The Snapdragon Summit is gearing up to spotlight the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, but Qualcomm is also unveiling a compelling non-flagship chipset: the Snapdragon 8s Gen 5. This new addition aims to offer a top-tier experience for phone makers, packed with features borrowed from Qualcomm’s premium offerings. Crafted with TSMC’s cutting-edge 3nm ‘N3P’ process, the chipset promises to deliver enhanced performance and efficiency.
Insiders reveal that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 5 shares several elements, including IP and GPU architectures, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2. This strategic design enables it to provide performance akin to its flagship counterpart. Excitingly, the first devices featuring this SoC are expected by late 2025, showcasing impressive capabilities.
Leveraging TSMC’s advanced process, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 5 is set to optimize power use while boosting performance. With Qualcomm’s custom Oryon cores, this chip is likely to replicate the strengths of the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Positioned as a non-flagship option, it allows manufacturers to maintain strong profit margins without compromising on performance.
There’s speculation that Qualcomm is adopting a chip-binning technique, akin to Apple’s strategy, to offer a streamlined version of its flagship chip. Although some features may be trimmed, the overall impact is expected to be minimal. As we await the official unveiling, these initial insights paint a promising picture for the Snapdragon 8s Gen 5.
