Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon 8 Elite: A Leap Forward in Mobile Chip Technology

We just benchmarked the Snapdragon 8 Elite -- the iPhone 16 Pro is officially on notice

It's tempting to fixate on performance when talking about a new chipset like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, when there are so many other aspects of the mobile experience that the system-on-chip controls. In the case of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon, that includes everything from the photos you'll be able to take on Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered devices to the AI experiences enabled by the chipset to how long those phones are going to last on a charge. Yet, performance remains a big part of the Snapdragon 8 Elite story -- something Qualcomm is happy to talk about. The new chipset uses a version of the Oryon CPU first released for connected computers but customized for mobile, and the results are pretty eye-popping -- especially if you like comparing performance figures against the iPhone 16 Pro models and the A18 Pro chipset that they run on. When it announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite earlier this week, Qualcomm published some of its own benchmarks for the new chip, and the promised to give the latest iPhones a run for their money. According to Qualcomm, the Oryon CPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers a 45% boost in both the single- and multicore performance on the Geekbench 6 benchmark compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 -- not exactly a slouch in the performance department. The Adreno GPU on the new chipset is supposed to see a 40% performance improvement. During this week's Snapdragon Summit, which I'm attending as a guest of the company, Qualcomm provided a benchmarking session in which we could verify those numbers using a Qualcomm-supplied reference device running the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The 6.8-inch reference device is running the standard configuration of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with a CPU that maxes out at 4.32GHz. The device also came loaded with 24GB of RAM. Here's what we found when running some common benchmarks with the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered device. When Tom's Guide tests the overall performance of a phone, we look at Geekbench, which measures the single- and multicore power of a processor when it comes to performing different tasks. Apple's A series chips have dominated this test over the past few years, though recent Snapdragon silicon has closed the gap, particularly in multicore performance. That improvement picks up the pace with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Our reference device averaged single- and multicore scores of 3,212 and 10,318, respectively. That multicore result is particularly revealing as we've not yet seen a mobile device blaze past that 10,000 mark. As you might imagine, those Snapdragon 8 Elite numbers are big improvements over what the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 produced on the same tests. Our Snapdragon 8 Elite results topped the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered Galaxy S24 Ultra by 40% on the single-core test and 42% on multicore. The Snapdragon 8 Elite still trails Apple's A18 Pro chip in single-core results on Geekbench. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max posted scores of 3,400 and 3,386, respectively, putting them ahead of our Qualcomm reference device. But in the multicore test, the iPhone 16 Pro managed an 8,391 result while the Pro Max hit 8,306 -- both scores are well behind what the Snapdragon 8 Elite managed. We also ran Speedometer 3 on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, as that test can show how fast browsing performance can be on a given chipset. For consistent results, we ran Speedometer using Chrome. Our Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered unit posted a 33.2 average in Speedometer 3, compared to 16.3 for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The iPhone 16 Pro scores were a bit closer, with the standard Pro scoring 28.1 while the Pro Max hit 27.8. We use 3DMark's Wild Life test to look at graphics performance, since it's a good way to compare devices running on iOS and Android. In this test, you're looking for a phone that produces higher frame rates. We ran both the Unlimited version of the Wild Life graphics benchmark as well as the more demanding Extreme test to measure how the Snapdragon 8 Elite's GPU performed. In recent years, Snapdragon-powered phones have pulled away from the iPhone on this test. That certainly continued when we ran Wild Life on our Snapdragon 8 Elite test unit. On Wild Life Unlimited, the Snapdragon 8 Elite device churned out an average of 150.9 frames per second when running the test on-screen. (There's an off-screen option that can produce higher frame rates, but we're using the on-screen numbers for consistent comparisons with phones we've tested in house.) That 150.9 fps result beat the Galaxy S24 Ultra by 24%. More significantly, the gap with the iPhone's performance on this test is widening. The iPhone 16 Pro posted a 109.3 fps result while the iPhone 16 Pro Max scored 107.5. Those numbers were already behind the Galaxy S24 Ultra, so you figure that if the Snapdragon 8 Elite powers the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Samsung's new phone will handily outperform the current iPhones in terms of graphics. Running the Wild Life Unlimited Extreme test, the Snapdragon 8 Elite's result of 41.7 fps beat the Galaxy S24 Ultra by 39% and the iPhone 16 Pro by 81%. AI features are now a mainstay of smartphones, and a lot of that depends on the performance of a chipset's neural engine -- particularly if you want to run those AI features on the device itself. Qualcomm says that the Snapdragon 8 Elite's neural engine is 45% faster than its predecessor. To see what kind of improvements that translates to, we turned to the AIMark benchmark. That benchmark relies on the ResNet-34, Inception-V3, Mobilenet-SSD, and DeepLab-v3+ models for image classification, recognition and segmentation -- the higher the score, the better. Qualcomm is right that the neural engine in the Snapdragon 8 Elite is faster than what last year's chipset had to offer. On AIMark, the 8 Elite's score of 308,241 topped the Galaxy S24 Ultra's 243,765 score by 26%. iPhones typically score fairly low on AiMark, so a cross-platform comparison here wouldn't be the most illustrative. And there are many other AI benchmarks out there that can provide a more complete picture of neural performance. However, this AiMark test does show the generation leap between the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. When we review phones, we like to run a real-world test in which we take a video clip and transcode it to 1080p using Adobe Premiere Rush. We time the results, with the better-performing phone finish the task faster than its rival. Due to time and device limitations, however, we didn't get a chance to run this transcoding test on the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered reference device. Traditionally, this has been a test where Apple's A series chips have finished well ahead of Snapdragon-powered devices. Most recently, the iPHone 16 Pro Max finished the task in 21 seconds, compared to 42 seconds for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Obviously, we're very interested to see if the Snapdragon 8 Elite can shrink down that time when we get a chance to fully test the first phones running Qualcomm's latest silicon. When we spoke to Qualcomm's Chris Patrick about the Snapdragon 8 Elite, he described the new silicon as "a desktop-class CPU [with] mobile-level power efficiency." Having run initial benchmarks on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, we can confirm he's certainly right about the CPU's power. We'll have to run more benchmarks on the devices that are released with a Snapdragon 8 Elite inside, but for now, it looks like Qualcomm is on track to seize the mobile performance crown at the start of 2025. We'll see how Apple responds later in the year.

Snapdragon 8 Elite unveiled -- here's how Android phones could blow away the iPhone 16

New CPU, more AI capabilities highlight Qualcomm's top mobile chipset Qualcomm's top-of-the-line mobile chip is getting a new name. But the newly unveiled Snapdragon 8 Elite offers more than just surface changes as it's built on a 3-nanometer process, features a new CPU and promises plenty of neural processing to handle new on-device AI features. The Snapdragon 8 Elite should power the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 series and all of the best Android phones for the coming year. Qualcomm showed off the Snapdragon 8 Elite today (October 21), talking up its many upgrades during the chip maker's annual Snapdragon Summit. And these are changes you're going to want to know about if you're interested in upgrading to a new Android phone -- and how it might challenge Apple's iPhone 16 lineup. Here's what we know about the Snapdragon 8 Elite based on Qualcomm's preview and what it potentially means for phones powered by the new chipset. We won't have to wait long to see phones that feature this new system-on-chip. Qualcomm listed nine phone makers committed to featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite and said those companies "are poised to launch devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, in the coming weeks." Notably, Samsung and OnePlus are included in the list of companies pledging to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite along with Asus, Xiaomi, Honor, Oppo and a number of other device makers who primarily do business in China. While no specific models have been mentioned -- those kind of announcements are generally left to phone makers -- it's more evidence that we'll see the Snapdragon 8 Elite in at least some of Samsung's Galaxy S25 models as well as the OnePlus 13. The OnePlus 13 is tipped to launch in China first in October 31 but the release date is not yet known. Similarly, we're expecting Samsung to host its Galaxy S25 launch event in January, at which time we'll see if the Snapdragon 8 Elite powers just the Galaxy S25 Ultra globally or whether it's featured in other S25 models outside of North America. We've got good news if you're looking for a mobile powerhouse. Like Apple's A18 silicon, the Snapdragon 8 Elite will be built on a 3nm process, an improvement over the 4nm process that the current Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 uses. The smaller the process, the closer transistors are packed together, improving both performance and power efficiency. Considering the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 wasn't exactly a shrinking violet in either department, that bodes well for the speed and battery life of Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered devices. Qualcomm has made another change to its chipset. As had been announced prior to today's unveiling, the Kryo CPU used on previous Snapdragon 8 chipsets is giving way to a version of Qualcomm's Oryon CPU customized for mobile. Oryon is the CPU featured in Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite silicon for connected computing, and Qualcomm says that using a second-generation version of that chip will optimize browsing, gaming and other experiences on mobile devices. The Oryon CPU used for the Snapdragon 8 Elite introduces a brand new architecture with two prime cores running at 4.3GHz and six performance cores, which are designed to handle intensive tasks while maximizing power efficiency. Qualcomm is dropping efficiency cores from this version of Oryon, continuing a trend of using fewer efficiency cores in its CPUs. The microarchitecture also introduces a data pre-fetcher which Qualcomm says can boost performance. It supports an Instant Wake feature that essentially eliminates the wake-up sequence so that a core can get right to the task at hand. In terms of performance, Qualcomm says to expect 45% improvements in both single-core and multicore tasks over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with web browsing speeding up by 62%. At the same time, CPU power efficiency should improve by 44% with the Oryon CPU. Qualcomm shared some benchmarks for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, in which a reference device powered by the chipset averaged single and multicore scores of 3,221 and 10,426 on Geekbench 6. We'll have a chance to run some tests on the Snapdragon 8 Elite later this week, so we can verify those numbers, but if they prove accurate, they'll easily the top the 2,300 single-core and 7,249 multicore numbers we got when testing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered Galaxy S24 Ultra. The single-core score of the Snapdragon 8 Elite would be on par with the iPhone 16 Pro Max's 3,386 result. But the multicore number would best the iPhone 16 Pro Max score by 26%. Get ready for the iPhone vs. Android debate to reignite. The Oryon CPU isn't the only part of the system-on-chip seeing changes. The Snapdragon 8 Elite's Adreno GPU is getting a boost, too, with a new sliced architecture that dedicates memory for each slice, which should result in faster and smoother gameplay that lasts longer thanks to battery life improvements. In fact, Qualcomm is promising that gaming sessions can last 2.5 hours longer on Snapdragon 8 Elite device thanks to the GPu improvements. The sliced architecture should also support more cinematic and detailed landscapes, continuing to establish mobile devices as a formidable gaming platform. Recent Adreno GPUs on Qualcomm's mobile chipsets have focused on ray-tracing support, and that continues with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Qualcomm promises a 35% improvement in ray-tracing. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 8 Elite brings mobile support for Unreal Engine 5.3 with Nanite, raising the possibility of more immersive 3-D environments for games on mobile. Qualcomm also optimized support for Unreal Chaos Physics Engine with its GPU. All told, Qualcomm expects a 40% improvement in performance from the Snapdragon 8 Elite's Adreno GPU, compared to last year's silicon. Power efficiency should improve by 40% for the GPU. According to Qualcomm's benchmarks, the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered reference device posted an average score of 159 frames per second on the 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited test, which would be a 28% improvement over what we saw from the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It also widens the gap with iPhones, as the A18 Pro-powered iPhone 16 Pro Max only hit 107.5 fps on that same test. Every premium phone worth its price tag these days wants to deliver AI-powered features -- especially if they can be handled on the device itself. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is making its pitch to meet this demand by integrating multimodal generative AI applications for support on-device experiences. And it plans to do this while protecting your privacy and reducing latency. That requires a new architecture for the AI engine on the Snapdragon silicon aided by the Oryon CPU, which not on-device processes latency-critical AI tasks, but initiates AI workloads. As a Qualcomm executive puts it, Oryon is doing the heavy lifting while other parts of the neural engine take on AI-specific tasks. According to Qualcomm, the end result should boost the neural processing unit's speed by 45% over last year's version. Additionally, Qualcomm added colors to both the scaler and vector accelerators to handle the demands of generative AI. Significantly, the Snapdragon 8 Elite supports a higher capacity of tokens, meaning users can supply the AI assistant on board their phone wither larger files to process. And the Qualcomm Sensing Hub has been improved to better understand your personal context for more personalized output for your queries. It's also worth taking note of the changes introduced to the image signal processor on board the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Qualcomm updated the Hexagon Direct Link between the redesigned AI ISP and neural engine to bring AI enhancements to photos. Those features include using AI to extend the borders of a photo beyond its frame, sharper resolution and clarity for images and improve AI segmentation to identify individual objects and enhance them. Specific to that last feature, Qualcomm's chipset can segment an image into more than 250 layers, optimizing each one for more natural skin tones, sharper-looking skies and more. In addition to AI-enhanced autofocus, auto white balance and auto exposure, pixel throughput has increased by 35% to 4.3 gigapixel per second. That allows the Snapdragon 8 Elite to record from three 48MP sensors simultaneously at 30 fps. The AI ISP brings Magic Editor-style eraser capabilities to video, in which you can turn to the Video Object Eraser to remove unwanted objects from your video footage, with the editing taking place entirely on device instead of having you upload your footage to the cloud for processing. Additionally, the updated chipset will support low-light video capture at 4K/60fps resolutions. There are a few other Snapdragon 8 Elite capabilities worth taking note of. The new chipset includes Qualcomm's Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF System for improved connectivity, and it integrates Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB to help with location proximity. There's Wi-Fi 7 support through Qualcomm's FastConnect 7900 Mobile Connectivity System. Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit continues through Wednesday (October 23), with the promise of more demos showcasing the Snapdragon 8 Elite's capabilities. We'll update this Snapdragon 8 Elite reference guide with more details as they become available.

Qualcomm Steps Snapdragon 8 Up to Elite Status With Custom Cores and Powerful AI

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics content, overseeing an experienced team of reviewers and product testers. I've been covering tech for more than 22 years. Prior to PCMag, I worked at outlets such as Android Authority, Fortune, InformationWeek, and Phonescoop. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is such a big step up in performance that Qualcomm decided the system-on-a-chip needed a new name. Rather than give it the obvious Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 moniker, Qualcomm elevated the chip to elite status. What makes the Snapdragon 8 Elite a powerhouse isn't the name, however; It's the custom cores. Qualcomm dumped the ARM Cortex designs it has relied on for past processors in favor of using its own. By designing its own silicon, much like a certain fruit-branded company has, Qualcomm was able to realize bigger-than-normal leaps in raw power when compared with the popular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Phones with the Snapdragon 8 Elite inside are going to be seriously fast, much more efficient, and better than ever at AI. Oryon and Adreno: Mega Power Now in its second generation, Qualcomm's Oryon CPU is the raw engine of the 8 Elite. It moves from the 4nm process of the 8 Gen 3 to TSMC's second-generation 3nm process with a 4.32GHz prime core and 3.53GHz performance cores, all using a 64-bit architecture. This arrangement generates a 45% jump in CPU speed and a matching 45% improvement in power efficiency. It supports up to dual-channel LPDDR5x memory at up to 5.3Gbps in densities up to 24GB for fast data retrieval. Qualcomm claims Oryon delivers a 27% overall improvement in power savings, which means up to 2.5 more hours of mobile game time. The Oryon CPU works tightly with the new Adreno GPU, which has a sliced architecture. Each slice has its own dedicated memory, which means smoother performance, longer battery life, cleaner graphics, and more realistic 3D environments. Qualcomm says the GPU supports the Unreal Engine 5.3 and Unreal Chaos Physics Engine, HDR gaming (10-bit color and Rec.2020), OpenGL ES 3.2 and Vulkan 1.3, and hardware-accelerated H.265, VP9, and AV1 decoding. The result is a huge 40% jump in speed and a corresponding 40% jump in efficiency compared with the 8 Gen 3. Typical year-over-year gains for CPU and GPU performance often fall in the 15-25% range. Hexagon and Spectra: Embedded AI If Oryon and Adreno form the heart of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Hexagon NPU is its brain. The revised version of Hexagon has a fused AI accelerator architecture with scalar, vector, and tensor accelerators. These are aided by micro tile inferencing, large shared memory, and an upgraded power delivery system with support for INT4, INT8, INT16, and FP16 precisions. This allows Hexagon to tap into large language models (LLMs) and large action models (LAMs) to support the largest global Generative AI ecosystem. Because Hexagon can handle longer token inputs, it can consume more data to make it an expert when it comes time to handle your queries. Together with the Sensing Hub, which supports always-sensing cameras, mics, and other sensor inputs, Hexagon can react to different types of information. Qualcomm says this means 8 Elite can handle more requests on-device. But it's not just about Generative AI. AI is baked into other aspects of the chip, including the Spectra image signal processor (ISP) and the Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF System. The Spectra ISP is a triple, 18-bit processor that can handle image capture with a single 320MP camera, and a single 108MP camera or three 48MP cameras with 30fps focus tracking and zero shutter lag. Spectra supports 10-bit color for photos and video; HEIF, HEIC, and HEVC capture; Rec. 2020, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision; as well as 8K60 HDR video playback, 4K120 video capture, and lots of AI processing to reduce noise, compute bokeh, and more. Qualcomm says AI-powered cameras will redefine photography (whether we like it or not). Adding algorithmic processing power to image recognition will lead to sharper selfies, clearer video chats, and hyped-up High Dynamic Range. The ISP now has the ability to create a nearly unlimited number of segments within photographs (foreground, subject, background, etc.) and can enhance each element individually. For example, cameras will be able to see faces, hair, and clothing and allow you to edit each segment on its own. The Real-Time Insight AI can help capture natural skin tones no matter the color so each person in a shot looks like themselves. This applies to pets, too, and the AI-based Pet Capture tool means sharper shots of your pets as they race by. Phone video cameras will be able to capture 4K60 video in near-total darkness, as well as apply Video Object Eraser tools to remove unwanted background items from your videos. Spectra also handles audio features. Snapdragon Sound is baked in, of course, which can handle lag-free spatial audio, realistic 3D audio gaming environments, and greater range with accessories like Bluetooth headphones. It includes aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, the Aqstic audio codecs, low total harmonic distortion, and spatial audio with head tracking. Let's not forget the radio suite. AI is on board the Snapdragon X80 5G modem and FastConnect 7900 Wi-Fi package. Qualcomm says, "AI is really good at math." It turns out that being able to do math accurately and quickly helps radios determine how best to manage various types of connections. The X80 is a complete 5G modem-to-antenna module packed onto a single chip with six antennas for smartphones, 6x carrier aggregation, and an AI-based mmWave range extender. Its dedicated tensor accelerator for AI improves data speeds, reduces latency, and boosts coverage and location accuracy at lower powers. The FastConnect 7900 combines Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth, and ultra-wideband into a single chip for end-user solutions like digital keys, object location, and indoor navigation. AI tracks performance and adjusts as needed to maintain the best connection. In terms of numbers, Qualcomm claims up to 10Gbps downloads and 3.5Gbps uploads over 5G via combined sub-6GHz and mmWave. It also delivers 30% better location accuracy, even when inside concrete buildings. Thanks to tri-band spectrum support (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz), phones should be able to use Wi-Fi with 40% less power and see speeds up to 5.8Gbps on the download. It also includes Bluetooth 6 with LE Audio and dual Bluetooth antennas, as well as triple-frequency GPS (L1, L2C, L5) for improved location tracking outdoors. The Rest The Snapdragon 8 Elite powers a lot. In addition to the above, it can handle high-quality displays. Qualcomm says it supports 4K screens at up to 60Hz or Quad HD+ screens at up to 240Hz. The latter will be fantastic for gaming phones. It can also push content to external displays, such as 8K screens at 30Hz and 1080p screens at 240Hz with 10-bit color, HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. Quick connections via wire include USB-C Version 3.1 Gen 2, UFS 4.0 storage, and Quick Charge 5. These mean faster data transfers to computers and other devices and rapid recharging. On the security front, the 8 Elite adds protections for photographers. It includes IP protection for AI models and Truepic with C2PA for video and audio. When is all this coming? Really soon! Qualcomm says hardware partners Asus, Honor, iQoo, OnePlus, Oppo, RealMe, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi all have devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite on deck for the "coming weeks." We expect to see the OnePlus 13 before the end of the year and the Samsung Galaxy S25 early in 2025. We look forward to testing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite and comparing it to Apple Silicon and MediaTek's latest flagship chip.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite: Everything you need to know

Forget the flagships, the Samsung Galaxy A35 just hit its lowest price ever Like clockwork, Qualcomm is back with another new flagship mobile chipset, and it's a big one. The Snapdragon 8 Elite isn't just rocking a new naming scheme, a first since 2021. It also represents one of the biggest overhauls to one of the most popular mobile SoC lineups in ages, complete with a brand-new CPU that could make this year's smartphones look like ancient history. If you're wondering what's up with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, here's everything you need to know. Flights and accommodations for this launch event were provided by Qualcomm, but the views within this article represent the author's own independent opinion. What is Snapdragon 8 Elite? If you keep up with Qualcomm's product launches, you can probably figure out what the Snapdragon 8 Elite represents right from its name. If not, a quick history lesson. Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors have powered a huge selection of Android phones around the globe, and since 2013, the vast majority of flagships have included chips from the company's 800-series. In 2021, in an attempt to streamline its naming structure, Qualcomm delivered the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, followed by two successors, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This year, we're getting another rebrand. Snapdragon 8 Elite fills its role as the next-gen flagship chipset, to be sure, but the new name is bound to confuse shoppers. Qualcomm says "Elite" is reserved for the best of its products, but there's no doubt that the branding is to align this SoC with the Snapdragon X Elite chip launched earlier this year. While the Snapdragon X-series focuses on laptops, the Snapdragon 8-series will continue to power Qualcomm's mobile ambitions. What you need to know about the Snapdragon 8 Elite So why the pairing with the Snapdragon X-series? It all comes down to the CPU, the biggest change in a Snapdragon chipset in generations. Rather than using customized cores from ARM built into the Kryo CPU, Qualcomm's new chipset is using a second-gen Oryon CPU, built internally from the ground up. Oryon was initially developed for Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite marks its debut on smartphones. The result is a pretty radical shift in its underlying architecture. In previous years, Qualcomm -- as with any chipmaker -- has relied on an ever-changing combination of prime, performance, and efficiency cores. Depending on the task at hand, your phone chooses between these cores to intelligently provide the right mixture of raw horsepower and energy conservation. It's why your Galaxy S24 Ultra can power through Genshin Impact at ultra-high settings while simultaneously maintaining a steady level of energy when it's in standby mode on your desk. This year, Qualcomm has completely ditched efficiency cores. Its 8-core Oryon CPU combines two prime cores running at a whopping 4.32GHz with six performance cores clocked at 3.53GHz. Despite the massive shift in architecture, Qualcomm says this new CPU is 44 percent more power efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Basically, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is designed to deliver faster performance for practically any task without sacrificing battery life, though we'll have to wait until devices running this chip are in the wild to put that to the test. Curious how that stands up to previous generations of Snapdragon processors? Here's a full list of specs below. Snapdragon 8 Elite Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Cores 2 custom prime cores @ 4.32GHz 6 custom performance cores @ 3.53GHz 1 Cortex-X4 @ 3.3GHz 3 Cortex-A720 @ 3.2GHz 2 Cortex-A720 @ 3.0GHz) 2 Cortex-A520 @ 2.3GHz 1 Cortex-X3 @ 3.2GHz 2 Cortex-A715 @ 2.8GHz 2 Cortex-A710 @2.8GHz GPU Adreno Adreno 750 Adreno 740 Process node 3nm TSMC (N3E) 4nm TSMC 4nm Samsung Modem Snapdragon X80 5G Snapdragon X75 5G Snapdragon X70 5G Storage UFS 4.0 UFS 4.0 UFS 4.0 Memory LPDDR5x up to 4800 MHz LPDDR5x up to 4800 MHz LPDDR5x up to 4200 MHz Wi-Fi support Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth Bluetooth 6.0 Bluetooth 5.4 Bluetooth 5.3 Media Decode H.265, VP9, AV1 H.265, VP9, AV1 H.265, VP9 In case you missed it, there are a couple of other big changes worth highlighting in that table above. This chipset is Qualcomm's first to use TSMC's second-gen 3nm process, the same N3E node Apple's using for its A18 chips and that MediaTek is using for its recently-announced Dimensity 9400. It might not be first to the table, but like its rivals, Qualcomm has this new fabrication method to thank for the huge jumps in power-saving metrics it's parading this year. While the CPU might be the big change this time around, it's not the only thing worth paying attention to. Mobile gamers will be thrilled with Qualcomm's latest Adreno GPU, which delivers 40 percent improvements to performance and 35 percent improvements to ray tracing in supported titles. While I continue to think the flagship Snapdragon series is overkill considering what's truly popular on the Play Store, support for Unreal Engine 5 Nanite and Unreal's Chaos Physics should allow for some console-quality titles to hopefully, finally, trickle over to Android. If not, you'll find me sticking with Balatro. Outside of Qualcomm's new CPU, AI is the space where the company remains as focused as ever. At launch, it's difficult to say exactly what new experiences the Snapdragon 8 Elite might power -- it's up to OEMs and partners like Samsung to build those, after all -- but we do have an idea of what the chipset is capable of. This generation, Qualcomm is focused on speeding up on-device multi-modal LLMs. Snapdragon 8 Elite is capable of directly delivering your speech prompts to supported LLMs rather than translating your words to text. Likewise, support for live-view and imported photos allow for improved detection of your surroundings, though it's unclear how this differs from existing supported applications like Google Lens. Qualcomm's AI-centric focus extends to the camera as well, with the new AI ISP focused on using AI to capture clearer photos of fast-moving objects like pets, remove objects from videos, and adjust skin tones in poor lighting conditions -- all, in most cases, on device. Look for my forthcoming thoughts from in-person demos to appear here later this week. What devices will the Snapdragon 8 Elite power? So far, Qualcomm has confirmed devices from Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, Oppo, RealMe, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi are due to be announced "in the coming weeks." Some of these are pretty easy to clue in on. Samsung, for example, is almost certainly a reference to the forthcoming Galaxy S25 series, while the OnePlus 13 is set to debut in China sometime before the end of October. We're still early into Snapdragon Summit, so don't be surprised if one or more of these companies tease new phones before the end of the week, as we saw with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-powered Xiaomi 14 last year. As always, it's key to remember what won't be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and that's Google's forthcoming Pixel 10. That phone will use whatever succeeds Google's in-house Tensor G4 -- almost certainly to be called the Tensor G5 -- which has been heavily rumored to be making the swap to TSMC foundries from Samsung. It's a big shift for mobile's most popular flagship chipset As I publish this, Snapdragon Summit is just kicking off. There's plenty more to see, including a whole host of demos that should give me a better idea as to what the Snapdragon 8 Elite is capable of, so make sure to check back throughout the week for my impressions. As the name suggests, Qualcomm is presenting this chipset as an all-new era of mobile computing. Hopefully, we won't need to wait too long to see just how that translates to real-world devices.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite wants to turn your Android phone into a mobile powerhouse

For the last few years, Qualcomm has been the undisputed king of mobile processors -- at least on the Android side of the fence. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 had its issues, ever since the swap to TSMC with a mid-cycle refresh, Qualcomm's flagship series of chipsets have married high performance and excellent efficiency. There's a reason Pixel users and Galaxy S-fans outside the US have been frustrated with their rival processors; frankly, the competition just hasn't caught up. With its latest chip, Qualcomm is looking to lap Exynos and Tensor once again. The Snapdragon 8 Elite doesn't just have a new name -- it has an entirely new CPU, leaving the company's ARM Cortex-based Kyro CPUs in the past as we rush towards 2025. With the introduction of Oryon, some surprisingly powerful gaming performance, and the all-in focus on AI you knew was coming, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite should make for some seriously powerful devices over the next 12 months. Let's just hope that marriage of performance and efficiency remains as strong as ever. Flights and accommodations for this launch event were provided by Qualcomm, but the views within this article represent the author's own independent opinion. Qualcomm's flagship chip has a brand new CPU And a brand new name Before we get into the nitty gritty, it's worth talking about what this thing is called. Despite only swapping to a generational naming scheme back in 2021, Qualcomm is not referring to this chipset as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. By borrowing from the Snapdragon X Elite, the company is directly throwing its Oryon-based products into one basket, a move that mostly makes sense. According to Qualcomm, "Elite" is reserved for its best products, and this chipset has a brand new visual design to go along with it. Still, I'm stuck wondering what this means for future Snapdragon 8-series models, as well as Qualcomm's lower tier chipsets. Will we get a Snapdragon 8 Plus? A Snapdragon 7 Elite? The previous naming structure was already getting pretty messy with the introduction of Plus and "S" models, and I can't imagine we're headed in a clearer direction. Qualcomm, for its part, says it doesn't comment on future products. We've known Oryon was set to debut on mobile since last year, when Qualcomm first debuted its custom CPU within its Snapdragon X Elite chipset for laptops. Reviewers seemed pretty wowed with this summer's first slate of next-gen ARM laptops, and now, that power is coming to the chipset running within some of the world's most popular smartphones. Frankly, I think it's refreshing that, for the first time in a while, there's something to be excited about in a new chipset that's a little more tangible than AI support. Close It's impossible to talk CPUs without getting pretty nerdy, so here's what you need to know. Once again, Qualcomm's using an 8-core CPU, but with the swap to Oryon, it's a completely custom architecture. This year's chip features two prime cores running at 4.32GHz -- a massive jump in clock speed compared to its predecessor -- along with six 3.53GHz performance cores. That's right: Efficiency cores are officially a thing of the past. Qualcomm says that the swap to custom cores rather than relying on ARM's Cortex line, along with the move to TSMC's second-gen 3nm process, will deliver up to 44 percent better efficiency compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, despite the higher clock speeds. Of course, we'll have to actually try this chip out on real smartphones -- like the upcoming Galaxy S25 -- before we know just how well it performs. As my colleague Matt Sholtz has covered in the past, mobile gaming is in a seriously weird spot. The Play Store is filled with low-quality efforts and gacha games, and the App Store -- despite modern console ports from Capcom and Ubisoft -- isn't faring much better. Nevertheless, Qualcomm continues to provide partners with all of the power they need to bring premium titles to Android, and with its latest Adreno GPU, that's truer than ever. On paper, the Snapdragon 8 Elite provides a 40 percent improvement to overall gaming performance and a 35 percent improvement to ray tracing. Support for Unreal Engine 5 Nanite -- which can provide "film-quality 3D environments in mobile games" -- as well as Unreal's Chaos Physics engine should allow for bigger budget, higher fidelity games to make it over here (and leaves me begging Microsoft for a Crackdown port). And much like Oryon, it sounds like Adreno is delivering improved efficiency, allowing for up to two and a half hours of extended gaming time on a single charge,. Perhaps understanding the industry's current critiques of mobile gaming, Qualcomm is partnering with the development team behind Grid Legends to improve that title's performance and visuals on upcoming smartphones. I hope this team continues to work with Play Store devs -- more support can only be good for Android. Related Google and Apple share the blame for mobile gaming's awful reputation These companies share responsibility for the rise in microtransactions and gambling As usual, everything is all about AI On-device AI, to be specific AI discussions took up nearly half of the Qualcomm briefing I attended, and while we'll have to wait to see how OEMs and other developers utilize the tools announced today, it does sound like an impressive jump in performance. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is focused on delivering improved performance for multimodal generative AI experiences, more specifically through support for on-device LLMs. While I'm not sure I buy Qualcomm's vision of a complete revolution for how we think of smartphones today, if you're into the sorts of tools companies like Google are building with Gemini, you should find plenty more of these features running without the cloud. Qualcomm cites a 45 percent faster Hexagon NPU and 45 percent improved performance per watt as the driving forces behind the changes this generation, but the focus on multimodal is where my attention is focused. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite, developers can now bypass the need to convert your speech into text for the LLM to understand, theoretically speeding up commands and queries. I'll need to see this in action before I fully buy in. If you thought the conversations around "what is a photo" were annoying before, just you wait. Practically everything about Qualcomm's new imaging toolset on the Snapdragon 8 Elite has to do with AI, right down to the ISP. Qualcomm's new "AI ISP" is designed to deliver streamlined post-processing on practically all of your images, thanks to a direct link right into the Hexagon NPU. AI-based pet capture, video object eraser, and real-time Insight AI are some of the tools highlighted with this year's launch, though as always, it'll be up to OEMs to support these tools. While it's true that some skepticism should be reserved for all of Qualcomm's AI promises -- I would disagree with the company that we've seen a revolution in mobile computing in the AI era -- nowhere is that side eye more worthy than in the Snapdragon 8 Elite's networking prowess. I have absolutely no doubt that this year's modem will be as speedy as ever, as Qualcomm knows its way around creating some of the best in the business. Rather, it's the AI buzzwords that I find myself struggling to come to terms with. In addition to real improvements like an upgrade to Bluetooth 6.0 support, the Snapdragon 8 Elite now supports, and I'm quoting here, "AI-enhanced 5G and Wi-Fi connectivity." I'm sure there's some truth to this, as Qualcomm says this software-based improvement should deliver a stronger signal and more responsive connectivity. But just as we've seen "machine learning" tools transform into AI skills overnight, I have a hard time believing there's some level of magic here that will suddenly make connecting to 5G or Wi-Fi feel entirely new. At the very least, Qualcomm promises its FastConnect 7900 chip uses 40 percent less power than last generation -- now that's a change you might actually feel. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is finally here But we still have plenty of unanswered questions Source: Qualcomm In a briefing shared before Snapdragon Summit this week, Qualcomm called its latest chip a "quantum leap forward." While it's easy to remain skeptical about some of the company's claims before smartphones are out in the wild, I have no doubt that, on paper, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a seriously impressive chip. I'll be seeing demos of exactly what this power can do throughout Summit using reference devices, so check back at Android Police to learn exactly what your next smartphone might be capable of.

Forget Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 - Qualcomm's Apple A18 Pro rival is the Snapdragon 8 Elite

It's that time of year again: Qualcomm has debuted its new-and-improved flagship mobile chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, at its annual Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. Essentially a renamed version of the much rumored Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (though Qualcomm isn't ready to confirm as much just yet), the 8 Elite is a de facto successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and will likely power the Samsung Galaxy S25, OnePlus 13, and many more of the best phones we expect to see released in 2025. "Our flagship mobile platforms are now taking on the Elite name, showcasing the remarkable progress it represents for the industry," Qualcomm said in a statement announcing the launch, which comes just a month after Apple and Meditek unveiled their latest flagship chipsets - the A18 Pro and Dimensity 9400, respectively. The 8 Elite is the first Snapdragon mobile chipset to feature Qualcomm's second-generation Oryon CPU, and has been designed to "handle the complexities of multi-modal AI" better than any mobile chipset before it. In other words, next year's best Android phones will surely rank among the best AI phones, too. Forgive us for getting technical, but the Oryon's two prime CPU cores boast peak speeds of 4.32GHz - supposedly the fastest in the industry - and six new performance cores that each boast peak speeds of 3.53GHz. Qualcomm's latest flagship chipset also does away with efficiency cores, two of which feature in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. What does all that mean in layman's terms? Well, since the CPU in mobile chipsets is used for application processing, any phones equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite should deliver faster app launches, more seamless multitasking, and more powerful generative AI capabilities than their Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-equipped predecessors. Mobile chipsets also feature a GPU for graphics processing (read: gaming - more on this below) and an NPU for machine learning (ML) applications, though Qualcomm is most jazzed about the addition of its Oryon CPU, saying: "The Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform represents the pinnacle of Snapdragon innovation. With Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuting in our mobile roadmap, we are delivering unprecedented performance. This significance deserves a new, special, most premium variant of our leading 8 series." When it comes to gaming, next year's flagship Android handsets could threaten the iPhone 16 Pro Max as the best gaming phone. The Andreno GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite boasts Qualcomm's first-ever sliced architecture, which facilitates a higher clock speed, higher frame rate, and better battery efficiency - that means sharper images, smoother gameplay, and longer gameplay sessions - than the GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Andreno can also store 12MB of data directly on the GPU, sending less graphical data to the chipset's DDR memory. What's more, the Snapdragon 8 Elite supports Unreal Engine's Chaos Physics system, which allows for the rendering of up to 9,000 unique objects and the destruction of up to 1,000 objects in under 5ms of latency. Similarly, support for Unreal Engine's Nanite solution will supposedly facilitate a "massive increase" in geometric complexity and the rendering of "film-quality environments in your mobile game" - let's just hope Qualcomm isn't referring to recent Marvel movies there, eh? There is, of course, plenty more to say about the Snapdragon 8 Elite - and we'll be reporting on several never-before-seen features throughout our week on the ground at Snapdragon Summit - but for now, all you need to know is that the next wave of flagship Android phones will pack a serious punch; provided, that is, Samsung et al can make good use of all that lovely power. Here's hoping!

Here are All Confirmed Snapdragon 8 Elite Phones (So Far)

Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon 8 Elite platform yesterday during the Snapdragon Summit, and it brings generational improvements in performance and efficiency, beating even Apple's latest A18 Pro. Many smartphone manufacturers have already announced their upcoming devices with the 8 Elite platform. If you can't seem to keep track of all of them, here's a list of all Snapdragon 8 Elite phones launching soon. From Xiaomi to Samsung and OnePlus, many OEMs have stepped into the race to launch the first 8 Elite-powered device. Here are all the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered smartphones with their confirmed or expected launch dates. Keep in mind, this list is not in the order of release dates. The OnePlus 13 features a slightly different back design, an "exceptional" BOE-sourced micro-curved X2 2K display. It'll be coupled with a whopping ~6100 mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. Qualcomm claims the Snapdragon 8 Elite has 45% greater efficiency than last year, which, when coupled with the 6100 mAh battery, should make the phone last much longer. Similarly, both Oxygen OS 15 and Color OS 15 are set to bring more AI features to the table, and the improved Hexagon NPU with a 45% performance and efficiency boost should help the case. As is the case every year, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will be powered by the most high-end Snapdragon, i.e., Snapdragon 8 Elite this year. As for the standard S25 and S25+, there are still uncertainties around whether they will feature Snapdragon 8 Elite or a different SoC. Besides the processor, the S25 series will receive a few design changes and better cameras on the S25 Ultra. We've jotted down all S25 series leaks and rumors in our Galaxy S25 series roundup, so do check it out. The Xiaomi 15 series will be one of the first to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. While we don't have the exact release date yet, Xiaomi recently sent out invites to its Mi fans. The Xiaomi 15 series will consist of three phones like last year -- Xiaomi 15, Xiaomi 15 Pro, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. The Leica partnership will probably continue and the Xiaomi 15 will be a compact device, just like the Xiaomi 14. While we don't know the exact specifications of 15 Ultra, the vanilla 15 is rumored to come with a 6.36-inch 1.5K 120 Hz AMOLED display with 16GB RAM, UFS 4.0 storage, and a 4,900 mAh battery with 100W wired and 50W wireless charging. iQOO 13 is the next device on this list confirmed to launch with Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. The India launch has also been teased by the firm, which, if we had to guess, will be at the end of November or in the first few weeks of December. The phone is expected to feature a 6.82-inch 2K 144Hz LTPO AMOLED display and a 6150 mAh battery with a whopping 120W fast charging which should pair well with the 8 Elite. Besides, the firm has confirmed drum master dual speakers and 1016H motor for better haptics. Realme sent down ripples in the sub $450 smartphone segment by launching the GT 6 Pro (Review) in the subcontinent last year. It featured the then-newly launched Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and it looks like the manufacturer will do the same with the GT 7 Pro. Realme recently revealed that the upcoming GT 7 Pro will be powered by the latest 8 Elite SoC. We still don't know the exact specifications, but more should be revealed as we get closer to the launch date. It was spotted on Geekbench a few days ago with the model number RMX5010 with 16GB RAM and Android 15-based Realme UI 6.0. ASUS recently revealed that its upcoming gaming-centric ROG Phone 9 will feature Snapdragon 8 Elite. The firm has also shared the official renders of the device which confirm a flat display, a similar camera module like the ROG Phone 8, and a light-up ROG logo. The tagline of the ROG Phone 9 launch is "AI on, Game on," which suggests that the phone may include AI features for users to try or to improve the overall gaming experience. Besides this, very little is known about the device. HONOR launched the Magic7 series during the Snapdragon Summit and announced it will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. The Magic7 series consists of two devices -- HONOR Magic7 and Magic7 Pro. The firm is also expected to unveil its latest UI MagicOS 9.0 based on Android 15 on October 23. As for the features and specifications, the phones are expected to feature a new on-device Autopilot AI called Yoyo that can order something for you, organize notifications, and more. The Magic7 Pro will boast a 6.82-inch 2K OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, LPDDR5X RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage. Powering the device will be a 5,800 mAh battery with 100W wired and 66W wireless charging. Announcements from other brands overshadowed the upcoming REDMAGIC gaming phone. The firm announced (via X) that its upcoming phone, the REDMAGIC 10 Pro, will feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. Not much is known about the design and specifications as of now but more details should surface as we inch closer to the launch. The company's previous gaming phone, the REDMAGIC 9S Pro, had a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. We'd like REDMAGIC to bump it to 144Hz or 165Hz this year. The battery capacity of the 10 Pro could be as much as 9S Pro's 6500 mAh capacity with 80W fast charging. We should also see improvements in the device's cooling system. And those are all the devices that are launching with the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. What are your thoughts on the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC? Let us know in the comments below.

Qualcomm unleashes Snapdragon 8 Elite with custom cores

During day one of Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii, it unveiled its latest flagship SoC, dubbed the Snapdragon 8 Elite. This marks a pivotal swing into harnessing the technical prowess of its acquired Nuvia team. The new chip is powered by Qualcomm's in-house Oryon cores and moves away from its reliance on Arm's off-the-shelf Cortex cores to drive its flagship mobile SoC. The chipmaker, however, hasn't strayed too far, as the Oryon cores are still based on Arm's v8.7-A ISA, but it's certainly a step away from previous generations, as Qualcomm is aiming to do things on its own terms. Featured in the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the new Oryon cores replace the Kryo cores that Qualcomm has long relied on. The outfit claims this new Elite SoC delivers a 44 percent improvement in power efficiency over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, though as always with these numbers, it's worth waiting until real-world benchmarks come in before taking that as gospel. For manufacturing, Qualcomm is using TSMC's 3nm N3E node, which is actually the same process used by rivals including Apple for its A18 chips and MediaTek with its Dimensity 9400. The Snapdragon maker has also gone a different route on the design too, as it has decided to ditch the familiar mix of prime, performance, and efficiency cores and has opted to eliminate smaller cores altogether. The Snapdragon 8 Elite has two prime cores clocked at 4.32 GHz and six performance cores at 3.53 GHz. It wouldn't be a new chip without AI being crammed in, and Qualcomm has indeed embedded the Snapdragon 8 Elite with its Hexagon NPU. The chip maker claims it is 60 percent better in terms of "AI performance" than the previous generation, but that remains to be seen in real world applications. Graphics have also uplifted over the last generation with the latest Adreno 750 GPU. Qualcomm has thrown in hardware-accelerated ray tracing and support for 144 Hz at 4K, and it does claim a marked 25 percent improvement over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but as usual, those figures are just marketing until the benchmarks prove otherwise. Being limited to 4K 60fps in recording is a slight caveat, as the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 is offering 8K 60fps. Touching on image quality, the chip giant's Spectra ISP has been rebranded as the AI ISP for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, increasing throughput to 4.3 gigapixels per second from 3.2 gigapixels. It also supports configurations like 48MP + 48MP + 48MP multi-sensor and 108MP single camera at 30FPS. Qualcomm has bumped up the still image support to 320MP, compared to 200MP in the previous Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Other features of the Snapdragon 8 Elite include Qualcomm's aptX Lossless technology, which is claimed to deliver up to 24-bit 48 kHz Bluetooth audio streaming and 96kHz over Wi-Fi. It also has its fabled XPAN technology for wide-range audio coverage via low-power Wi-Fi 7. On the connectivity side, the Snapdragon X80 5G modem supports multi-gigabit speeds with 4x6 MIMO, while FastConnect 7900 system integrates Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB proximity that enables features such as object tracking and building access control. Leo Gebbie, principal analyst and director at CCS Insight, stated how the Snapdragon 8 Elite is Qualcomm's strongest chipset launch yet and is pushing AI to the forefront of its platforms. "The Snapdragon 8 Elite provides the basis to accelerate the introduction of AI features into third-party apps and integrated multi-modal assistants," he noted. Gebbie also emphasized the backing from key device makers like Honor, Samsung, and Xiaomi, which means Qualcomm is set to maintain its presence in the premium Android segment. "Early backing from device makers including Honor, Samsung and Xiaomi is a strong start for Qualcomm as it looks to continue its dominance at the premium end of the Android smartphone market." A few devices have already been announced that are set to put the Snapdragon 8 Elite into the hands of consumers, including the Xiaomi 15 series, OnePlus 13, iQOO 13, and the Honor Magic 7. These are expected to start plodding onto shelves sometime in October. It's likely we'll see more brands such as Vivo and Oppo come with even more Snapdragon 8 Elite devices, but the proof in all the pudding will be the real-world performance and how it stacks up against Apple and MediaTek's product sets. ®

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite brings Oryon cores to mobile for the first time

Qualcomm debuted its Oryon cores with the Snapdragon X Elite back in 2023, but the company has been talking about those cores since 2022. They're custom Arm core designs rather than the off-the-shelf cores that Qualcomm typically used from Arm, but the strategy of custom Arm cores isn't a new one. Apple has famously operated in the same way with its own M chips and Bionic chips, with a recent example being that the M3 appears to be a hybrid of the A17 Pro Bionic and the A16 Bionic. Now Qualcomm is following a similar strategy, and its Oryon cores are coming to mobile with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite: Specifications Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (SM8750-AB) CPU 2x Prime cores @ 4.32GHz 12MB L2, 192KB L1 6x Performance cores @ 3.53GHz 12MB L2, 128KB L1 3x Kryo (ARM Cortex A720-based) Performance cores @ 3.2GHz 2x Kryo (ARM Cortex A720-based) Performance cores @ 3.0GHz 2x Kryo (ARM Cortex A520-based) Efficiency cores @ 2.3GHz 50% faster performance 44% more power-efficient GPU New Adreno Snapdragon Elite Gaming Snapdragon Shadow Denoiser Adreno Frame Motion Engine Video playback: H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), VP8, VP9, 4K HDR10, HLG, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, AV1 40% faster graphics rendering 40% more power-efficient Display Maximum On-Device Display Support: 4K @ 60Hz/QHD+ @ 240Hz Maximum External Display Support: 8K @ 30Hz 10-bit color, VRR HDR10, HDR10+, HDR vivid, Dolby Vision AI Hexagon DSP with Hexagon Vector eXtensions, Hexagon Tensor Accelerator, Hexagon Scalar Accelerator, Hexagon Direct Link AI Engine Qualcomm Sensing Hub Dual micro NPUs for audio and sensors Dual always-sensing ISPs INT4, INT8, INT16, FP16 Mixed precision (INT8+INT16) 45% faster AI performance 45% performance per watt improvement Memory LPDDR5X @ 5300MHz, 24GB ISP Triple 18-bit Spectra ISP Up to 320MP photo capture Single camera: Up to 108MP with ZSL @ 30 FPS Triple camera: Up to 48 MP with ZSL @ 30 FPS Video capture: 4K HDR @ 120 fps; Slow motion up to 1080p@480 fps; HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision, HEVC Modem Snapdragon X80 5G Modem Downlink: 10 Gbps Uplink: 3.5 Gbps Modes: 5G NR, NR-DC, EN-DC, LTE, CBRS, WCDMA, LAA, GSM/EDGE, Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) mmWave: 8 carriers, 2x2 MIMO sub-6 GHz: 4x6 MIMO Charging Qualcomm Quick Charge 5 Connectivity Location: Beidou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS, QZSS, Dual Frequency GNSS support Wi-Fi: Qualcomm FastConnect 7800; Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6; 2.4/5GHz/6GHz Bands; 20/40/80/160 MHz Channels; DBS (2x2 + 2x2), TWT, WPA3, 8×8 MU-MIMO Bluetooth: Version 5.4, aptX Voice, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, and LE audio Manufacturing Process 3nm Oryon comes to mobile We expected it for a long time Source: Qualcomm While it only made sense that Qualcomm would eventually want to bring Oryon to mobile, it's finally happened, and it looks like it brings some pretty big improvements. Not only does do we see a pretty large performance and efficiency uplift, but we also see a rather unique core configuration for Qualcomm. With two prime cores and six performance cores, there's a lot of power that the CPU is capable of outputting that Qualcomm never tried to do when it used Arm designs. On top of that, there are big graphics improvements, with a 40% performance and efficiency uplift seen as well. What's especially interesting is that, because these cores are all-new, Qualcomm will have had to rebuild many aspects of the SoC from the ground up. It's not just new cores; it's a new everything, and it's all linked into the work that Qualcomm has been doing for Snapdragon X Elite in laptops, too. There really isn't anything we can compare it to, as it's obviously very different to past Qualcomm chips, and we can't say for certain how much it will stack up against Snapdragon X Elite laptops. They share DNA, but it's not clear how much yet. Qualcomm is saying that in Geekbench, the Snapdragon X Elite on the company's reference device should score in and around 3221 for single-threaded and 10426 for multi-threaded, which is a pretty big deal if it turns out to be the case. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, for context, scored around 2400 and 7500 in those respective categories, so it's a pretty big deal when it manages to make such a large leap. Of course, those leaps aren't possible every generation, and this time around is simply because of the leap from one platform to another. Future developments may be more iterative, but right now, it looks like the jump from Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 to Snapdragon 8 Elite is a pretty big one. Related The new Snapdragon X Elite laptops are great, but they're not for everyone Windows on ARM has never been better, but here are a few reasons why you should still be cautious 7 Otherwise, a lot of similarities Though still a very different chip Source: Qualcomm Aside from the big CPU changes, much of the Snapdragon 8 Elite will seem pretty familiar. There's a new Adreno GPU, you get the same Qualcomm AI Sensing Hub (with some pretty big improvements around AI in both efficiency and performance), and you get the Snapdragon X80 modem, too. You can output to high-resolution displays, you get similar (but improved) specs to last generation's ISP in the new ISP, and overall, it's a largely similar chip. That's not a bad thing, but if the CPU wasn't such an overhaul, it would be a largely iterative experience over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. There are big power savings, better generative AI, improvements to connectivity and sound, better security, more camera bandwidth, and all of the usual improvements and changes you'd expect to see from a generation on generation upgrade. This is a big moment for the Snapdragon mobile series, and it could shape a new future for Android smartphones going forward. If you're looking to pick up a device with a Snapdragon 8 Elite, companies such as Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and more are expected to launch devices in the coming weeks.

Qualcomm touts Snapdragon 8 Elite's massive performance gains and AI capabilities

Why it matters: As the mobile industry continues to evolve, the Snapdragon 8 Elite represents a major step forward in processing power and efficiency. Its impact on the next generation of smartphones and mobile devices will undoubtedly be significant, potentially reshaping user experiences and expectations. Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite at its annual Snapdragon Summit, touting it as the world's fastest mobile CPU that delivers unprecedented performance and efficiency. The chipset showcases Qualcomm's second-generation custom Oryon CPU, engineered to handle complex multimodal AI tasks. It boasts Oryon CPU Prime cores running at 4.32GHz, complemented by six performance cores reaching speeds of 3.53GHz. A 24MB L2 cache further enhances its processing power. The Hexagon NPU delivers 12 times the performance of its predecessor, while the Adreno GPU offers a threefold improvement in performance. Qualcomm says it has optimized the Snapdragon 8 Elite for various use cases, particularly in gaming, AI processing, and photography. For gaming enthusiasts, the chip promises smoother gameplay with higher framerates while extending gaming time by up to 2.5 hours, thanks to a 40 percent improvement in both battery efficiency and GPU performance. In terms of AI processing, the new Qualcomm AI Engine leverages the Oryon CPU for latency-critical AI tasks, while the Hexagon NPU provides faster inferencing performance. Photography enthusiasts will find the AI ISP works in tandem with the Hexagon NPU to enable real-time AI enhancements at 4K and 60 frames per second. Several manufacturers and smartphone brands, including Asus, Honor, OnePlus, Samsung, and Xiaomi, are poised to launch devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the coming weeks. Qualcomm has compared the performance of the Snapdragon 8 Elite to its competitors, particularly Intel's latest offerings. In Geekbench single-core tests, the Snapdragon X1E-84-100 outperformed Intel's Core Ultra 7 Series 2 256V by up to 10 percent, while consuming 38 percent less power. Multi-core performance showed even more significant gains, with the X1E-84-100 being up to 52 percent faster than Intel's chip, while using less than half the power. Qualcomm's benchmarks suggest that the Snapdragon 8 Elite maintains consistent performance whether plugged in or running on battery power. In the Procyon Office benchmark, Qualcomm claims 4.5 hours longer battery life compared to the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V1. The Snapdragon 8 Elite also demonstrates strong thermal management. During NPU workloads, Qualcomm's chips ran up to 9 degrees Celsius cooler while plugged in and up to 7 degrees cooler on battery power compared to competitors. The introduction of the Snapdragon 8 Elite signals a significant shift in the mobile processing landscape with its focus on AI capabilities, improved gaming performance, and enhanced power efficiency. However, challenges remain surrounding software compatibility and the availability of Arm-based applications. For instance, many existing Windows applications are designed for x86 architecture, not Arm. Running these on Arm-based Snapdragon chips often requires emulation, impacting performance and functionality. Also, some critical business and productivity applications may not be fully compatible or optimized for Arm processors. This includes certain Adobe Creative Cloud apps, AutoCAD, QuickBooks, and industry-specific software, as well as some antivirus programs and security tools. Likewise, many PC games are not optimized for Arm architecture, leading to performance issues or outright incompatibility.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite is "Gaming Changing"

We may earn a commission when you click links to retailers and purchase goods. More info. Qualcomm's new smartphone chip that will power everything not made by Google or Apple is official and called the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Ooooooooh. Say it with me - ooooooooh. There is big talk around this chip from Qualcomm, with references to it offering "game changing performance improvements" and being the "most powerful and world's fastest mobile system-on-a-chip ever." They are even going as far as saying this chip "revolutionizes mobile experiences." See, big boy talk. This new 3nm chip features Qualcomm's new custom Oryon CPU, which Qualcomm claims is the "fastest mobile CPU in the world" with peak speeds up to 4.32GHz. Those big speeds mean a 45% boost in CPU performance, a 44% improvement in power efficiency, and supposed web browsing improvement of 62%. For the GPU, Qulacomm doesn't appear to want to name the specific Adreno chip, but they are suggesting a 40% improvement in power savings from it, plus a 40% performance improvement when gaming. It is the first with "sliced architecture" and has full support for Unreal Engine's Nanite. Of course, since this is 2024, there is AI stuff to talk through. Qualcomm's AI Engine brings multimodal Gen AI that is powered by LMMs, LLMs, and LVMs, you know, all the multimodal models. This chip shows 45% improved performance per watt and a 45% faster Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. In other words, it's faster on-device AI fun, if that's your thing. As for other specs, the Snapdragon 8 Elite supports WiFi 7, connects to the world via the Snapdragon X80 5G modem, and supports display resolutions of 4K at 60Hz and QHD+ up to 240Hz. There's Bluetooth 6.0 and UWB support too, as well as support for aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless audio, USB 3.1 Gen 2, UFS 4.0, up to 24GB RAM, and Qualcomm's Quick Charge 5 technology. Everything needed for a top tier chip is here, as you can imagine. For the dirty details, feel free to dive into Qualcomm's product brief. The first devices running the Snapdragon 8 Elite will come from ASUS, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, RealMe, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and others in the "coming weeks." We fully expect the OnePlus 13 to be announced shortly with this chip. Oh, if you were wondering why it isn't the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, I have no idea. I guess the thought is that this is such a big leap in performance and technology that it needed a new name.

Qualcomm's new chipset that will power flagship Android phones makes the iPhone seem outdated

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite will bring faster and more secure on-device processing of generative AI applications to your favorite Android flagship phones. Behind every new smartphone feature is a powerful chipset that brings it to life. With the industry shift toward on-device AI, a need for an even more advanced and capable system-on-a-chip (SoC) has emerged, and Qualcomm's latest iteration aims to meet this. On Monday, at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit, the company unveiled its newest mobile platform, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which it claims is the most powerful and fastest processor in the world. The chip is the first of the flagship mobile platforms under the new "Elite" branding, highlighting its improved graphical performance. Also: I tested Meta's limited edition Ray-Ban smart glasses, and they're a near-perfect wearable for me The new mobile platform is powered by a combination of a second-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. The latter is integral for optimizing on-device AI tasks like image generation, text translation, etc. Other key highlights of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip include a 24MB total cache, 4.32 GHz CPU max frequency, 45% single-core improvement, and 62% faster web browsing, promising an enhanced user experience with superior processing capabilities. That's all fancy jargon to suggest that this next wave of flagship Android phones, coming as soon as late 2024, will be well equipped for the ensuing advances in AI features. "Today, our second generation of the Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuts in our flagship Mobile Platform -- it's a major leap forward, and we expect consumers to be thrilled with the new experiences enabled by our CPU technology," said Chris Patrick, SVP and GM of mobile handsets at Qualcomm Technologies, in a press release. Also: Microsoft introduces 10 AI agents for sales, finance, supply chain in Dynamics 365 Notably, the Snapdragon 8 Elite makes multi-modal generative AI applications on Snapdragon-powered devices more possible. As generative AI applications become more advanced, they are evolving past the point of text inputs and outputs. Many can now accept multimodal data, such as photos, videos, and audio, for much more context-aware assistance. "It (Snapdragon 8 Elite) revolutionizes mobile experiences by offering personalized, multi-modal generative AI directly on the device, enabling the understanding of speech, context, and images to enhance everything from productivity to creativity tasks while prioritizing user privacy," added Patrick. The advantages of on-device processing include faster processing speed, as users experience less latency by forgoing sending data to the cloud, and increased security, as their data never leaves the device. Other benefits include minimizing energy used at data centers, making it a more sustainable business alternative. Also: Qualcomm's secret project with Samsung and Google is mixed reality smart glasses, and I'm glad The flagship chipset will also power other mobile features, such as the photo-taking and photo-editing experience, with features like AI relighting, a Video Magic Eraser, and an "AI Pet Suite. " It will also enhance gaming with CPU-intensive multiplayer games and better visuals across the board. Qualcomm has not revealed which flagship phones will sport the new chipset. However, it did share that the Snapdragon 8 Elite will be adopted by leading manufacturers, including Samsung, Asus, OnePlus, Oppo, Honor, iQOO, RealMe, Redmi, and Xiaomi -- with the first device scheduled for launch in the coming weeks. Disclosure: The cost of Sabrina Ortiz's travel to Maui, Hawaii for Qualcomm Summit was covered by Qualcomm, a common industry practice for long-distance trips. The judgments and opinions of ZDNET's writers and editors are always independent of the companies we cover.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite is its next premium mobile chip

After making a huge splash in laptops, Qualcomm is bringing its latest CPU to phones. Another year, another flagship Qualcomm mobile chip. But things are a bit different with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the company's newest offering headed to premium smartphones. For one, it's using the Oryon CPU that debuted in X Elite chips for laptops last year, according to a leaked slide from Videocardz. It's also using a new 3nm process node, instead of last year's 4nm node. That helps the Snapdragon 8 Elite deliver 45 percent faster single and multi-core performance while using 27 percent less power than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. While we're still waiting for more details on the Snapdragon 8 Elite at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit later today, there's still a lot we can learn from that single leaked slide. As expected, the company is doubling down on its generative AI capabilities, with a 45 percent faster NPU (neural processing unit) than before, and gaming performance will also see a 40 percent boost. The 8 Elite will reach a maximum speed of 4.32 GHz across two cores, according to Videocardz, and it'll hit up to 3.53 GHz in six smaller cores. Given how impressed we were by the Snapdragon X Elite in the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop Copilot+ PCs, it wouldn't be too surprising to see the Oryon CPU working out well on smartphones. According to Smartprix and Onleaks, early benchmarks of the Snapdragon 8 Elite show it scoring 3,025,991 in Antutu, compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3's best of around 2.1 million.

Xiaomi 15, Honor Magic 7, and more Android phones confirmed to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra (left) and Honor Magic 7 Pro (right) (Image credit: Future / Honor) Qualcomm debuted its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset at Snapdragon Summit 2024, and various phone makers have since come forward to confirm that upcoming flagships will be powered by the all-new (and all-powerful) mobile platform. Qualcomm flew TechRadar to Maui and hosted us at the Snapdragon Summit to hear all of the latest news. Both Xiaomi and Honor joined Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon on stage in Hawaii to announce that the Xiaomi 15 and Honor Magic 7 series, respectively, will launch this month (likely in China) with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Asus, too, confirmed that the upcoming Asus ROG Phone 9 will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and Samsung mobile chief TM Roh also appeared at Snapdragon Summit to reaffirm his company's ongoing partnership with Qualcomm. Roh didn't mention the Samsung Galaxy S25 series by name, but you can bet your house that the best Samsung phones we see in 2025 will come packing the Snapdragon 8 Elite (disclaimer: that's not serious financial advice). In other words, it's a good guess that all of next year's best Android phones will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with Samsung's Galaxy S25 series being the first of that number to ship in the US, UK, and Australia (we're anticipating a January release date). Those aforementioned models from Xiaomi, Honor, and OnePlus will likely debut in China first, before launching internationally at a later date in 2025. As for how the Snapdragon 8 Elite stacks up against its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it's the first Snapdragon mobile chipset to feature Qualcomm's second-generation Oryon CPU, and has been designed to "handle the complexities of multi-modal AI" much more efficiently. Any phones equipped with Qualcomm's latest chipset will deliver faster app launches, more seamless multitasking, and more powerful generative AI capabilities than their Snapdragon 8 Gen 3-equipped predecessors, and mobile gamers, too, will benefit from sharper images, smoother gameplay, and longer gameplay sessions thanks to the 8 Elite's improved Adreno GPU. We'll be reporting on more Snapdragon 8 Elite features throughout the week from the ground at Snapdragon Summit - check out our report on Qualcomm's virtual, moveable light source technology, for instance - so stay tuned to TechRadar for the latest news from Hawaii.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is Qualcomm's first mobile chipset with custom CPU cores - Phandroid

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 series of chipsets have been used in some of the best, and most powerful Android smartphones over the years. During the 2024 Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm is shaking things up with the announcement of its latest flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Instead of continuing the Snapdragon 8 Gen X series of naming, the company has opted to rename their chipsets with the Elite branding. It might seem confusing, but it's rightfully deserved. Especially when you consider the fact that the new Snapdragon 8 Elite is the first Snapdragon mobile chipset to feature the use of Qualcomm's latest custom Oryon CPU cores. Prior to this, Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets were using Kryo cores that are custom cores licensed from Arm. With the Oryon, these are custom cores designed by Qualcomm. Qualcomm will continue to license from Arm, but only the instruction set. This opens the door to more possibilities and customization and the potential to create something even better and more powerful. According to Qualcomm, the new Oryon cores feature Prime cores that are clocked at 4.32GHz. Then there are also a bunch of Performance cores that are clocked at 3.53GHz. The use of these new cores will result in 45% improvement in single-core performance, and 45% increase in multi-core performance. Qualcomm is also boasting 62% improvements in web browsing, along with a 24MP total cache. With the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, it seems that future devices that take advantage of the chipset can expect power-saving capabilities. This means that in theory, handset makers can maintain the same battery size, but squeeze out more life. This is because with the new Oryon cores, Qualcomm says that we can expect up to 45% in power savings from the CPU. It also features the use of Qualcomm's Adreno GPU, which will also have power savings of up to 40%. Seeing as how AI is all the rage these days, especially for on-device processing, the new chipset will also provide power savings of up to 45% in AI performance per watt. Obviously with this much power, the new Snapdragon 8 Elite will be a gamer's dream come true. Gamers can look forward to massive improvements when it comes to performance, up to 40%. There will also be improvements made to ray tracing, up to 35%, along with the use of Unreal Engine Nanite, as well as support for Unreal Engine Chaos Physics Engine. How this will actually affect gameplay in real-life remains to be seen, but with these improvements we can expect much smoother gameplay as well as support for higher-res graphics and textures. There's a lot more to cameras on our smartphones other than the sensor and lens choice. There is the underlying hardware that is used to help process the images, which is where the Snapdragon 8 Elite comes in. The new chipset from Qualcomm will boast new features where the NPU of the chipset can directly access raw sensor data. This is a first for Qualcomm and will help with features like real-time AI enhancements. Speaking of AI, the chipset will offer features like AI relighting for video. This helps create a virtual movable light source that can match the contours of a face. There is also an AI Pet Suite, and a Video Magic Eraser feature that can remove objects from videos. The best part is that this can be done without having to upload to the cloud, thus reducing latency and also ensuring a greater degree of privacy. So, which handset makers will be using the new chipset from Qualcomm? According to the company, brands such as ASUS, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, RealMe, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi are just some of the many who are expected to launch devices with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. In fact, OnePlus is poised to launch the OnePlus 13 soon which will use the chipset. We also expect that devices like the Samsung Galaxy S25 series coming in 2025 will take advantage of Qualcomm's latest technology.

This is the next-gen chip you need to have inside your next Android phone | Stuff

Qualcomm has debuted the latest version of its Snapdragon hardware, set to power most flagship phones in 2025. Called Snapdragon 8 Elite, the new chip will appear inside upcoming phones from Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung, Vivo and Xiaomi. We won't have to wait too long for some of these designs to launch and there will certainly be plenty of exciting upcoming phones before the year is out. Xiaomi's Adam Zeng announced on stage at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit 2024 that Snapdragon 8 Elite will come to the Xiaomi 15 Series first - before the end of October. Honor Magic 7 is also confirmed to launch on 30 October in Shenzhen. Both of these devices will surely come to Europe, too - but at a later date. It certainly seems it's also nailed on that the Galaxy S25 will be using Snapdragon chips again rather than Samsung's own Exynos. The key thing is that the new chips use the Oryon processor that we saw in Snapdragon PC chips earlier this year (indeed, it's a second-gen version of that tech which is 30% faster). And, given the clear performance enhancement there, it's no real surprise. This technology - bought by Qualcomm when it bought start-up Nuvia in 2021. Qualcomm showed benchmarks that compared its performance favourably compared to the Apple A18 Pro inside the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. The 8 Elite represents a 62 percent uplift in performance compared to the last generation and it's 45 percent more efficient too. Improvements to the Hexagon neural processor are designed to speed up complex AI models integrated into your phone as well as those in other apps.. As we know, AI models are a massive disruption taking place at the moment and Qualcomm talked up how it is well placed to take advantage of this shift. "Computers can now understand the language of humans. It's going to change the way we think about Gen AI (Generative AI)" says Qualcomm's chief Cristiano Amon. "Today we have an app-centric experience but that is changing because each application and use case has the potential to change how we think about AI. Computers can understand human language. It's going to change in a way that is easier to think about. And it's going to lead to new experiences." In an AI demo, Amon showed a demo of a banking app where your current balance is part of the purchase process on another site or where you're asking your device to pay a bill. Of course, this won't necessarily just take place over mobile; Qualcomm says it'll take place across the platforms it deals with including PC, spatial computing (though its work with Meta primarily) and auto. CCS Insight analyst Leo Gebbie says that the AI battle on mobile is hotting up. "An arms race in Al on mobile is in photos and imaging is underway. "Features such as generative Al image fill and object removal have quickly spread across leading smartphones today and video now looks set to be the next battleground." By adopting the Elite name, Qualcomm has given its mobile chips similar nomenclature to its Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus PC chips. So expect the mid-range spin of the 8 Elite to be called the 8 Plus. That'll be with us for mid-range phones part way into 2025.

Top 10 Things to Know About Qualcomm's New Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip

Snapdragon 8 Elite -- Qualcomm's latest high-end mobile processor -- was unveiled at the company's annual Snapdragon Summit on Monday. Upcoming flagship Android smartphones from several manufacturers are expected to arrive in the coming months with the new processor, and the chipmaker has touted new performance and efficiency improvements delivered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The new naming scheme aligns the flagship smartphone chip branding with the company's Snapdragon X Elite that was launched earlier this year for laptops that offer support for AI features. This year, Qualcomm has made some significant upgrades to its flagship chipset, such as the exclusion of efficiency cores on the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The new chip is also built on TSMC's second-generation 3nm process technology, which allows chipmakers to deliver better performance alongside improved efficiency. Smartphone makers will also be able to offer longer software support for handsets equipped by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, according to Qualcomm.

Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon 8 Elite - Details Here

Further, the company confirmed that its flagship mobile chips will now be branded Elite. Qualcomm, a semiconductor giant, has unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit in Maui. Qualcomm said that it is the most powerful and world's fastest mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC) ever. Further, the company confirmed that its flagship mobile chips will now be branded Elite. The new Snapdragon 8 Elite has a custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and an enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. "These innovations empower the Snapdragon 8 Elite to transform user experiences with their devices - making on-device multi-modal generative AI applications a reality on smartphones powered by Snapdragon," said Qualcomm in a release. Read More - OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 to Feature Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip The new chipset also comes with a new powerful AI-ISP (Image Signal Processor), along with next-level gaming, super-fast web browsing, and more. Qualcomm said that its Snapdragon 8 Elite has the fastest Hexagon NPU along with an on-device multi-modal Gen AI assistant making it a Gen-AI powerhouse. The Qualcomm Oryon CPU has a 45% single-core and multi-core performance improvement over the previous generation chip. Gaming is also 40% more powerful and ray-tracing is improved by 35%. The chip's Geekbench single-core performance is 3200+ and multi-core performance is 10000+. There are only two efficiency cores while six cores are meant for performance. Read More - Samsung Galaxy M15 5G Launched in India Starting at Rs 10,999 "We are so excited to bring the power of Qualcomm Oryon to our Snapdragon mobile platforms for the first time. Earlier this year we debuted it in PCs, delivering remarkable experiences and unparallel battery life to PC users, energizing the industry and getting the attention of consumers. Today, our second generation of the Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuts in our flagship Mobile Platform - it's a major leap forward and we expect consumers to be thrilled with the new experiences enabled by our CPU technology," said Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "With leading CPU, GPU and NPU capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers dramatic performance enhancements and power efficiency. In addition, it revolutionizes mobile experiences by offering personalized, multi-modal generative AI directly on the device enabling the understanding of speech, context, and images to enhance everything from productivity to creativity tasks while prioritizing user privacy," he added.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip Aims to Level Up AI on Android Phones

Expertise Smartphones | Smartwatches | Tablets | Telecom industry | Mobile semiconductors | Mobile gaming Next year's top Android phones will have even better AI capabilities, low-light camera performance and be able to last longer when playing games. At its Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, Qualcomm revealed the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the next generation of chips that will power the best phones from Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and more manufacturers. The new chip will enable even more generative AI capabilities, which became the showcase feature that tech companies scrambled to integrate into their products this year. The smartphone industry had its own competitive race toward generative AI starting with the Galaxy AI-equipped Samsung Galaxy S24 in January, while the iPhone 16 series is set to get parts of Apple Intelligence in a future update. While nascent with only a few standout features thus far, Qualcomm's next chip aims to support more features that will give users even more reason to buy Snapdragon 8 Elite-equipped phones. The Snapdragon 8 Elite builds on the foundation laid by Qualcomm's previous chip, last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which was the company's first chip capable of generative AI capabilities. The new chip includes even more AI expertise, such as support for an AI assistant to use the camera to recognize objects in real time, and a new trick that generates lighting so that your artificially well-lit face shows up in videos with bright backgrounds. That's in addition to features that were available on the previous-generation chip, like image generation through Stable Diffusion and expanding photos beyond their original boundaries. The chip has an improved neural processing unit, with more cores resulting, in what Qualcomm claims, is up to 45% faster AI performance and better power efficiency. The NPU now integrates multimodal generative AI applications on the device, meaning it can handle inputs from multiple sensors and data sources (audio, video, personal info and more) to answer queries. The 8 Elite can support more than 70 tokens per second, a metric for how many inputs (text, photos and so on) can be considered when answering queries. While the previous three years of Qualcomm top-tier chips were Snapdragon Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3, the Snapdragon 8 Elite breaks from its naming convention to signify it's the best of the best, Qualcomm says. That's because the 8 Elite is the first of the company's mobile chips to use the new Qualcomm-designed Oryon CPU. To wit, the company introduced its Snapdragon X Elite PC chips a year ago, which were the first to pack Oryon CPUs. The 8 Elite uses a second-generation Oryon CPU with a 3-nanometer process (smaller than the 4nm of last year's Kryo CPU), which helps enable the chip's 45% greater efficiency. Upgrades in chip architecture have led to 45% better overall performance, but the more interesting benefit is a 62% improvement in web browsing performance -- meaning consumers should see websites and web-based apps load faster. "I think we've all experienced one time or another that a website, even though your phone is great, slows down and is labored. So [the Oryon CPU] is going to provide a [browsing] experience that rivals any kind of desktop," said Qualcomm Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Mobile Handset division Chris Patrick in a briefing. This won't just make it faster to load websites. Many modern apps and software rely on web browsing, so having a CPU designed to speed that up will have knock-on improvements to services consumers use every day. That improved efficiency applies to high-intensity activities like gaming, and Qualcomm says its new chip enables up to 2.5 hours of additional playtime. The Snapdragon 8 Elite also improves camera performance, mainly through a new ISP with better AI touches on autofocus, white balance and exposure, all of which happens behind the scenes and should result in better photos. The NPU can also now directly access the camera sensors themselves for real-time enhancements, including for video. Phonemakers can plug their camera algorithms directly into this pipeline. The 8 Elite also has a round of connectivity improvements mainly due to -- you guessed it -- AI. The X80 5G Modem uses AI on multiantenna management to better juggle signals for clearer connections, while the FastConnect 7900 integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to reduce latency. This makes it possible for calls leaving Bluetooth range to hand off the connection to Wi-Fi to keep the call going. We'll have to wait until new phones with the Snapdragon 8 Elite actually launch to see how much of a difference the new chip makes. But based on Qualcomm's claims, it sounds like the chip should bring a mix of general and AI-fueled upgrades to the next generation of Android phones.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset features the world's fastest mobile CPU - SiliconANGLE

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset features the world's fastest mobile CPU Qualcomm Inc. has just announced its newest flagship smartphone chipset, and it's said to contain the fastest mobile central processing unit ever seen on a mobile device. The company unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor at its annual Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii today, saying it's the successor to last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It's expected to feature in a number of upcoming, high-end Android smartphones from the likes of Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Vivo Mobile Communication Co. Ltd. in the coming weeks. The Snapdragon Elite 8 is the company's first chipset to feature the second-generation Oryon CPU, which was originally designed for laptops but has now been optimized for mobile devices, the company explained. It's also the first to carry the "Elite" tag, which will henceforth be used to designate the company's most powerful chipsets. "Our flagship mobile platforms are now taking on the Elite name, showcasing the remarkable progress it represents for the industry," the company said at the launch event. According to Qualcomm, the second-generation Oryon CPU has been designed to handle the "complexities of multimodal AI" better than any smartphone chipset ever seen. So we can expect to see lots of interesting artificial intelligence capabilities appearing in the next generation of Android phones. Getting into the technicalities, Qualcomm said the Snapdragon Elite 8 features two Prime cores clocked at 4.32 gigahertz and six Performance cores rated at 3.53 Ghz, with both sets being "custom designed". Each cluster boasts a total of 12 megabytes of L2 cache, meaning a combined 24MB that will enable "insanely fast" data retrieval, the company promised. Notably, the Snapdragon Elite 8 is the first Qualcomm chipset in a while that doesn't feature any Efficiency cores. It's based on an entirely new architectural design that revolves around an "Instant Wake" feature that's designed to reduce frequent power cycling of individual cores. On stage, a Qualcomm executive explained that a typical power-up sequence on its older chipsets involves using a reset code to prepare the core for operation. But with the Snapdragon Elite 8, the company says it has eliminated that sequence, using hardware that allows the core to execute the next instruction immediately. Qualcomm reckons that this helps the Snapdragon Elite 8 to deliver a 45% improvement in single and multi-core performance over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. In addition, the chipset packs an Adreno graphics processing unit based on a new sliced architecture that's 40% faster than its predecessor GPU, with a 35% boost in ray-tracing performance. The company also highlighted significant improvements in power efficiency, with the Oryon CPU gaining 40% over the one used in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and the GPU delivering a 27% boost. In practical terms, this means around two and half hours of extra battery life, the company said. Qualcomm also talked about the Snapdragon Elite 8's AI Engine, which leverages the CPU and GPU alongside a neural processing unit, plus the onboard memory and Sensing Hub feature. It said the Oryon CPU helps to initiate AI workloads and takes care of the heavy lifting, enabling ultra-low latency, while the GPU handles inference. The new Hexagon NPU is said to be 45% faster than the one found in last year's chip, and is deeply integrated with an AI ISP, or image signal processor. According to Qualcomm, the AI ISP will enable high-end cameras to capture "vivid" 4K videos at 60 frames per second in "near darkness". In addition, Qualcomm said the chipset comes with 24GB of dual-channel LP-DDR5x memory to support generative AI applications. The display support remains unchanged at 4K@60Hz, but users can now switch to standard 1080p resolution at 240Hz if they desire. For anyone planning to invest in a new, high-end Android smartphone this year, they can expect much faster application launches, more efficient multitasking and more advanced onboard AI functionality than they've ever seen on a mobile device. "The Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform represents the pinnacle of Snapdragon innovation," the company promised. "With the Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuting in our mobile roadmap, we are delivering unprecedented performance. This significance deserves a new, special, most premium variant of our leading 8 series." Qualcomm said we can expect to see the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset feature in upcoming smartphones from Samsung, Vivo, Asustek Computer Inc., Honor Device Co Ltd., OnePlus USA Corp., Oppo, iQOO Communication Technology Co., Realme Mobile Telecommunications Co. Ltd. and Xiaomi Corp. in the coming weeks.

This new Qualcomm chipset is a big deal if you're an Android phone user. Here's why

The Snapdragon 8 Elite will bring faster and more secure on-device processing of generative AI applications to your favorite Android flagship phones. Behind every new smartphone feature is a powerful chipset that brings it to life. With the industry shift toward on-device AI, a need for an even more advanced and capable system-on-a-chip (SoC) has emerged, and Qualcomm's latest iteration aims to meet this. On Monday, at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit, the company unveiled its newest mobile platform, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which it claims is the most powerful and fastest processor in the world. The chip is the first of the flagship mobile platforms under the new "Elite" branding, highlighting its improved graphical performance. Also: I tested Meta's limited edition Ray-Ban smart glasses, and they're a near-perfect wearable for me The new mobile platform is powered by a combination of a second-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. The latter is integral for optimizing on-device AI tasks like image generation, text translation, etc. Other key highlights of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip include a 24MB total cache, 4.32 GHz CPU max frequency, 45% single-core improvement, and 62% faster web browsing, promising an enhanced user experience with superior processing capabilities. That's all fancy jargon to suggest that this next wave of flagship Android phones, coming as soon as late 2024, will be well equipped for the ensuing advances in AI features. "Today, our second generation of the Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuts in our flagship Mobile Platform -- it's a major leap forward, and we expect consumers to be thrilled with the new experiences enabled by our CPU technology," said Chris Patrick, SVP and GM of mobile handsets at Qualcomm Technologies, in a press release. Also: Microsoft introduces 10 AI agents for sales, finance, supply chain in Dynamics 365 Notably, the Snapdragon 8 Elite makes multi-modal generative AI applications on Snapdragon-powered devices more possible. As generative AI applications become more advanced, they are evolving past the point of text inputs and outputs. Many can now accept multimodal data, such as photos, videos, and audio, for much more context-aware assistance. "It (Snapdragon 8 Elite) revolutionizes mobile experiences by offering personalized, multi-modal generative AI directly on the device, enabling the understanding of speech, context, and images to enhance everything from productivity to creativity tasks while prioritizing user privacy," added Patrick. The advantages of on-device processing include faster processing speed, as users experience less latency by forgoing sending data to the cloud, and increased security, as their data never leaves the device. Other benefits include minimizing energy used at data centers, making it a more sustainable business alternative. Also: Qualcomm's secret project with Samsung and Google is mixed reality smart glasses, and I'm glad The flagship chipset will also power other mobile features, such as the photo-taking and photo-editing experience, with features like AI relighting, a Video Magic Eraser, and an "AI Pet Suite. " It will also enhance gaming with CPU-intensive multiplayer games and better visuals across the board. Qualcomm has not revealed which flagship phones will sport the new chipset. However, it did share that the Snapdragon 8 Elite will be adopted by leading manufacturers, including Samsung, Asus, OnePlus, Oppo, Honor, iQOO, RealMe, Redmi, and Xiaomi -- with the first device scheduled for launch in the coming weeks.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite official: Up to 45% faster Oryon CPU, 40% faster GPU, 45% faster NPU

Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the company's latest flagship Mobile Platform at the Qualcomm Snapdragon Tech Summit 2023 event, as expected. Compared to the predecessor, this uses Qualcomm's 2nd gen custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU for mobile, with up to 4.32 GHz peak CPU speeds. This promises 45% boost in CPU performance in single and multi-threaded benchmarks, and 44% improved power efficiency compared to the predecessor. It has 2 x Prime cores at up to 4.32 GHz and 6 x Performance cores at up to 3.53 GHz. There is fastest LPDDR5X memory at 5300MHz. This has mobile industry's largest shared cache delivers insanely fast data retrieval. The SoC promises up to 27% in overall power savings, extending the gaming time by up to 2.5 hours, said the company. The 2nd Gen Qualcomm Oryon CPU is 30% faster vs 1st gen at iso-power and requires 57% less power. It is much faster compared to Apple A18 Pro in benchmarks. It delivers up to 162% faster CPU performance vs Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 peak at iso-power, while Core Ultra 7 Series 2 peak performance requires 190% more power, said Qualcomm. The custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU is the first-ever Adreno GPU with sliced architecture with dedicated memory for each slice -- ensuring faster, smoother performance and optimized battery life. This promises 40% faster GPU performance improvement, 40% greater power efficiency and 35% increase in ray-tracing performance compared to the predecessor. It is the first Mobile GPU to feature full support for Unreal Engine 5.3 Nanite for film-quality 3D environments fortotal immersion. The Qualcomm AI Engine boasts the fastest Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, delivering a 45% AI performance improvement and 45% better performance per watt compared to the predecessor. The Multimodal Gen AI revolutionizes interactions, understanding voice, text, images, and now it can even see the world through your camera to help with tasks, ranging from everyday queries and summarization to advanced content creation. Plus, it can also instantly become an expert on any subject by digesting entire book chapters and documents. The new AI ISP is deeply integrated with the Hexagon NPU for enhanced, intuitive capture. The first AI-powered Limitless Segmentation that can segment an image in over 250 layers recognizes and enhances virtually anything in the frame, including faces, hair, clothing, objects, backgrounds, and beyond. It offers real-time Insight AI captures and enhances natural skin and sky tones even in the most challenging conditions. Truepic with C2PA adds cryptographic seals so you can authenticate your photos as real and not AI-generated -- now including videos and audio recordings. Video Object Eraser can remove unwanted elements from video footage -- on-device. This supports vivid videos at 4K60 FPS, even in near darkness. It has Snapdragon X80 5G Modem RF System that unites with Qualcomm 5G AI Suite Gen 3 for superior 5G performance and incredible multi-gig speeds. It offers 30% improved location and positioning accuracy, even in parking structures. This is the first 4×6 MIMO solution for breakthrough connectivity performance and the first DSDA (Dual Data), now with global coverage, offers greater versatility through two SIMs. It supports Wi-Fi 7 offering up to 5.8 Gbps speed and dual Bluetooth connectivity for sustained immersion, thanks to new Qualcomm FastConnect 7800 Mobile Connectivity System with integrated AI and up to 40% more power savings. The Wi-Fi system supports High Band Simultaneous Multi-Link for the fastest global Wi-Fi speeds. It is also the first platform to integrate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB for proximity capabilities, helping to find lost items, access secure buildings, and more. Qualcomm said that ASUS, HONOR, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, realme, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and more, are poised to launch devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, in the coming weeks.

Qualcomm Officially Unveils The Snapdragon 8 Elite, A Few Hours After Its Press Image Leak; Here Is Everything Else You Did Not Know

A previous press image leak revealed a considerable amount of information about the Snapdragon 8 Elite, including the fact that Qualcomm has decided to choose a different name for its flagship chipset. While we will touch down on some of the specifications that were mentioned earlier, our main focus will be on everything that the company announced now, so let us dive into the details. The 8-core CPU cluster is said to be up to 44 percent more efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and that is thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite employing TSMC's 3nm 'N3E' architecture. Additionally, Qualcomm claims that the new SoC can achieve up to a 45 percent performance boost in single-core and multi-core tests. As for the GPU, the Adreno 830 is 40 percent faster and 40 percent power efficient compared to last year's Adreno 750, with the company stating that portable gaming sessions will last up to 2.5 hours longer. Coming to on-device AI capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Elite supports up to 70 tokens per second on certain AI models, but Android Authority was not informed about the size of these models. For those who do not know, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can support Large Language Models (LLMs) with 10 billion parameters at almost 15 tokens per second or the Llama 2 7B (seven billion) model at 20 tokens per second. Apart from the chipset's name change, Qualcomm's Spectra ISP (Image Signal Processor), has been re-branded to AI ISP and delivers 4.3 gigapixels per second of throughput, up from 3.2 gigapixels per second in the previous chipset. Multi-sensor support of 48MP + 48MP + 48MP is present, along with 108MP single camera support at 30FPS, with an upgrade to 320MP still imaging, up from 200MP from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Video recording capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Elite are limited to 4K 60FPS, whereas they are 8K 60FPS on the Dimensity 9400. Then again, there is no telling which phone maker will be willing to add an 8K 60FPS option, as camera overheating and over-consumption of the internal memory can happen. Qualcomm has a multitude of phone partners such as ASUS, HONOR, Iqoo, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi that will take advantage of the Snapdragon 8 Elite in their flagships, so let us stay tuned for their launches.

Qualcomm Launches Snapdragon 8 Elite Flagship Chipset for Mobile Device

Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is fabricated using a 3nm process The SoC supports on-device AI and multi-modal capabilities Qualcomm says it is 27 percent more efficient than 8 Gen 3 Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset was unveiled by Qualcomm at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii on Tuesday. Qualcomm's newest mobile processor is targeted at delivering top-of-the-line performance with upgrades such as on-device generative artificial intelligence (AI) and multi-modal AI capabilities, a dedicated Hexagon neural processing unit (NPU), second-generation custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU, and enhanced AI image signal processing (ISP). Courtesy of these features, the Snapdragon 8 Elite claims to bring a massive performance leap over its predecessor -- the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Qualcomm says flagship Android devices powered by its latest Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC are expected to be available in the coming weeks. The chip will be adopted for flagship devices by global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi. According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, with the model number SM8750-AB, sits above the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 as its newest mobile processor for flagship devices. The chip is built on a 64-bit architecture based on a 3-nanometre fabrication process and features a second-generation custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU with eight cores, having a peak clock speed of 4.32GHz. It is claimed to deliver a 45 percent improvement in both single and multi-core performance, while web browsing is also improved by 62 percent. Qualcomm says devices running this chipset will support up to LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. It also brings Unreal Engine 5's Nanite solution for enabling film-quality 3D environments in smartphone gaming. Snapdragon 8 Elite features Qualcomm Adreno GPU and enhanced Hexagon NPU as part of the Qualcomm AI Engine -- both of which contribute to achieving 40 percent better gaming performance and 35 percent enhanced ray-tracing capability. The chipset supports on-device generative AI, multi-modal capabilities and longer token inputs, accepting voice, text, image, and even live-view prompts. Qualcomm claims a 45 percent increase in overall AI performance, while the same boost is also applicable to the chipset's performance per watt. However, it is more efficient too. The chipmaker says that the Snapdragon 8 Elite is 27 percent more power efficient compared to its predecessor. For connectivity, the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC brings the Qualcomm FastConnect 7900 System with support for Wi-Fi 7 at 6GHz, 5GHz and 2.4GHz spectral bands and Bluetooth 5.4. The latest chip features the Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF System. The mobile platform is claimed to feature a dedicated AI tensor accelerator which can achieve multi-gigabit 5G speeds in more places with the first 4x6 MIMO solution. Smartphones equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip will be able to support up to 320-megapixel camera sensors, with the chipset featuring a triple 18-bit Spectra AI ISP setup, offering AI-based auto-exposure, auto-focus, face detection, and other features. It supports video capture and playback in up to 8K resolution at 60 frames per second (fps). Additionally, it has a new Qualcomm AI ISP which is fused with the NPU, enabling features like limitless Semantic Segmentation at 4K resolution, video object eraser, and real-time skin and sky adjustments via Insight AI. The chip also supports on-device displays with a maximum QHD resolution with up to 240Hz refresh rate and 10-bit colour depth. According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Elite supports satellite systems such as QZSS, Galileo, Beidou, GLONASS, NavIC, and GPS with lane-level and sidewalk-level accuracy, and triple frequency support. It gets sensor-assisted navigation and concurrent satellite system features. Additionally, it brings support for up to Quick Charge 5 via USB Type-C. The SoC also supports fingerprint recognition via a dedicated sensor courtesy of Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor Max support. Alternatively, it also comes with biometric support for voice, facial and iris-based authentication.

Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 8 Elite as world's fastest mobile CPU

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Qualcomm unveiled its Snapdragon 8 Elite, which it claimed is the world's fastest mobile centralized processing unit (CPU). The CPU features Qualcomm's second-generation custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which the company said will power new era of on-device generative AI. It's built to handle the complexities of multi-modal AI seamlessly while prioritizing privacy. This means you'll soon see amazing Unreal Engine 5 visuals in your mobile games. Speaking at its annual Snapdragon Summit in Maui this week, Qualcomm said leading manufacturers and smartphone brands including Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, RealMe, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and more, are poised to launch devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, in the coming weeks. Cisco Chen, senior director of product marketing at Qualcomm, said in a press briefing that the new system-on-chip product is slated for mobile devices coming later this year where the priority is to balance efficiency and performance. Chen said that the Hexagon NPU has 12 times the performance of the previous generation. The Oryon CPU has three times the performance. And the Adreno GPU has three times the performance. Overall, the device has more than 40 components embedded in a system-on-chip design, where customers can mix and match the features they want in their final designs. Chen also said the Oryon's Prime core is a brand new microarchitecture that is 46% more efficient than the prior version. It runs at 4.32GHz. "This ground-up approach and our well-established understanding of mobile experiences allow us to optimize every aspect of the CPU and all that it is attached to it," Chen said. It also fetches data faster than in the past, allowing the core to execute the next instruction faster. Along side two Prime cores are six performance cores. Over the years, Qualcomm has reduced its number of "efficiency" cores and it has now replaced them altogether with the performance cores. The performance cores offer a balance of performance and efficiency, reaching higher speeds of 3.53GHz. It has a 24MB cache. Qualcomm has also optimized for in-app experiences, multitasking, generative AI, video rendering and streaming, as well as gaming. "No other use case will benefit more than gaming," he said. It will provide smoother gameplay with higher framerates and extend gaming time as much as 2.5 hours with 40% better battery efficiency and 40% better GPU performance. It supports Unreal Engine's Chaos Physics system, running the game physics simulations on device in real time. There can be as many as 9,000 objects on screen at once. The chip can store 12 megabytes of data directly on GPU. The result is longer sustained gameplay sessions, as well as better ray-tracing benchmark performance. The Snapdragon mobile team has been working with Feral Interactive on the Grid Legends mobile racing game. It will launch exclusively with Qualcomm Adaptive Performance Engine 4.0 for Snapdragon 8 Elite users. And for the first time ever, Unreal Engine 5's Nanite solution will run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It enables a massive increase in film-quality environments in mobile games. This platform debuts industry technologies such as the latest Qualcomm Adreno graphics processing unit (GPU) and enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, all of which deliver game changing performance improvements. These new components empower the Snapdragon 8 Elite to transform user experiences with their devices - making on-device multi-modal generative AI applications a reality on smartphones powered by Snapdragon. These technologies also fuel many other experiences across camera capabilities, with our most powerful AI-ISP, as well as next level gaming, super-fast web browsing and more. Gen AI applications that have emerged in the past two years will run on Snapdragon 8 Elite. It is integrating multimodal gen AI applications and delivering these experiences directly on device, swiftly and with ultra-low latency. Chen said the new Qualcomm AI Engine will tap the Oryon CPU for latency-critical AI tasks. The Hexagon NPU has higher throughput across accelerators for faster inferencing performance. It lets AI and computer vision workloads to coexist in the memory. AI assistant experiences can run entirely on the device. AI assistants running on your smartphone can also be tailored to you, running on the device itself to ensure privacy, Chen said. AI expansion will expand a photo beyond your device's borders, AI super resolution boosts clarity, and AI segmentations enhances and identifies individual objects in each scene. The AI ISP (image signal processing) works with the Hexagon NPU for tasks like auto white balance. The ISP used to process an image and pass it to the NPU. Now the NPU can access the native raw sensor data and implement real-time AI enhancements at 4K and 60 frames per second. This results in more accurate results and flexibility for device makers to implement their own algorithms at any stage. It also brings AI features previously only available on the cloud right into the device. "We call this Insight AI" to elevate photography to new heights, Chen said. You can capture natural skintones in the toughest lighting conditions, like when you're heavily backlit, Chen said. You can eliminate objects in a video using an "eraser" feature. You highlight the object and you can erase it without ever having to send video to the cloud. It has a second-generation 5G AI processor, as well as AI-enhanced WiFi 7, for better connectivity at lower power consumption. "We are so excited to bring the power of Qualcomm Oryon to our Snapdragon mobile platforms for the first time. Earlier this year we debuted it in PCs, delivering remarkable experiences and unparallel battery life to PC users, energizing the industry and getting the attention of consumers," said Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets, Qualcomm, in a statement. "Today, our second generation of the Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuts in our flagship mobile platform - it's a major leap forward and we expect consumers to be thrilled with the new experiences enabled by our CPU technology." He added, "With leading CPU, GPU and NPU capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers dramatic performance enhancements and power efficiency. In addition, it revolutionizes mobile experiences by offering personalized, multi-modal generative AI directly on the device enabling the understanding of speech, context, and images to enhance everything from productivity to creativity tasks while prioritizing user privacy."

Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon 8 Elite with Oryon CPU

And the 8-series Adreno 830 GPU offers 40% performance improvement and a 35% uplift in ray tracing performance. At Snapdragon Summit 2024, Qualcomm has launched its latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset aka Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, if we go by the prior naming convention. This time, Qualcomm has packed Nuvia-designed Oryon CPU cores on the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which we have already seen on the Snapdragon X Elite, the company's ARM-based PC processor. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is manufactured on TSMC's 3nm (N3E) process node, featuring eight Oryon CPU cores. Two Oryon cores are clocked up to a mighty 4.32GHz, outranking even the Apple A18 Pro, and six cores can reach up to 3.53GHz. Qualcomm says the Oryon cores on the new 8 Elite chipset deliver blistering CPU performance, offering a massive gain of 45% over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in single and multi-core performance. As for the next generation Adreno 830 GPU, it brings a massive 40% uplift in graphics performance and a 35% improvement in ray tracing gaming performance. The 8-series Adreno GPU indeed looks very powerful. Qualcomm has done something different this time with its Adreno GPU. It has implemented GMEM (generalized memory management), bringing onboard local memory to the GPU for faster rendering. On top of that, the Adreno 830 GPU is built on a new Sliced architecture that brings three GPU slices. The slices are clocked up to 1.1GHz. And the GPU supports all major graphics APIs, including Unreal Engine, Nanite, and Chaos Engine. Moreover, the new Hexagon NPU on the Snapdragon 8 Elite brings 45% faster AI performance over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It packs a 6-core vector accelerator and an 8-core scalar accelerator. The Hexagon NPU can access dual-channel LPDDR5X memory (up to 5.3GHz). On the connectivity front, the Snapdragon 8 Elite features the Snapdragon X80 5G modem and supports Wi-Fi 7 with some AI enhancements. The ISP is now more capable than before. It can capture 4.3 Gigapixels per second (GP/s) and taps the Hexagon AI engine for real-time image and video enhancements. The ISP can do real-time segmentation, AI relighting, erase objects from videos, and more. Overall, Qualcomm claims Snapdragon 8 Elite aka 8 Gen 4 is 27% more power-efficient than the previous generation. We'll need to test out the 8 Elite chipset for a detailed verdict, but what do you think about Qualcomm's flagship chip? Can it beat the Apple A18 Pro and Dimensity 9400? Let us know in the comments below.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Press Image Leaks Out, Showing Performance Cores Clocked At Up To 4.32GHz, New Adreno 830 GPU Delivers Up To A 40 Percent Gain & More

A new name has been decided for Qualcomm's latest and greatest SoC, thanks to the latest press image leak and it is the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The chipset has reportedly been designed on TSMC's second-generation 3nm process and is the company's first smartphone silicon that features custom in-house Oryon cores that promise incredible performance gains in both single and multi-threaded workloads. The new Adreno 830 that is paired with the Snapdragon 8 Elite also delivers a hefty uplift in pure rasterization and ray tracing acceleration, so let us check out all the details here. New Snapdragon 8 Elite is also equipped with an NPU that is 45 percent faster to tackle on-device AI tasks but still supports LPDDR5X RAM Formerly known as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, VideoCardz got a hold of the press image, revealing that the Snapdragon 8 Elite features a '2 + 4' CPU cluster. The performance Oryon cores can reach up to 4.32GHz, while the efficiency ones can touch 3.53GHz. We witnessed the capabilities of these clock speeds when the OnePlus 13 was previously benchmarked using Geekbench 6, with the flagship obtaining the highest multi-core score for any smartphone, beating Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max powered by the A18 Pro. Qualcomm states that the CPU delivers 44 percent lower power consumption compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Snapdragon 8 Elite boasts 24MB of L2 cache, with 12 MB of it in the performance cores and the remaining in the efficiency cores. As for the Adreno 830 GPU, Qualcomm claims that the latest addition delivers a 40 percent improvement and 35 percent bump in ray tracing acceleration compared to the previous generation. The graphics processor sports three slices, each running at a 1.10GHz clock speed. Additionally, the Snapdragon 8 Elite should be able to tackle AAA games because it supports modern graphics APIs. The NPU, or Neural Processing Unit, has also been upgraded by being 45 percent faster, allowing it to breeze through on-device AI functions. There is no support for LPDDR6, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite supports faster dual-channel LPDDR5X memory running at 5.30GHz. As for connectivity, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is paired with the Snapdragon X80 5G modem, along with AI-Enhanced Wi-Fi 7 Integrated UWB and Qualcomm FastConnect 7900. More details are present in the press image, so you can check it out while we wait for the official announcement to kick off.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Claims Fastest Mobile CPU Title

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform represents a significant leap forward in mobile technology, offering unparalleled performance and efficiency. The platform's second-generation custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU is a testament to Qualcomm's commitment to pushing the boundaries of mobile computing. This innovative CPU delivers unprecedented processing power, allowing seamless multitasking and lightning-fast app launches. Coupled with the Qualcomm Adreno GPU, which provides stunning visuals and immersive gaming experiences, the Snapdragon 8 Elite sets a new standard for mobile performance. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Snapdragon 8 Elite is its ability to empower AI-driven experiences. The enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU plays a crucial role in this regard, allowing on-device multi-modal generative AI applications. This means that users can enjoy personalized and context-aware interactions, such as intelligent voice assistants, advanced camera features, and real-time language translation. The platform's AI capabilities also extend to privacy protection, ensuring that sensitive user data remains secure and confidential. The Snapdragon 8 Elite's advanced AI-ISP (Image Signal Processor) takes mobile photography to new heights. With its ability to process vast amounts of visual data in real time, the AI-ISP enables features such as enhanced low-light performance, improved autofocus, and superior image stabilization. Whether capturing stunning landscapes or fast-moving subjects, the Snapdragon 8 Elite empowers users to take professional-grade photos and videos with ease. The platform's AI capabilities also extend to computational photography, allowing for creative effects and post-processing techniques that were previously limited to dedicated cameras. As the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform makes its way into the latest smartphones from leading OEMs and brands, it is poised to drive the future of mobile computing. The platform's unmatched performance, AI capabilities, and advanced features open up a world of possibilities for developers and innovators. From augmented reality applications to advanced security features and beyond, the Snapdragon 8 Elite provides a foundation for groundbreaking mobile experiences. Moreover, the platform's energy efficiency ensures that these innovative features do not come at the cost of battery life. With intelligent power management and optimized performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite enables users to enjoy their devices for longer periods without the need for frequent charging. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform represents a significant milestone in the evolution of mobile technology. With its unparalleled performance, AI capabilities, and advanced features, this platform is set to transform the way we interact with our devices. As consumers eagerly await the arrival of smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it is clear that the future of mobile computing is bright. Qualcomm's commitment to innovation and excellence shines through in this groundbreaking platform, paving the way for a new era of mobile experiences that will transform the way we live, work, and play.

Snapdragon 8 Elite: 10 ways Qualcomm's Oryon CPU and other features revolutionize your next smartphone

From enhanced AI capabilities to more immersive gaming, the latest Snapdragon mobile platform will unlock a wealth of new experiences. The Snapdragon 8 mobile platform just made a quantum leap forward. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Platform, announced today at Snapdragon Summit, isn't just any upgrade; thanks to the incorporation of Qualcomm Technologies' first-of-its-kind custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU, it boasts unprecedented power and performance. As its Elite name signifies, this is the cream of the crop from Qualcomm Technologies and a glimpse into what your next premium smartphone will be able to do. You're stepping into a realm of unparalleled performance, stunning visuals and cutting-edge AI capabilities that will redefine your mobile journey. Snapdragon 8 Elite unlocks a wealth of extraordinary experiences, but here are 10 of the most impactful you'll want to learn more about: Snapdragon 8 Elite packs extraordinary AI capabilities to make your smartphone sense the world with more intelligence than ever. The Qualcomm AI Engine supports a personalized multimodal generative AI assistant to see what you see and interact with objects on the camera or through the microphone, processing and summarizing complex information at blazing fast speeds. Whether you need a quick summary of a lengthy document or help calculate tips on a receipt, your assistant provides clear and accurate information and unique suggestions - in a blink of an eye. Get ready, gamers: Snapdragon 8 Elite revolutionizes the mobile gaming realm. As the first mobile platform to support Unreal Engine 5.3 with full Nanite support, it allows developers to create games with film-quality 3D environments. Imagine playing games with jaw-dropping, three dimensional scenes - the kind of visuals you'd expect from titles on high-end gaming consoles - right on your smartphone. The Snapdragon 8 Elite makes this dream a reality. It's not just about stunning graphics; it's about an incredibly immersive and engaging gaming experience that you can take you anywhere. Our newest flagship chipset takes photography to a whole new level. We are now integrating advanced AI algorithms directly into the image and video processing pipeline. These algorithms work together to analyze and enhance every aspect of your photos, enabling stunning results with minimal effort. One of the most impressive features is its limitless segmentation technology. This groundbreaking capability can identify and optimize over 250 layers within an image, providing an unprecedented level of control and refinement. Whether you're capturing a busy city scene or a sprawling landscape, limitless segmentation allows every part of the scene to be perfectly balanced and beautifully detailed. By using the NPU to identify a layer with segmentation, the AI algorithms can predict what skin and sky tones are supposed to look like, even in challenging lighting conditions. While benchmarks and synthetic tests can help illustrate a chipset's potential, the true measure of performance is how your device performs in the real world - how it handles real applications and games. Speedometer is a popular web benchmark designed to measure web app responsiveness. With the introduction of Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Snapdragon 8 Elite achieves 62% better responsiveness when browsing the web with Chrome, compared to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It's not just faster - it's a whole new level of smooth and responsiveness. Whether you're joining an important video call or having a virtual catch-up with friends, the Snapdragon 8 Elite's real-time AI Relighting feature ensures that you present yourself in the best possible light, both literally and figuratively. This innovative feature employs a virtual, movable light source that intelligently maps to the user's face, guaranteeing you always look your best, regardless of the lighting conditions. Our brand-new, custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU is designed to handle the complex processing requirements of multiplayer games, providing an experience that is smooth and responsive - even in the most demanding situations. When you pair this processing power with the advanced graphics capabilities of the new Qualcomm Adreno sliced architecture GPU, you get breathtaking visuals at high frame rates and settings, turning your gaming experience into a visual masterpiece. Whether you're exploring detailed worlds, engaging with AI-powered teammates or in the throes of fast-paced combat, the Snapdragon 8 Elite enables every detail to be rendered with crystal clarity and smooth motion. Fast XL elevates image generation to new heights. By downloading this powerhouse from the Qualcomm AI Hub, you can produce stunning, highly detailed and incredibly realistic images with remarkable speed and efficiency. You can now create images that are not only beautiful but also packed with intricate details in higher resolution - all at lightning speed. The enhanced AI algorithms provide greater accuracy and precision, allowing you to include elements like legible text within your images effortlessly. Whether removing unnecessary objects - or choosing which to keep - the power is now entirely in your hands. Video Object Eraser is an intuitive tool that lets you remove unwanted elements from your videos right on your device. With a few taps, you can erase that photobomber or the clutter in the background, so your videos are clean and focused. AI Keeper tool takes the pain out of editing photos. Simply select the important subjects in your images and watch as it intelligently removes background distractions like crowds or clutter. It's like having a professional photo editor in your pocket. Whether you're capturing a special moment at a crowded event or a beautiful landscape with unwanted distractions, these tools ensure your photos and videos are always stunning. When it comes to documenting our lives, getting the perfect picture of your pet can be a challenge. Whether your dog is dashing through the park or your cat is scaling new heights, this game-changing feature is designed to keep up with your furry friend's unpredictable antics. The Snapdragon 8 Elite's AI Pet Capture Suite is designed to make it easier to take photos of pets in motion, so you can capture clear images of your pets, even when they're on the move. We've all experienced dropped tunes and choppy calls if you move around too much. Qualcomm Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN) technology is designed to solve this problem. Qualcomm XPAN technology lets you maintain high-quality audio as you move around, even in large spaces, by dynamically adapting to your environment, so that your audio experience isn't compromised. Step out of Bluetooth range? No problem. Your earbuds or headphones will automatically switch to a Wi-Fi connection, keeping you connected as you roam from room to room or even floor to floor. All of these experiences and more are yours to explore with Snapdragon 8 Elite: Opinions expressed in the content posted here are the personal opinions of the original authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of or its subsidiaries ('Qualcomm'). The content is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to be an endorsement or representation by Qualcomm or any other party. This site may also provide links or references to non-Qualcomm sites and resources. Qualcomm makes no representations, warranties, or other commitments whatsoever about any non-Qualcomm sites or third-party resources that may be referenced, accessible from, or linked to this site.

Snapdragon 8 Elite has Oryon CPU for notable performance and efficiency gains

Qualcomm today announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite that brings its Oryon CPU to Android smartphones after debuting on PCs earlier this year. With the introduction of Oryon to smartphones, Qualcomm is using the "Elite" brand instead of Snapdragon 8 Gen [x]. The 3nm (TSMC) Snapdragon 8 Elite has a second-generation Oryon CPU that has been optimized for mobile. There are 2 Prime (4.32 GHz) and six Performance (3.53 GHz) cores, with both sets of cores custom designed. Each cluster has 12MB of L2 cache, with the combined 24MB allowing for "insanely fast data retrieval." There are no Efficiency cores, with the number steadily declining in the past two generations, as Qualcomm believes the Performance cores today offer the best combination of performance and power. This is a brand new microarchitecture, with a feature called "Instant wake" to reduce frequent power cycling of individual cores: ...typically, a power-up sequence involves a reset code to prepare the core for operation. We've eliminated the sequence by using hardware that allows the core to execute the next instruction immediately. Qualcomm says Oryon makes possible a 45% improvement in both single and multi-core performance over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Similarly, the Adreno GPU, with its new sliced architecture, is 40% faster with a 35% increase in ray tracing performance. Compared to last year's chip, Qualcomm touts 44% improved power efficiency for the CPU and 40% for the GPU, with a 27% increase in overall power savings. In practice, you can game for 2.5 hours longer. Qualcomm's AI Engine incorporates the CPU, GPU, NPU, memory, and Sensing Hub. Oryon helps initiate AI workloads and handles heavy lifting (like ultra-low, first-inference latency), while the Hexagon NPU is 45% faster with 45% improved performance per watt. The NPU is deeply integrated with what Qualcomm calls the "AI ISP" (image signal processor) for features like an on-device 30FPS Video Object Eraser and capturing "vivid" 4K60 videos in "near darkness." Truepic that authenticates photos as real (and not AI-generated) with the C2PA standard now works for videos and audio. There's support for dual-channel LP-DDR5x memory (up to 24GB) to better support generative AI use cases. On-device display support is unchanged with 4K @ 60Hz, but QHD+ @ 240 (from 144) Hz is now possible. ASUS, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, RealMe, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and more will be releasing Snapdragon 8 Elite devices, with the first launches "in the coming weeks." Samsung explicitly being included is a first compared to previous years.

Qualcomm Says New Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC Has 'World's Fastest Mobile CPU'

Qualcomm today unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform, which features a next-generation custom Qualcomm-designed Oryon CPU instead of the semi-custom Kryo Arm-based chips from prior SoCs. According to Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Elite features the "world's fastest mobile CPU," outperforming even the A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro series. The Oryon CPU is built on a 3-nanometer process, much like Apple's most recent chips. It has eight cores in total, including two prime cores and six performance cores, and it is able to reach peak CPU speeds of 4.32 GHz. Qualcomm also claims that it has the "industry's largest shared cache" to enable "insanely fast data retrieval." There's also a new "Adreno" GPU, and Qualcomm says it uses a "revolutionary sliced architecture" for faster performance and battery life optimizations. Qualcomm built the chip with generative AI in mind, and it has an included Qualcomm AI Engine with Multimodal Gen AI that Qualcomm says can better understand voice, text, and images, viewing the world through the camera on a smartphone to help with tasks. The chip integrates the Qualcomm Snapdragon X80 5G modem with Wi-Fi 7 and 5G support. It will be used in Android-based devices from companies like Google, Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and more.

Android Phones Could Get a Serious Speed Boost From the Snapdragon 8 Elite

Passkeys on Android Make Your Life Easier -- Here's How to Use Them Qualcomm has revealed the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset for high-end Android devices. It has similar Oryon CPU cores as the company's new laptop chips, promising improved performance and power efficiency. Qualcomm introduced its custom Oryon CPU cores in the Snapdragon X Elite laptop chipset earlier this year, which is now being used in PCs like the Microsoft Surface Laptop, Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, Dell Inspiron 14 Plus, and ASUS Vivo S 15. The company is now bringing that technology back to mobile phones, with the introduction of the Snapdragon 8 Elite and its second-generation Oryon cores. Qualcomm said in a press release, "Our flagship mobile platforms are now taking on the Elite name, showcasing the remarkable progress it represents for the industry. This platform debuts industry leading technologies such as the second generation custom-built Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU and enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, all of which deliver game changing performance improvements." The new chip is a step up from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 used in many recent flagship Android phones (like the Galaxy S24 series), with a CPU that can reach 4.32 GHz at peak performance. That's a significant step up from the 3.4 GHz Prime core in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but we'll have to wait and see if it can sustain those speeds when needed. Qualcomm is promising a 45% single-core speed boost, 45% faster multi-core performance, and around 62% faster web browsing. However, all that power shouldn't come at the cost of battery life, at least if the company's claims are accurate. Qualcomm says the chip "delivers up to 27% in overall power savings, extending your gaming time by up to 2.5 hours." Qualcomm is also pitching the chipset as more useful for AI and machine learning tasks, such as camera photo and video processing, or running local AI models like Gemini Nano. That could be helpful if the Android device ecosystem starts replicating the local processing features of Apple Intelligence, which is about to debut on newer iPhone models. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset will be used in upcoming devices from ASUS, Honor, OnePlus, Samsung, Xiaomi, and other manufactures. The devices will start to be revealed within "the coming weeks." Source: Qualcomm

Snapdragon 8 Elite to power Xiaomi 15 series, iQOO 13, OnePlus 13, HONOR Magic7 series, realme GT 7 Pro and more

Qualcomm today introduced its flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform that promises 45% improvements in CPU, 40% GPU performance improvements, 44% overall improvements in power efficiency and 45% faster NPU. It also confirmed that several OEMs including ASUS, HONOR, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, realme, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi, and more will use the chip. Xiaomi's new flagship, Xiaomi 15 series will be the first to be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite, said Xiaomi's SVP and president, Adam Zeng. He said that it has made special optimizations for the Surge system HyperCore, which can reduce power consumption by 29.7% and peak temperature by 3 degrees Celsius in intensive games. The company has already confirmed the launch of the phones at an event in China this month. HONOR's flagship HONOR Magic7 series, which will be introduced on October 30th will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, said George Zhao, CEO of HONOR. The company also introduced industry's first AI Agent for the open ecosystem, and the CEO said that it will bring on-device generative AI to portrait and gaming powered by NPU computing for the first time to devices. OnePlus 13 which will be introduced on October 31st in China, will adopt Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform. It will hold an event in China tomorrow, October 23rd, to reveal more details. Henry Duan, Senior Vice President, OPPO, said: Over the years, OPPO and Qualcomm Technologies have maintained a close collaboration to bring users numerous innovative experiences, including when it comes to on-device generative AI. We are looking forward for the launch of our flagship masterpiece, the OnePlus 13, which will adopt Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform as OnePlus ushers in the new decade. iQOO has confirmed that iQOO 13 will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform. vivo has also confirmed that it will use the chip in its upcoming flagship, and it should be X200 Ultra that is expected later this year. Yujian Shi, Senior Vice President & CTO at vivo, said: The iQOO 13 will bring incredible new gaming experiences to consumers with visuals that will blow you away thanks to the new sliced architecture from the Qualcomm Adreno GPU and more. Together, we are proud to usher in a new era of e-sports experience. realme GT 7 Pro which will be introduced in November will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and it will be the first in India to use the chip, said the company. The upcoming realme GT 7 Pro will be available on Amazon India and offline stores, making it easily accessible to customers across the country, said the company. Commenting on this, a realme spokesperson said: At realme, we're committed to being the first to push boundaries and cutting-edge technology to our customers. We couldn't be prouder to be the first brand in India to launch a smartphone featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite Chipset. The realme GT 7 Pro isn't just a smartphone, it's a symbol of our continued commitment to being an innovation - first company , offering best-in-class experiences to its users. ASUS has confirmed that the ROG Phone 9 which will be introduced on November 19th will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. This promises advanced cooling and advanced AI for gamers with the powerful NPU in the chip. nubia Z70 Ultra and RedMagic 10 Pro will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, and are expected in November. Wei Luo, Vice President of ZTE Corporation, General Manager of Terminal Product, said:

Qualcomm Announces Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip for On-Device Generative AI

AI-powered image signal processor supports Semantic Segmentation at 4K. Qualcomm has launched its new flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite System-on-Chip (SoC) for premium smartphones at the Snapdragon Summit. As the successor to last year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the new processor adopts the "Elite" title from Qualcomm's PC chips. The Snapdragon 8 Elite integrates a second-generation Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU. Also Read: Qualcomm Launches Wireless Networking Platform With Wi-Fi 7 and Edge AI "Our flagship mobile platforms are now taking on the Elite name, showcasing the remarkable progress it represents for the industry," Qualcomm said, noting that the Snapdragon 8 Elite will transform user experiences with their devices -- making on-device, multi-modal generative AI applications a reality on smartphones powered by Snapdragon. Qualcomm announced that OEMs and smartphone brands, including ASUS, HONOR, iQOO, OnePlus, OPPO, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi, will be launching devices with the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC in the coming weeks. "Our second generation of the Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuts in our flagship mobile platform," Qualcomm added. Built on a 3nm architecture, the Snapdragon 8 Elite features a second-generation Oryon CPU optimised for mobile platforms. The chip uses a 2+6 octa-core processor design, with two Prime cores operating at a clock speed of up to 4.32GHz and six Performance cores with a peak clock speed of 3.53GHz. This configuration delivers a 45 percent improvement in CPU performance while being 44 percent more power-efficient, Qualcomm said. The chip also includes an upgraded Qualcomm Adreno graphics processing unit (GPU) with a sliced architecture similar to the CPU, enhancing performance by 40 percent and boosting power efficiency by 40 percent. Additional features include the integration of the X80 5G Modem-RF System with a dedicated AI tensor accelerator, support for dual-channel LP-DDR5x memory, and more. For AI workloads, the Snapdragon 8 Elite incorporates a Qualcomm AI Engine that combines the CPU, GPU, and a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU). Qualcomm stated that the new Hexagon NPU offers 45 percent better AI performance and 45 percent improved efficiency per watt, along with support for on-device, multi-modal generative AI applications. The NPU also powers Qualcomm's "AI ISP" (image signal processor), enabling AI-driven camera features such as Semantic Segmentation at 4K resolution and an on-device video object eraser for removing unwanted elements from videos. Also Read: Samsung Unveils 24Gb GDDR7 DRAM for Next-Generation AI Computing The Snapdragon 8 Elite incorporates features and technologies for delivering AI experiences to users, including AI-optimised Wi-Fi 7 built for extreme power efficiency, AI-based GNSS Location Gen 3, Spectra AI ISP, AI-based face detection, AI-enhanced performance improvements in power handling, enhanced AI video optimisations, and more. Qualcomm says this chip is fully integrated with AI-enhanced connectivity, combining the latest in AI-optimised 5G and Wi-Fi 7 to deliver multi-gigabit speeds.

Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform with Oryon CPU Cores

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform, an advanced system-on-a-chip (SoC) engineered to deliver high performance and efficiency for next-generation smartphones. The platform integrates several cutting-edge components, including the second-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Qualcomm Adreno GPU, and an enhanced Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. These elements work in tandem to provide significant improvements in processing power, graphics rendering, and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities compared to previous Snapdragon iterations. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is specifically designed to support on-device multi-modal generative AI applications, enabling a wide range of sophisticated functionalities directly on smartphones. This includes natural language processing, advanced image and video recognition, and context-aware computing, all contributing to a more seamless and responsive user experience. By handling AI tasks locally, the platform reduces reliance on cloud-based computation, thereby minimizing latency and enhancing data privacy for users. Additionally, the integration of an upgraded AI-ISP (Image Signal Processor) allows for enhanced camera performance, supporting advanced computational photography techniques such as real-time HDR processing and low-light image enhancement. The Qualcomm Adreno GPU delivers superior graphics performance, enabling high-resolution gaming, smooth video playback, and immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences. Concurrently, the Hexagon NPU accelerates AI-related tasks, ensuring efficient energy consumption and prolonging battery life during intensive operations. Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile handsets at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., emphasized that the deployment of the Qualcomm Oryon CPU within the Snapdragon 8 Elite marks a significant advancement in mobile processing technology. The Oryon CPU, which debuted earlier in Qualcomm's PC platforms, has been recognized for its ability to deliver high performance while maintaining energy efficiency, leading to extended battery life and improved user experiences. The second-generation Oryon CPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite builds upon this foundation, offering enhanced computational capabilities that support more demanding applications and multitasking scenarios on mobile devices. This integration is expected to facilitate a range of new user experiences, from more responsive virtual assistants and advanced gaming to sophisticated productivity tools and creative applications. Furthermore, the platform's emphasis on personalized, multi-modal generative AI allows for more tailored and intuitive interactions, as the device can better understand and anticipate user needs through the analysis of speech, context, and visual inputs. By processing data directly on the device, the Snapdragon 8 Elite also prioritizes user privacy, ensuring that sensitive information remains secure without the need to transmit data to external servers. In addition to its AI and processing advancements, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform includes improvements in connectivity and power management. The platform supports the latest 5G standards, enabling faster download and upload speeds, lower latency, and more reliable connections, which are essential for real-time applications and streaming services. Enhanced power management features ensure that the increased performance does not significantly impact battery life, allowing users to enjoy high-performance tasks without frequent recharging. The Snapdragon 8 Elite's comprehensive suite of technologies positions it as a competitive offering in the high-end smartphone market, catering to consumers seeking top-tier performance, advanced AI capabilities, and efficient energy usage in their mobile devices.

The Xiaomi 15 Will Launch This Month With The Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip

Expertise Smartphones | Smartwatches | Tablets | Telecom industry | Mobile semiconductors | Mobile gaming On stage at Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, the chipmaker introduced its newest silicon for premium phones, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Soon after, Xiaomi took the stage to declare that the first device to use this chip will be its own flagship Xiaomi 15, which is coming by the end of October. Xiaomi senior vice president Adam Zeng made the announcement, detailing the first performance advantages the Snapdragon 8 Elite will bring to phones. The Xiaomi 15 series has a 29.7% decrease in power consumption and runs 3 degrees Celsius cooler at peak temperatures. Given Qualcomm's emphasis on battery efficiency in the new Snapdragon 8 Elite, this is the first real-world example of how the chip improves phones. Xiaomi did the same thing at last year's Snapdragon Summit when it revealed the Xiaomi 14 would be the first phone to run last year's leading Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. But it was the Xiaomi 14 Ultra released back in April that impressed with its fast speeds, great cameras and AI features. Qualcomm says its Snapdragon 8 Elite offers many advancements thanks to its Oryon CPU, which debuted in the company's PC chips last year. On mobile, this promises higher performance as well as greater efficiency, especially when performing intensive tasks. For example, phones using the chip can game for 2.5 hours longer, Qualcomm says. The new chip also offers more generative AI features. More phones will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite, but the Xiaomi 15 will be the first across the finish line to show what the chip is capable of. We'll have to wait and see how (and if) it harnesses the additional generative AI and camera capabilities debuting in the Snapdragon 8 Elite.