A recent leak on Weibo has sparked interest in Qualcomm’s upcoming System on Chip (SoC), potentially called the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. This chip, known internally as SM8845, is designed to bridge the gap between the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 models. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is expected to be a key player in the next wave of affordable flagship smartphones, possibly making its debut in the OnePlus Ace 6 Pro.
There’s some intrigue around this name choice since the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 was rebranded as the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The SM8845 also differs from its predecessors by utilizing Qualcomm’s proprietary Nuvia cores instead of the usual Arm Cortex cores, distinguishing it from the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.
A more fitting name might have been Snapdragon 8+ Elite, but Qualcomm seems to have moved away from the Plus branding. While the exact launch date is unclear, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is likely to follow the release of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 later this year. This new chip could offer a lower-cost alternative for manufacturers steering clear of the high costs associated with the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2.
Additionally, there are hints of a more budget-friendly version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, which could be manufactured using Samsung Foundry’s 2 nm SF2 node. This model is expected to outperform the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 thanks to advanced manufacturing technology and newer Nuvia cores. However, its development depends heavily on Samsung’s production success, which has reportedly improved over time.
