Qualcomm Officially Confirms Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Launching Later This Year

Qualcomm has officially confirmed that its next major mobile chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, will debut later this year. The announcement came during the Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii, where the company also introduced its most powerful chip yet — the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

While the 8 Elite Gen 5 will power the most premium devices, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is set to offer a more flexible, flagship-grade option for a wider range of smartphones.

What We Know So Far

During the keynote, Alex Katouzian, Qualcomm’s General Manager for Mobile, Compute, and XR, hinted that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is designed to balance top-tier performance with more choice and flexibility for manufacturers and users.

Key details revealed so far:

• Officially confirmed: Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will launch later this year.

• Positioning: Sits below the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but still offers premium features.

• Rumored model number: SM8845.

• Launch details: Qualcomm promised to share more specifics later in 2025.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

While Qualcomm hasn’t shared benchmarks or architecture details yet, industry insiders expect the 8 Gen 5 to:

• Retain flagship-level performance while being more cost-efficient.

• Share some advanced technologies with the 8 Elite Gen 5, but with slight compromises in GPU, AI, or efficiency cores.

• Target a wider range of premium Android devices, unlike the Elite, which is aimed at ultra-flagship smartphones.

Rumors and Expectations

Previous leaks suggested that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 would bring:

• Next-gen CPU performance with improved efficiency.

• Enhanced GPU rendering for mobile gaming.

• Better AI integration for photography, voice, and real-time applications.

• Support for new 5G and satellite connectivity standards.

If these hold true, the 8 Gen 5 could become a mainstream flagship favorite, powering high-end smartphones from brands like OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and possibly Samsung’s Fan Edition (FE) devices.

Conclusion

With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 confirmed, Qualcomm is preparing to offer smartphone makers a flexible flagship option that balances power, efficiency, and affordability. While the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will dominate ultra-premium devices, the 8 Gen 5 is likely to bring flagship experiences to a wider audience.

More details, including specs, benchmarks, and first devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, will be revealed later in 2025.