Qualcomm has officially added a new member to its high-end chipset lineup with the launch of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Positioned just below the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the new processor is designed to deliver premium power and efficiency to devices that don’t necessarily need the ultra-premium Elite performance. This makes it an ideal fit for the “flagship-killer” category of smartphones.
A Big Jump in CPU and GPU Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 shares much of its DNA with the Elite version but runs at slightly lower clock speeds. Built on an advanced 3nm process, it uses Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU architecture. The setup includes:
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2 Prime cores at 3.8GHz
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6 Performance cores at 3.32GHz
Qualcomm says the upgrades deliver a 36 percent jump in CPU performance and an 11 percent improvement in GPU performance compared to 2023’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Power efficiency is also up by 13 percent.
Graphics are handled by the Adreno 840 GPU, which supports the Frame Motion Engine 3.0. However, the chipset does not include the higher-grade memory subsystem found in the Elite variant.
Stronger Connectivity and Smarter On-Device AI
Connectivity gets a major upgrade thanks to the Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF System, offering speeds of up to:
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10Gbps downloads
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3.5Gbps uploads
It supports both mmWave and sub-6GHz networks. The platform also includes FastConnect 7900 with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Ultra Wideband (UWB). Storage support is set at UFS 4.0.
For AI tasks, the chipset uses a faster Hexagon NPU, delivering 46 percent better AI performance. This enables smoother on-device multimodal tasks, such as real-time translation, enhanced photo processing, and voice recognition. The improved Sensing Hub can even wake the assistant when it detects motion—like lifting the phone.
Advanced Camera Capabilities
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 uses Qualcomm’s triple 20-bit Spectra AI ISP, enabling:
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Night Vision 3.0 for clearer low-light video at 60fps
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Real-time tone mapping
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Support for up to a 320MP single camera
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4K video recording at 120fps
These upgrades help the chip deliver more consistent photography and videography under challenging lighting conditions.
Coming First to OnePlus, Followed by Other Brands
Qualcomm has confirmed that the first device to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will be the OnePlus Ace 15R, expected to launch globally as the OnePlus 15R. Other brands — including iQOO, Motorola, and Vivo — are also preparing new smartphones powered by the chipset in the coming weeks.
With its combination of performance, efficiency, AI muscle, and camera intelligence, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is poised to play a major role in the next wave of affordable premium flagships.
