Qualcomm has officially lifted the curtain on its next big mobile chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the successor to last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. This flagship processor is set to power premium Android smartphones arriving in late 2025 and through 2026, bringing stronger performance, smarter AI, and new imaging tricks to high-end devices.
Big Jumps in Performance and Graphics
At the heart of the new chip is Qualcomm’s third-generation Oryon CPU, which the company claims delivers a 20% overall boost compared to its predecessor. That includes a 17% improvement in multi-core workloads and a 20% jump in single-core tasks, with peak clock speeds hitting an impressive 4.6GHz.
Gamers will notice upgrades too. The new Adreno GPU promises up to 23% better graphics performance, while the updated Hexagon NPU is tuned for AI-heavy workloads, with Qualcomm citing a 37% leap in efficiency for those tasks.
AI Moves to the Forefront
Artificial intelligence is clearly at the center of Qualcomm’s strategy. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 supports on-device AI agents capable of processing up to 220 tokens per second, along with a massive 32,000 context window. This means phones using the chip will be able to run more advanced AI tasks locally, reducing dependence on the cloud.
On the imaging side, Qualcomm has packed in a 20-bit Image Signal Processor (ISP), which allows up to four times the dynamic range of its predecessor. New features include Night Vision 3.0, a tool for removing reflections from photos, and upgraded video capabilities through Dragon Fusion Video and a hardware-based APV codec. For audio, the Snapdragon AudioSense suite makes its debut.
Coming Soon to Flagship Phones
As with previous Snapdragon launches, adoption will be broad. Qualcomm says the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will be used by top Android brands including Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, Sony, and more.
In India, the first phone expected to carry the new chip is the iQOO 15, while Xiaomi has already confirmed that its upcoming Xiaomi 15 series will also run on the platform.
The Bottom Line
With sharper performance, stronger graphics, and AI at its core, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 looks set to define the next wave of Android flagships. If Qualcomm’s promises hold up, late 2025 and 2026 could see some of the smartest and most powerful smartphones yet.
