Qualcomm on Wednesday launched the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, calling it the fastest mobile processor ever made. According to the company, this new chip is designed to make smartphones and tablets faster, smarter, and more efficient than ever before.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, currently powering flagship devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, OnePlus 13, and more.
“With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, you are at the centre of your mobile experience. It enables personalised AI agents to see what you see, hear what you hear, and think with you in real time,” said Chris Patrick, senior vice-president and general manager, mobile handset, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
“Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 pushes the boundaries of personal AI, allowing you to experience the future of mobile technology today.”
How is it better?
According to Qualcomm, the new chip enables faster multitasking, allowing users to switch between apps smoothly without lag. It also enhances gaming performance, supporting longer play sessions with less heating and better battery life. A key highlight is its smart AI capabilities. The chip learns how you use your phone and offers helpful suggestions—such as recommending apps or adjusting brightness—while keeping your personal data on the device to protect your privacy.
For content creators, the chip supports Advanced Professional Video (APV) recording, allowing users to shoot studio-quality, professional-level videos directly from their smartphones.
Powered by the Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 delivers a 20% performance boost over its predecessor, ensuring a smooth and powerful experience across apps, games, and media.
Coming soon in premium phones
The Xiaomi 17 series is the first confirmed smartphone line to feature the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. These devices are expected to launch in India shortly after the global release. The chipset will also power flagship devices from a wide range of global OEMs and smartphone brands, including Honor, iQOO, Nubia, OnePlus, OPPO, POCO, realme, Redmi, RedMagic, ROG, Samsung, Sony, vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE. New product announcements are expected in the coming days. While pricing hasn’t been officially revealed, devices with this chip are expected to fall into the premium segment, similar to current flagship phones. Pre-order information and India-specific launch dates will be announced soon as manufacturers share their release timelines.