Introduction
Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 at its recent Snapdragon Summit — a 3nm flagship SoC built for high performance, better power efficiency and advanced on-device AI. Phone makers including OnePlus have already confirmed first devices using the new chip, promising faster phones and smarter camera features.
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Key technical advances
The Elite Gen 5 includes new Oryon CPU cores (higher clock speeds), an Adreno GPU optimized for gaming, and a larger, faster Hexagon NPU for AI tasks. Qualcomm also upgraded the ISP for pro-level video features and improved power efficiency — all aimed at better battery life during heavy loads.
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Who gets the chip first
OnePlus publicly confirmed the OnePlus 15 will ship with Qualcomm’s new flagship silicon; other OEMs (iQOO, Motorola, Vivo) are expected to follow in late 2025 and into 2026. Early adopters will highlight AI camera modes, gaming performance and quicker on-device personalization.
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Market impact
This new SoC raises the bar for Android flagships, forcing rivals to match performance or differentiate with battery, cameras or price. Crucially, the stronger NPU means more AI features can run locally — improving privacy and latency for features like real-time image effects and voice assistants.
Author note: I used Qualcomm’s announcement and OEM confirmations to explain what end users will notice: speed, battery, AI features and better cameras.