Additionally, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 includes Qualcomm’s Hexagon Neural Processing Unit (NPU), delivering a 46% performance boost in AI tasks compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It supports advanced on-device AI capabilities and multi-modal input processing. The chipset also features Qualcomm’s Spectra image signal processor (ISP) and the X80 5G Modem-RF System, retaining the powerful modem technology from last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite.
OnePlus is poised to be the first manufacturer to launch devices equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, debuting it in the OnePlus Ace 6T/15R models. Other brands such as iQOO, Motorola, and vivo are expected to introduce smartphones powered by this chipset in the near future.
