The Snapdragon 8 Elite is the latest and most powerful mobile chipset from Qualcomm. If you’re passionate about mobile tech you must have heard the name of Snapdragon or Exynos for that matter. These tiny chips do almost everything needed to make your phone work. Snapdragon recently unveiled its 8 Elite chipset and for your tech pleasure we bring you Snapdragon 8 Elite, everything you need to know about it!
In this article, we’ll explore What is Snapdragon 8 Elite, New features of Snapdragon 8 Elite, Which is better Exynos or Snapdragon, and When smartphones will start using Snapdragon Elite 8, so let’s get started.
What’s Snapdragon 8 Elite anyway?
Snapdragon 8 Elite is Qualcomm’s latest processor designed for premium smartphones and tablets. It’s a follow-up to the already successful Snapdragon 8 series and is built to deliver unparalleled performance across various applications like gaming, AI tasks, and multitasking. Qualcomm continues to push the boundaries with this new release, integrating improved components and adopting a smaller, more efficient 5nm manufacturing process.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset combines several components into one efficient package: the CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), AI Engine, and a modem for 5G connectivity. Its introduction marks a significant leap in mobile computing, delivering faster speeds, better energy efficiency, and enhanced support for cutting-edge mobile technologies.
New improvements in Snapdragon 8 Elite
1) Gaming
The Snapdragon 8 Elite revolutionizes mobile gaming with Unreal Engine 5 support, delivering stunning 3D environments. Real-time Ray Tracing is 35% faster, making lighting and shadows more realistic. Snapdragon Game Super Resolution 2.0 ensures smooth gameplay with reduced latency and improved visuals. The Adreno GPU boosts graphics performance by 40%, offering high frame rates while saving battery.
What does this mean for real devices?
Phones with the Snapdragon 8 Elite will offer console-quality graphics with smooth performance. Games will have more lifelike lighting and shadows, higher frame rates, and longer battery life, making them perfect for extended gaming sessions. Games that support Unreal Engine 5 will feature lifelike graphics, making them comparable to console-quality environments. The improved Real-time Ray Tracing will make lighting effects, such as reflections and shadows, appear more natural, enhancing realism in games.
2) AI and Machine Learning
The Snapdragon 8 Elite brings advanced Multimodal Gen AI, supporting voice, text, and image prompts for a more personalized experience. The Hexagon NPU delivers a 45% improvement in AI performance, enhancing efficiency in tasks like photography and voice recognition. On-device AI becomes more powerful, allowing for real-time interactions and smarter decision-making. This combination boosts overall user experience by making devices more intuitive and responsive.
What does this mean for real devices?
Phones with Snapdragon 8 Elite will be able to perform complex AI tasks faster and more efficiently. Features like enhanced voice recognition, better photo processing, and smarter AI assistants will feel more responsive. AI-powered tools will work seamlessly across apps, leading to quicker results without draining the battery.
3) Camera and Photography
The Snapdragon 8 Elite transforms mobile photography with its AI-powered camera, offering real-time Semantic Segmentation for more accurate color and lighting adjustments. AI-based skin and sky corrections ensure photos look natural and balanced. The Video Object Eraser uses AI to seamlessly remove unwanted elements from your videos. Enhanced Low-Light Video Capture improves video quality in darker environments, making sure your shots are clear and detailed.
What does this mean for real devices?
Phones with the Snapdragon 8 Elite will produce photos with more natural colors and enhanced lighting, even in tricky environments. The Video Object Eraser will simplify video editing by removing distractions in real time. Additionally, low-light videos will be sharper, allowing users to capture clear footage in darker settings, improving overall camera performance for everyday use.
4) Connectivity
The Snapdragon X80 5G Modem brings lightning-fast download speeds of up to 10 Gbps, improving connectivity in more locations with AI-enhanced location accuracy. The platform also supports Wi-Fi 7, with the FastConnect 7900 delivering ultra-fast speeds and up to 40% power savings. Additionally, Bluetooth 6.0 and UWB (Ultra-Wideband) enhance wireless range and enable advanced features like object tracking and building access control.
What does this mean for real devices?
Phones equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite will have faster, more reliable 5G connectivity, providing seamless streaming and downloads even in less-covered areas. Wi-Fi 7 will ensure blazing-fast connections with improved battery life, perfect for heavy data usage. Enhanced Bluetooth 6.0 and UWB will allow for better wireless experiences, including precise object tracking and advanced features like smart building access, making devices more versatile in daily use.
5) Performance
The Qualcomm Oryon™ CPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite provides a massive 45% boost in performance, ensuring faster and more efficient processing while consuming 44% less power. The platform also offers system-wide power savings of 27%, which means better battery life even during heavy usage, allowing devices to handle demanding tasks with ease.
What does this mean for real devices?
Phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite will run faster and more smoothly, making multitasking, gaming, and intensive apps more responsive. With improved power efficiency, users can expect longer battery life, even with high-performance demands, enabling extended usage without frequent charging.
6) Audio
The Snapdragon 8 Elite enhances audio quality with Snapdragon Sound, offering studio-quality audio through Qualcomm aptX Lossless Technology for seamless, high-resolution music streaming over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It also introduces XPAN Technology, providing untethered audio coverage throughout large areas, making it ideal for multi-room audio setups without interruptions.
What does this mean for real devices?
Devices with Snapdragon 8 Elite will deliver crystal-clear audio with high-quality music streaming, both wirelessly and over Wi-Fi. Users will enjoy uninterrupted audio across large spaces, perfect for multi-room setups, with seamless transitions between rooms or floors, providing an enhanced audio experience for both music lovers and gamers alike.
7) Software support
At the Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm’s senior vice president, Chris Patrick, revealed that the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor will receive eight years of Android OS updates, which includes seven years beyond the current version. While this promises extended software support, it’s not guaranteed for all devices. Smartphone manufacturers must customize Qualcomm’s Board Support Package (BSP) for their devices to enable full compatibility. It’s still crucial to consider whether the hardware will remain viable over such an extended period.
What does this mean for real devices?
For devices with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, users can expect up to eight years of software support, ensuring security updates and OS improvements for nearly a decade. However, the actual experience may vary depending on the brand, as manufacturers will need to tailor Qualcomm’s support to their specific devices. This long-term software promise could make phones last longer, but the hardware’s durability over time will be a key factor in its real-world value.
Which is better Exynos or Snapdragon?
Although we all know which chipset is better, I have tried to explain in the table in what terms Snapdragon outperforms Exynos and vice versa. This table might also help you remember what the real thing is going on with these processors.
| Feature | Exynos | Snapdragon | Which is Better? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | Strong CPU for daily tasks and multitasking; newer models have improved general performance. | Still slightly ahead, especially in gaming and graphic-heavy tasks. | Snapdragon: Slightly better, especially for gaming. |
| Power Efficiency | Efficient in some tasks but consumes more power in high-performance scenarios. | More efficient overall, especially under heavy use like gaming or media consumption. | Snapdragon: Better power efficiency under load. |
| Heat Management | Exynos can handle heat well in normal use, with better thermal efficiency in everyday tasks. | Better at staying cooler under sustained heavy use and intense gaming. | Snapdragon: Best for heavy workloads. |
| Gaming | Handles most games well, but struggles with ultra-high settings in demanding titles. | Excellent for high-end gaming, with advanced features like ray tracing and higher frame rates. | Snapdragon: Best for high-end gaming. |
| 5G and Connectivity | Better integrated modem design, especially in regions with 5G mmWave and Sub-6 GHz bands. | Superior 5G performance globally with more advanced features for speed and accuracy. | Exynos: Better in certain regions for integrated modem performance. |
| AI Performance | Capable of handling AI tasks smoothly, strong for regular use. | Faster and more efficient AI for demanding applications like photography and voice assistants. | Snapdragon: Stronger in AI-heavy tasks. |
| Image Processing | Often superior in camera performance due to custom ISP optimizations with Samsung cameras. | Excellent in general, but lacks some of the custom optimizations found in Exynos for photography. | Exynos: Wins in certain photography scenarios. |
| Software Updates | Offers decent updates but may vary depending on the manufacturer. | Longer and more frequent software updates, with wider global support. | Snapdragon: Better software longevity. |
| Availability | More commonly available in regions like Europe and South Korea. | Globally available, offering more options for users across various regions. | Exynos: Better in specific regions where it is primarily used. |
When the smartphones will start using Snapdragon Elite 8?
Ready to purchase the smartphone that's shipped with Snapdragon Elite 8? well I have found a list for you. Following is the list of devices.
1) OnePlus 13: The OnePlus 12 featured the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, offering great performance. The OnePlus 13 will now come equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, enhancing speed, power efficiency, and gaming performance.
Expected Launch: End of October 2024
2) iQOO 13: The previous iQOO 12 ran on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The iQOO 13 will adopt the new Snapdragon 8 Elite, improving AI processing, gaming, and power management.
Expected Launch: October 28-31, 2024
3) Xiaomi 15: The Xiaomi 14 impressed with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. This time, the Xiaomi 15 will feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite, delivering faster speeds and better connectivity.
Expected Launch: Late October 2024
4) Honor Magic 7: The Honor Magic 6 came with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Now, the Magic 7 will pack the Snapdragon 8 Elite, offering superior AI and camera performance.
Expected Launch: Late October 2024
5) Realme GT 7 Pro: Last year’s Realme GT 6 Pro utilized the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The GT 7 Pro will upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, focusing on improved gaming, power efficiency, and 5G connectivity.
Expected Launch: November 2024
6) S25 Ultra: The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was powered by the Exynos 2400 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The upcoming S25 Ultra will now feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite variant for better performance and efficiency. Although this news is not confirmed but there are high chances of being it true.
Expected Launch: Early 2025
7) ROG Phone 9: The ROG Phone 8 offered the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, designed for gaming. The ROG Phone 9 steps up with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, delivering even more power for gaming enthusiasts.
Expected Launch: Likely early 2025
8) REDMAGIC 10 Pro: The REDMAGIC 9 Pro ran on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Now, the REDMAGIC 10 Pro will come with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, providing an enhanced gaming experience and improved performance.
Expected Launch: Early 2025
Conclusion
The Snapdragon 8 Elite redefines what’s possible in a mobile chipset, offering unmatched performance, enhanced AI, and future-ready 5G connectivity. If you're considering a new flagship device, choosing one with Snapdragon 8 Elite will ensure you’re getting the best mobile technology currently available. This concludes Snapdragon 8 Elite, everything you need to know! Will you buy phone with Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset? Do let us know in the comments section below. If you need any help or have any suggestions to make, then do reach us via the contact page here. I also provide services to help you with your issues which you can find here. Happy Frankenstein Day!
