Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 brings record frequencies and lower consumption. It also focuses on AI

Qualcomm officially unveiled its latest flagship chipset Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which sets new standards in mobile performance. It does so alongside the competing MediaTek Dimensity 9500, which was officially introduced on Monday. The heart of the new product is the third generation Oryon processor with a clock speed of up to 4.6 GHz, making it the fastest mobile CPU in the world. The first phones with this chip will be introduced today.

Frequencies up to 4.6 GHz, record performance, and lower consumption

The new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 utilizes a 3nm manufacturing process and brings significant improvements across all components. The third-generation Oryon CPU offers 20% higher performance while simultaneously reducing consumption by 35%. It includes two powerful Prime cores running at up to 4.6 GHz and six powerful cores clocked at up to 3.62 GHz.

It’s fascinating to observe how mobile chip manufacturers are pushing clock speeds to increasingly higher values. The year before last, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 had a maximum frequency of 3.4 GHz on the main core, and the new 8 Elite Gen 5 brings approximately 200 MHz more on the secondary cores.

The Adreno graphics chip with a new architecture provides 23% faster graphics performance and 20% lower power consumption. The new product brings support for Unreal Engine 5 with full hardware ray tracing, which will ensure console-level graphics for mobile games. Also included is 18MB of dedicated Adreno HPM memory for more efficient rendering.

Breakthrough in Mobile Artificial Intelligence

The Hexagon NPU unit in the new Snapdragon offers 37% faster AI task processing compared to the previous generation. The chipset introduces the concept of so-called agentic AI, which adapts to user habits and can perform actions across applications based on context and learning.

Key AI features include Personal Knowledge Graph, which creates a personalized knowledge graph directly on the device, and Personal Scribe, functioning as an intelligent assistant. Importantly, all processing occurs locally, so sensitive user data remains on the phone and is not sent anywhere.

Professional Video and Photography at a New Level

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the first mobile platform supporting the APV (Advanced Professional Video) codec, which enables video recording quality comparable to professional cameras. The chipset features three 20-bit ISP units that can capture 4× greater dynamic range for more detailed photos.

Photo capture up to 320 megapixels or simultaneous processing of three 48Mpx images at 30 fps is supported. Video can be recorded in 4K resolution at 120 fps or in slow-motion mode at 1080p at 480 fps. Support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid formats is also included.

Top Connectivity with 5G and Wi-Fi 7

The integrated Qualcomm X85 5G modem supports download speeds of up to 12.5 Gbps and upload speeds of up to 3.7 Gbps. It includes the fourth generation 5G AI processor, which ensures 30% faster processing for more reliable and efficient 5G connectivity. Support for NTN satellite communication is also included.

For wireless connectivity, the FastConnect 7900 system with Wi-Fi 7 support is used, offering up to 40% energy savings and speeds up to 5.8 Gbps. When gaming, AI can reduce Wi-Fi latency by up to 50%. Bluetooth 6.0 with LE Audio and UWB support for precise localization are also included.

Availability and First Phones

Qualcomm confirmed that Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will appear in flagship phones from brands such as Xiaomi, Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO, vivo, Honor, Sony, and others. The first devices, namely the anticipated Xiaomi 17 models, will be introduced today in the Chinese market.

The new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 represents a significant leap in both performance and efficiency for mobile processors. With support for advanced AI, professional video, and console-level gaming technologies, it sets new standards for premium smartphones in 2025.

What do you think of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5?

Sources: Qualcomm (1, 2, 3)