Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile processor

At the Snapdragon Summit 2025, Qualcomm unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform. The 8 Elite Gen 5 is fueled by the Oryon CPU, which Qualcomm says is the fastest mobile CPU in the world. Further, it has an Adreno GPU to help with your gaming needs, and the Hexagon NPU for AI features.

According to Qualcomm, the third-gen Oryon CPU offers up to 4.6GHz speeds, with up to 35 per cent CPU power efficiency and 16 per cent overall system-on-chip (SoC) power savings. Even the CPU offers hardware-based AI acceleration to help with NPU speeds.

Further, on the CPU, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 boasted some pretty impressive benchmarks. We tested this on a reference smartphone, and it offered a single-core score of 3,793 and a multi-core score of 12,287 in Geekbench 6. To compare, our best-ever Snapdragon 8 Elite benchmark, the Zenfone 12 Ultra, offered a single-core score of 3,156 and a multi-core score of 10,036. Further, to compare with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Qualcomm reference device beats the iPhone’s single-core score of 3,779, and the 17 Pro Max loses the multi-core category with a score of 9,701. While benchmarks don’t always equate to real-life experiences, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is pretty impressive and devices with this processor should offer a top-of-the-line experience.

Agentic AI capabilities will allow for AI agents that can complete tasks for people, such as the rumoured Jarvis. Additionally, the NPU can help apply auto filters to photos using real-time translations when you travel or make advanced edits to your videos. Plus, the Hexagon NPU is 37 per cent faster than last year and features AI accelerators for devices to run LLMs that can power AI without draining your battery.

The Snadragon Elite Gen 5 offers pro-grade video tools with a groundbreaking AI-powered camera and enables HDR video capture and instant highlights. The mobile platform allows for Advanced Professional Video Codec with incredible quality, high-bitrate footage and enables post-production workflows. It also introduces fully computational video on Snapdragon phones. Qualcomm says it’s able to look at every frame and extract and use it as a picture; however, this isn’t necessarily the newest experience, even on mobile. Further, the Qualcomm Image Spectra Signal processor is responsible for AI-based image processing, to help with things like low-light photography and real-time tone adjustments for better images.

And with the Adreno GPU, it offers 23 per cent increased overall performance and a 20 per cent reduction in power consumption. Further, Qualcomm says its Adreno GPU allows for Mesh Shading, which allows for GPU-driven rendering for more power savings and processing. Additionally, there’s an Adreno High Performance Memory (HPM), which is a memory cache that boosts bandwidth and reduces fetch latency for quicker gameplay. Qualcomm says that this results in up to 10 per cent power savings and enhanced performance in rendering. Qualcomm has worked with companies like Tencent to optimize its Adreno HPM to provide smoother and longer gameplay.

There’s also support for Snapdragon Sound Technology Suite and Qualcomm Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN) technology, which allows for untethered music, calls and AI assistant interactions via earbuds. The XPAN delivers with 24-bit, 96kHz lossless music streaming, while still being able to receive calls and messages.

Additionally, there’s an AI-powered mobile connectivity that offers Qualcomm FastConnect 7900 Mobile Connectivity System with Wi-Fi 7 and up to 40 per cent power savings, and up to 50 per cent lower gaming latency with AI-enhanced Wi-Fi.

Lastly, the Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF with a 5G AI Processor offers 5G connectivity for Android phones, according to Qualcomm, the fastest 5G Advanced connectivity, faster speeds for seamless streaming and downloads, alongside improved network reliability, extended battery life, and enhanced location accuracy. The X85 also offers peak download speeds of up to 12.5Gbps and upload speeds of 3.7Gbps.

Expect to see flagships from OnePlus, Samsung, Xiaomi, and other Android manufacturers to launch devices with the 8 Elite Gen 5 as soon as next week.