Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Chip, Not the Flagship

Qualcomm has officially launched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a new addition to its Snapdragon 8 series of chips. This model is positioned below the recently introduced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which serves as the company’s flagship offering. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 shares some features with its Elite counterpart, it does not match its performance capabilities.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 shows a significant leap in performance compared to its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 from 2023. Qualcomm reports a remarkable 36% enhancement in CPU performance and an 11% improvement in GPU performance. Additionally, the new chip is designed to be more power-efficient, boasting an overall efficiency increase of 13%.

Performance and Specifications

While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 retains a similar Oryon CPU architecture to the Elite model, it operates at slower clock speeds. The chip features two prime cores running at 3.8 GHz, compared to the 3.62 GHz and 4.6 GHz clock speeds of the Elite variant. Its six performance cores are capped at 3.32 GHz, which further differentiates it from the higher-end model.

The modem integrated into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is the Snapdragon X80, which offers slightly slower speeds relative to the Elite version. Nevertheless, it supports the latest connectivity standards, including Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology. However, it does not support UFS 4.1, and the Adreno GPU and Hexagon AI NPU are less advanced compared to those in the Elite model. The chip utilizes the Adreno 840 GPU and the Frame Motion Engine 3.0, but it lacks support for Adreno High-Performance Memory (HPM).

Market Introduction and Expectations

Qualcomm has indicated that the first devices utilizing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will be available “in the coming weeks.” OnePlus is expected to be the first manufacturer to incorporate this chip into its devices, specifically in the upcoming OnePlus Ace 6T and OnePlus 15R models. Additionally, Motorola and Vivo are anticipated to release smartphones featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 soon after.

With these developments, Qualcomm aims to enhance its position in the competitive smartphone chip market while offering options for a broader range of devices. The launch of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 marks another step in the evolution of mobile technology, promising improvements for users without the premium price tag of the Elite model.