Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, the newest member of its premium 8-series family, but this time, it’s not the top-of-the-line “Elite” tier.
Instead, the 8 Gen 5 sits just below the flagship 8 Elite platform, offering many of the same features and AI tricks at what’s expected to be a more accessible level for phone makers.
Despite its positioning, the 8 Gen 5 is still a high-end chip. Qualcomm says it delivers a 36% CPU performance lift and a 76% boost in web browsing responsiveness, powered by a custom Oryon CPU that peaks at 3.8GHz.
The Adreno GPU also gets an 11% improvement thanks to Qualcomm’s sliced architecture, which allows for higher clock speeds in games and graphics-heavy apps.
AI is a major focus once again. The platform uses Qualcomm’s Sensing Hub to let devices wake an assistant the moment you pick up your phone, and the Hexagon NPU reportedly sees a 46% performance gain. Combined with on-device agentic AI features, Qualcomm says the chip should enable more personalised, context-aware interactions without relying heavily on the cloud.
Where the 8 Gen 5 differs from the Elite tier is in positioning and scope. Qualcomm frames it as a way to “bring premium performance to more consumers,” and several major brands, including OnePlus, Motorola, Honor, Vivo and iQOO, are expected to launch devices with the chip in the coming weeks. That suggests it will power more of the upper-mid to premium phones, not just the ultra-flagship models reserved for the 8 Elite.
The platform still supports the full suite of Qualcomm features, from advanced imaging pipelines to fast connectivity, but the message is clear: this is the premium option for phones that don’t need the absolute top spec.
If Qualcomm sticks to this dual-tier strategy, the 8 Gen 5 could become the go-to chip for some of the best mid-range phones, while the 8 Elite remains the pick for the most expensive devices. Either way, expect a wave of new launches built on this platform very soon.
