Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, Expanding Flagship Chipset Options
SAN DIEGO, CA – December 13, 2024 - Qualcomm today announced the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a new mobile platform designed to bring flagship-level performance to a wider range of smartphones. Unveiled after the november release of the high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the 8 Gen 5 offers a similar feature set with some performance adjustments to accommodate a more affordable price point.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 boasts a 36 percent improvement in CPU performance and an 11 percent improvement in GPU performance compared to the 2023 Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It utilizes a comparable Oryon CPU structure to the 8 Elite Gen 5, though with slightly reduced clock speeds: six performance cores reaching up to 3.32GHz and two prime cores at 3.8GHz (compared to 3.62GHz and 4.6GHz in the Elite).
While specifications are slightly lower than the 8 Elite Gen 5 – including a slower X80 modem with reduced peak 5G speeds and downgraded Adreno GPU and Hexagon AI NPU specs – the 8 Gen 5 maintains support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, satellite connectivity, and ultra wideband (UWB) technology. It will not support the latest UFS 4.1 storage. charging capabilities, display support, and the majority of camera hardware options remain consistent between the two chipsets.
Several manufacturers, including Motorola, OnePlus, and Vivo, have committed to integrating the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 into upcoming devices. The first phones featuring the new chipset are expected to launch “in the coming weeks,” with the OnePlus 15R confirmed to launch in the US on December 17th.
