Recently has been the off-season for hardware, with major manufacturers having already released most of their new products. Currently, Qualcomm’s next-generation flagship chip, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 (codenamed SM8850), has become a hot product in the tech circle. This chip will continue Qualcomm’s leading position in the mobile processor field, bringing some routine performance improvements and technological upgrades. Reports indicate that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 will adopt TSMC’s latest 3nm N3P process and optimize the CPU and GPU, while also supporting more advanced memory technology, injecting strong power into high-end smartphones in 2025.
The CPU of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 continues the “2+6” core configuration, namely 2 high-performance prime cores paired with 6 performance cores. This design has been proven in the current generation Snapdragon 8 Elite, and the new chip further strengthens it. Qualcomm’s self-developed second-generation Oryon architecture is expected to bring up to a 25% performance improvement to the prime cores. In terms of clock speed, rumors suggest it could reach up to 5GHz, a significant leap compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s 4.32GHz. This improvement benefits from the 3nm N3P process, which, compared to the previous generation N3E process, offers approximately 4% higher performance at the same power consumption or approximately 9% lower power consumption at the same performance, and also increases transistor density by 4%. In addition, the cache design has also been adjusted. Currently, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is equipped with 12MB of L2 cache per core cluster, while the new chip’s total L2 cache may increase to 32MB, which will positively impact data processing efficiency.
In terms of graphics performance, the Adreno 840 integrated GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is particularly impressive. Compared to the previous generation Adreno 830, its dedicated cache has increased from 12MB to 16MB, with an expected performance improvement of 30%. This upgrade will enhance the chip’s performance in gaming, graphics rendering, and AI tasks. The Adreno 840 supports higher peak frequencies, potentially reaching 1.2GHz, and optimizes ray tracing and energy efficiency, providing users with a smoother visual experience. Whether running high-quality games using Unreal Engine 5.3 or processing complex 3D environments, this GPU demonstrates strong potential.
Memory support is another major highlight of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2. The chip not only is compatible with existing LPDDR5X memory but will also be the first to support the LPDDR6 standard. LPDDR5X is currently widely used in flagship devices with a maximum rate of up to 9.6Gbps. LPDDR6, as the next-generation memory technology, is expected to break through 10.7Gbps, and may even reach 14.4Gbps, with improvements in both bandwidth and energy efficiency. JEDEC began developing the LPDDR6 standard as early as 2023. Now, as the technology matures, Qualcomm is introducing it into its flagship chip, providing stronger support for smartphone multitasking and data transfer. Manufacturers can choose LPDDR5X or LPDDR6 based on device positioning, further enhancing product flexibility.
The comprehensive performance of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is also highly anticipated. Early test data shows that its AnTuTu score may approach 3.8 million points, a significant improvement compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s 3 million points. This result is not only due to the CPU and GPU upgrades but also related to Qualcomm’s continuous optimization of AI performance. The new chip is expected to integrate a more powerful Hexagon NPU with computing power potentially exceeding 100 TOPS, supporting multimodal generative AI tasks such as real-time image processing and speech recognition. In addition, the chip will also be equipped with the Snapdragon X80 5G modem, with a downlink rate of up to 10Gbps, and support Wi-Fi 7 with a peak rate of up to 5.8Gbps, ensuring the stability and speed of network connections.
From process to architecture, and then to memory and graphics performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 demonstrates Qualcomm’s comprehensive layout for mobile computing. The application of TSMC’s N3P process not only improves performance and energy efficiency but also provides a guarantee for the chip’s mass production stability. Although there were rumors that Qualcomm had tested Samsung’s SF2 process, it ultimately chose TSMC as its exclusive foundry. This chip is expected to be unveiled by the end of 2025 and will be first launched on flagship models such as the Xiaomi 16 series.
The upgrades of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 are not only a continuation of its predecessor but also an early layout for the future performance demands of smartphones. Whether it’s gamers’ pursuit of ultimate image quality or everyday users’ expectations for a smooth experience, this chip will bring improvements. As more details are disclosed, tech enthusiasts have every reason to maintain high expectations for this new product.