Qualcomm has officially unveiled its next-generation flagship single-chip platform for Snapdragon 8 Elite smartphones. The manufacturer immodestly calls this chip the fastest mobile platform ever created. The new platform will not only provide high overall and graphical performance, but should also handle the most advanced AI tasks well.
Image Source: Qualcomm
The new product is the first mobile chip to use Oryon processor cores – previously they were used only in Snapdragon X computer processors. There are two such cores, and they have a frequency of up to 4.32 GHz – very impressive for a mobile processor. Also, Snapdragon 8 Elite received six powerful cores with a frequency of up to 3.53 GHz. Each of the clusters received 12 MB of second-level cache. The first Qualcomm processor in the mobile industry on Oryon cores provides a 45% increase in performance compared to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and the new product is up to 44% more energy efficient than its predecessor.
Snapdragon 8 Elite received an Adreno graphics processor with the latest “sliced” architecture. Thanks to this new architecture, only the part of the GPU that is needed to render a particular scene is used. The so-called “control processor” (Command Processor) receives graphical instructions and decides how many “pieces” of the GPU need to be used. There are three such “pieces” in total, and they share a dedicated 12 MB cache, which allows the GPU in some cases not even to access the common memory bus.
The new Qualcomm Adreno GPU architecture delivers up to 40% performance gains and a similar increase in energy efficiency. The overall energy savings of the Snapdragon 8 Elite compared to its predecessor is 27%. Also noted is support for the Unreal Engine 5.3 with full support for Nanite, which will allow developers to create “games with cinematic-quality 3D environments.” “Imagine games with stunning 3D scenes—the kind you’d expect from AAA games on high-end gaming consoles—right on your smartphone. Snapdragon 8 Elite makes this dream a reality,” Qualcomm emphasizes.
The AI engine of the Snapdragon 8 Elite deserves special attention. As Qualcomm notes, the new chip features the fastest Hexagon NPU, delivering a 45 percent increase in performance in AI tasks and a 45 percent increase in performance per watt.
But more importantly, Snapdragon 8 Elite includes a personalized, multi-modal generative AI assistant that interacts not only with what is in the smartphone’s memory or on its screen, but also what the camera sees and the microphone “hears.” “Whether you need a quick overview of a lengthy document or help calculating a tip on a check, your assistant will provide clear, accurate information and unique suggestions—in the blink of an eye,” the manufacturer notes.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite also features an improved image signal processor (ISP) that supports up to three 48MP cameras (or one up to 320MP) and is more deeply integrated with the neural engine. The manufacturer promises improved HDR, more natural skin tone, sky colors and improved autofocus performance. Qualcomm also added “unlimited segmentation” technology for photos and videos at the chip level and a function for removing “extra” objects in videos. This feature allows you to identify and optimize more than 250 layers in an image, providing better quality and natural colors.
Finally, Snapdragon 8 Elite features the Snapdragon X80 5G modem, the first 5G modem with 4×6 MIMO and AI-powered millimeter wave extension (mmWave). Qualcomm claims peak download speeds of 10 Gbps and a theoretical maximum upload speed of 3.5 Gbps. The new modem is paired with the FastConnect 7900 system, which for the first time combines Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 and UWB in a single 6nm chip.
Snapdragon 8 Elite will be the basis for upcoming flagship Android smartphones from Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, Xiaomi and others.