Qualcomm has formally unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a flagship system-on-a-chip (SoC) designed for upcoming Android flagship devices. While the company has officially launched the main series, recent leaks indicate Qualcomm is also developing a more affordable variant of the Gen 5 chip to help manufacturers maintain lower retail prices amid rising component costs.
The New Low-Cost Gen 5 Variant
According to leaks, Qualcomm is working on a fourth version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, identified by the model number SM8850-1-AB. This new variant is intended to provide performance levels close to the standard eight-core version but at a lower cost to manufacturers. The goal of this hardware is to enable the production of high-performance smartphones priced below 4,000 Chinese yuan, or approximately $600.
Industry reports suggest this move is a response to a memory market crisis and increasing costs for parts, particularly RAM. This pricing pressure is expected to extend into the next generation; some reports suggest the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could cost more than $300, placing a significant burden on manufacturer budgets. By utilizing a lower-cost Gen 5 chip that retains key flagship capabilities, brands can offer a premium experience without passing the full cost of expensive components to consumers.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Model Lineup
The SM8850-1-AB would join an existing suite of three Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 versions:
- SM8850-5-AC: A seven-core version used in devices such as the Oppo Find N6.
- SM8850-AC: The standard eight-core version found in phones like the OnePlus 15.
- SM8850-1-AD: An overclocked variant used in premium devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold8.
Technical Specifications of the Gen 5 Series
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 features a third-generation Oryon CPU, which includes six performance cores clocked up to 3.62GHz and two prime cores reaching up to 4.6GHz. Qualcomm claims the CPU offers up to 35 percent better power efficiency, contributing to a 16 percent improvement in overall SoC efficiency.
Other technical enhancements include:
- GPU: An updated Adreno GPU claiming a 20 percent reduction in power consumption and up to 23 percent increase in overall gaming performance.
- NPU: A faster Hexagon NPU with 37 percent faster performance and improved power savings over the previous version, emphasizing on-device AI.
- Connectivity: The chip utilizes an X85 modem, which Qualcomm says reduces gaming latency by 50 percent through “AI-enhanced Wi-Fi.”
- Imaging: The updated ISP supports the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec and a “computational video pipeline” for frame-by-frame AI enhancements, as explained by Qualcomm’s Alex Katouzian.
Future Outlook: Gen 6 and Beyond
Qualcomm is expected to introduce the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series during the Snapdragon Summit in September. This event may also provide official confirmation regarding the rumored SM8850-1-AB low-cost variant.
Early details on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro (internally known as SM8975) suggest a shift to the TSMC N2P 2nm-class process. This upcoming chip is reported to feature a 2+3+3 Oryon core configuration (two prime, three performance, and three efficiency cores) and a physical size of approximately 12.6 x 10.67 mm, which is larger than the 126.2 mm² size of the Gen 5 chip.
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