Qualcomm Unveils New Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Chip for Mid-Range Smartphones

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 supports high performance at a lower price.
• The new chip has reduced clock speeds compared to the Elite version.
• The first smartphones based on Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will appear in the second half of 2025.

This was reported by The Verge, CNET.

Qualcomm announced the release of the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip, which is designed for mid-range smartphones, promising high performance at a lower price. This chip is a simplified version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which was presented earlier in the fall of 2025.

Unlike the Elite version, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 has lower clock speeds, with six performance cores reaching 3.32 GHz, and two main cores at 3.8 GHz. This ensures a 36% improvement in CPU performance and an 11% increase in graphics processor performance compared to the previous generation, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

Despite the reduced performance, Qualcomm emphasizes that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 supports the same features as its Elite version, such as 5G support, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. This chip can also boast improvements in energy efficiency.

Among the manufacturers that have already confirmed the use of the new chip are Motorola, OnePlus, and Vivo. The first smartphones based on Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 are expected to go on sale as early as the second half of 2025, including the OnePlus 15R, which is scheduled for December 17, 2025.

Tags: Technology