Qualcomm has locked in November 26, 2025, as the official launch date for its next-gen mobile chip. While the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has already made waves, this version will target a broader market without skimping on performance.

A later reveal, but not a lesser chip

Originally planned to launch alongside the Elite edition, the chip’s reveal was pushed back a few weeks. Qualcomm will unveil it in China, where new hardware often gets early exposure. Broader global announcements should follow shortly after.

Benchmarks show the chip delivering strong multi-core scores, closely matching the Elite variant. Still, its single-core performance comes in slightly lower possibly due to clock speed adjustments or thermal tuning.

OnePlus and Vivo are ready devices for the new platform

OnePlus is expected to debut the Ace 6T with this new silicon inside. Vivo’s S50 and X Fold 6 will also feature the platform, indicating wide manufacturer support. These launches suggest strong confidence in what Qualcomm has built.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5’s performance details and architecture

The chip includes a 2+6 CPU layout: two high-performance cores clocked at 3.8 GHz and six efficiency cores at 3.36 GHz. It runs the same Adreno 840 GPU as the Elite chip, though likely at slightly lower frequencies to manage power draw.

More notably, it uses Qualcomm’s new in-house Orion cores a shift away from the Arm Cortex designs found in earlier models like the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the core specs:

• 2x performance cores at 3.8 GHz
• 6x efficiency cores at 3.36 GHz
• Adreno 840 GPU
• Orion CPU architecture
• Similar thermal footprint to Elite variant

Qualcomm’s balance of reach and performance

Rather than going all-in on flagship exclusivity, Qualcomm is spreading its custom core tech into more devices. With strong early adoption from major brands and solid benchmark results, this platform isn’t just a follow-up, it’s a recalibration of what high-end means across the board.