Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Launched With 23% Faster Performance, Agentic AI & APV Video Recording

Qualcomm has officially introduced its latest flagship mobile processor — the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 — at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. Designed to power the next generation of premium smartphones, the new SoC (system-on-chip) delivers up to 23% faster performance, introduces Agentic AI assistants, and becomes the world’s first mobile platform capable of recording video in the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec.

With cutting-edge performance improvements, advanced AI capabilities, and professional-grade camera support, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 sets a new benchmark for mobile processors in 2025.

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Availability and Device Adoption

According to Qualcomm, flagship Android smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will begin rolling out in the coming days.

Confirmed OEM partners include OnePlus with its upcoming OnePlus 15, and Xiaomi with the Xiaomi 17 series.

Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco has also revealed that its next-generation flagship will feature this processor.

This wide adoption reflects Qualcomm’s dominance in the premium smartphone segment.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Key Specifications

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (model number SM8850-AC) builds on Qualcomm’s legacy of high-performance chipsets and brings several generational upgrades:

Fabrication Process: Built on TSMC’s advanced 3nm (N3P) architecture.

CPU: Third-generation custom Oryon cores, with 8-core design and peak clock speeds up to 4.65GHz.

Performance Gains:

+20% single-core performance

+17% multi-core performance

+32% faster web browsing

+23% overall performance vs Snapdragon 8 Elite

Efficiency: Power efficiency improved by 20%, extending battery life on devices.

Memory & Storage: Supports LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.1 storage.

Gaming and Graphics

The chipset introduces a new-generation Qualcomm Adreno GPU, delivering 23% faster graphics performance compared to its predecessor.

Full Unreal Engine 5 support for console-grade mobile gaming.

Features like Tile Memory Heap and Mesh Shading enable more realistic lighting and textures.

Lower latency and smoother frame rates make the SoC particularly powerful for competitive mobile gaming.

AI Powerhouse With Agentic AI Assistants

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is designed as an AI-first chipset, featuring a highly optimized Hexagon NPU:

+37% faster AI performance.

Enables personalized Agentic AI assistants, capable of real-time learning and proactive recommendations.

Multimodal AI support: understands context across text, images, and voice.

On-device AI ensures user data remains private with no cloud dependency.

This makes the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 one of the most advanced AI-driven chipsets ever created for smartphones.

Camera and Video Capabilities

Photography and videography get a significant boost with a triple 20-bit Qualcomm Spectra AI ISP:

Supports cameras up to 320MP.

Features AI-powered auto-exposure, autofocus, and advanced face detection.

Video Recording:

Up to 8K 60fps playback

Up to 4K 120fps capture

World’s first support for APV (Advanced Professional Video) codec, enabling professional-grade post-production workflows.

This positions Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 as the go-to processor for creators and mobile filmmakers.

Connectivity Enhancements

For connectivity, Qualcomm has integrated the latest FastConnect 7900 system:

Wi-Fi 7 with AI-optimized latency management.

Up to 50% lower gaming latency and 40% improved power savings.

Bluetooth 6.0 and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE).

Comprehensive satellite navigation support with GPS, NavIC, Galileo, Beidou, GLONASS, and QZSS, offering sidewalk-level accuracy.

Display and Charging

Supports Quad HD+ displays with refresh rates up to 240Hz and 10-bit HDR color.

Quick Charge 5 compatibility for ultra-fast charging via USB Type-C.

Conclusion

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 represents a major leap forward in mobile processing, combining elite-level performance, advanced gaming graphics, AI-driven intelligence, and pro-grade camera technology. With confirmed adoption by brands like OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Poco, this chipset is set to dominate the flagship Android smartphone market in 2025.

By introducing Agentic AI assistants and APV codec video recording, Qualcomm is not only pushing raw performance but also shaping the future of intelligent, creator-focused smartphones.