Qualcomm has introduced its new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, designed as a more affordable alternative to the high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 unveiled in November. This updated version maintains the same core features but shows some reductions in performance.
In comparison to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 released in 2023, Qualcomm claims the 8 Gen 5 offers a 36% enhancement in CPU performance and an 11% improvement in GPU performance, along with better efficiency. However, the historical context indicates that the comparison might not be entirely apt since the 8 Gen 3 is two years old, and Qualcomm has since altered its CPU architecture, making the Elite chipset a more relevant benchmark.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 employs a similar Oryon CPU design as the Elite but operates at lower clock speeds: its six performance cores peak at 3.32GHz, while the two prime cores reach 3.8GHz, compared to the Elite’s 3.62GHz and 4.6GHz. Consequently, its theoretical performance appears lower than last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, which raises questions about real-world performance when integrated into devices.
Although the 8 Gen 5 features a less capable X80 modem with slightly reduced maximum 5G speeds, its Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities remain unchanged, along with support for satellite and ultra-wideband (UWB). The Adreno GPU and Hexagon AI NPU specifications have also been downgraded, though specific details on these changes have not been provided. Notably, the 8 Gen 5 does not support the latest UFS 4.1 storage standard. Many specifications, including charging abilities, display support, and camera hardware options, are consistent with the Elite variant.
Several manufacturers, including Motorola, OnePlus, and Vivo, plan to incorporate the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 into upcoming devices, with the first releases expected in the coming weeks. The OnePlus 15R has already been confirmed to launch in the U.S. on December 17th.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/828959/qualcomm-snapdragon-8-gen-5