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Qualcomm has expanded its 8-series lineup with a new chipset aimed at phones that want flagship power without the premium price. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 arrives as a step below the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, yet it still targets users who expect top performance in more accessible devices.
The new chip keeps several elite-level traits. It uses the same 3nm process and brings Qualcomm’s third-generation Oryon CPU. The CPU includes 2 prime cores clocked at 3.8GHz and 6 performance cores running at 3.32GHz. Qualcomm says this setup delivers noticeable gains over the two-year-old Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
According to the company, CPU performance improves by 36 percent. GPU output rises by 11 percent. AI tasks see a 46 percent jump. Power savings reach 13 percent across the whole SoC. These numbers show Qualcomm’s push to bring more efficiency and better speed to mid-flagship devices.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 also carries the sliced Adreno 840 GPU with Frame Motion Engine 3.0, similar to the Elite model, but it drops Adreno High-Performance Memory. Even so, Qualcomm is aiming for smoother gaming and stronger graphics for devices that avoid premium pricing.
AI, graphics, and connectivity upgrades
AI remains a major focus. The chip includes Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU, which brings that 46 percent AI boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It supports on-device AI and multi-modal input, which has become a common demand in new phones.
Qualcomm has also kept its camera and connectivity stack strong. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 comes with a Spectra ISP and the X80 5G Modem-RF System. The modem is the same unit used in last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite.
OnePlus will ship the first phone powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. The OnePlus Ace 6T, also known as the OnePlus 15R in some markets, is set to lead the rollout. Soon after, brands like iQOO, Motorola, and Vivo are expected to reveal devices using Qualcomm’s latest chip. This move signals Qualcomm’s ongoing push to offer more performance choices across the flagship tier.
