Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC, to debut with OnePlus 15R on Dec 17

Updated on 26-Nov-2025
HIGHLIGHTS

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 brings improved AI performance, faster processing, and enhanced graphics for a wider range of premium smartphones.

The chipset features Qualcomm’s upgraded AI Engine, Hexagon NPU with 46% AI performance boost, and Oryon CPU clocked up to 3.8GHz.

Upcoming flagship devices from OnePlus, iQOO, Motorola, and Vivo will integrate the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 platform.

Qualcomm has officially expanded its flagship chip portfolio with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. It is a new premium-tier mobile platform that sits below the recently introduced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and is intended to provide faster performance, improved AI capabilities and better flagship experiences. This means that the chip will power a broader range of high-end smartphones in the coming months.

“As the demand for premium smartphones continues to surge, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is perfectly positioned to meet and exceed consumers’ evolving expectations. We’ve reimagined our 8 series family, putting premium performance into the hands of more consumers worldwide,” said Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager, mobile handset, Qualcomm.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: What’s new

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features Qualcomm’s upgraded AI Engine and an improved Sensing Hub, allowing devices to activate AI assistants through motion and voice detection. The company says its latest Hexagon NPU offers a 46 per cent boost in AI performance, enabling more responsive on-device intelligence and context-aware features.

Performance, as per Qualcomm, has also been significantly elevated with the custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which now clocks up to 3.8GHz and delivers a claimed 36 per cent improvement in overall processing. Web browsing responsiveness is said to be 76 per cent faster, while the updated Adreno GPU offers an 11 per cent gain in graphics and gaming workloads.

Qualcomm said the new platform is designed to meet rising demand for powerful premium smartphones and will appear in upcoming flagship devices from brands including iQOO, Motorola, OnePlus and Vivo.

OnePlus 15R to launch with Snapdragon 8 Gen 5

In an interview with Digit, OnePlus has confirmed that its upcoming flagship killer, the OnePlus 15R, will debut with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset on December 17. Click here to read our exclusive story.

Ashish Singh

Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek.

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