Qualcomm has officially introduced its latest flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a processor designed to push the boundaries of Android gaming, AI, and mobile videography. As the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, this advanced chip will power upcoming premium smartphones from Xiaomi, Samsung, OnePlus, and other leading brands. The Xiaomi 17 series is confirmed to be the first smartphone lineup equipped with the new SoC, with others expected to follow soon.
With improvements in camera technology, computational AI, gaming performance, and connectivity, Qualcomm is positioning the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 as the strongest Android rival to Apple’s iPhone processors, especially in video processing and mobile photography.
One of the standout additions in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is support for the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, the first of its kind in a mobile chipset. Qualcomm says it allows “near-lossless” video capture while enabling professional-grade post-production editing such as shadow adjustments and precise colour grading.
Samsung previously described the codec as offering “perceptually lossless” video quality, designed for creators seeking flexibility without sacrificing quality.
Additional features include:
20-bit triple ISP for superior image processing.
Support for up to 48MP triple-camera setups or 108MP single sensors.
Dragon Fusion computational imaging, co-developed with Arcsoft, which treats “every video frame as a photo” to provide advanced AI tone mapping and enhanced detail.
For gamers, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 integrates full Unreal Engine 5 support, including Nanite and Lumen technologies, which allow console-level details on mobile devices. It also includes mesh shading for efficiency, giving developers more flexibility in balancing high performance with lower power draw.
While Qualcomm has yet to reveal improvements in ray tracing, the company has hinted that “we’ll have to wait for benchmark results”, suggesting further optimisations may be highlighted in real-world tests.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 achieves a peak CPU speed of 4.6GHz, with speculation that Samsung’s Galaxy lineup may get a slightly faster customised version.
Qualcomm claims the chip delivers “20 per cent better performance compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip,” though it hasn’t clarified whether this refers to single-core or multi-core gains.
Efficiency boost: Up to 16% better power savings and 35% improvement in CPU efficiency.
Hardware-based AI acceleration, including matrix processing for running large AI models.
A new Hexagon NPU that is 37% faster than its predecessor, offering 16% better performance per watt.
This enables smartphones to handle next-generation AI assistants and LLMs locally. Qualcomm also confirmed expanded Agentic AI capabilities, such as Personal Scribe and an updated Sensing Hub that can make recommendations and act on user routines and conversations.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 features the FastConnect 7900 suite, combining Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and UWB in a single solution. Qualcomm notes this provides “up to 40 per cent power savings versus the 8 Elite’s implementation.”
The integrated X85 modem promises:
12.5Gbps downlink speeds
3.7Gbps uplink speeds
Improved location accuracy and network efficiency
The Xiaomi 17 series will be the first smartphone lineup to launch with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in India. Samsung and OnePlus have also confirmed adoption for their upcoming premium devices.
While official pricing is yet to be revealed, phones powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship chipset will likely remain in the premium segment, with prices aligned with global flagship trends. Pre-orders and India rollout details are expected soon as manufacturers announce launch timelines.
The launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 sets a new standard for mobile processors by blending AI, gaming, photography, and connectivity into a single powerhouse chipset. From “near-lossless” APV video capture to 37% faster AI performance, the processor signals Qualcomm’s ambition to outpace competitors and make Android devices more versatile than ever.
With 20% improved CPU performance, 16% better power savings, and 35% greater efficiency, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is not just about raw power—it’s about enabling smarter, more sustainable, and more immersive mobile experiences. As flagship smartphones like the Xiaomi 17 series and Samsung Galaxy models roll out, users can expect a leap forward in gaming realism, AI assistance, and creative flexibility.