Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Elite Gen 5: What’s the difference?

Qualcomm unveiled its powerhouse Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 back in September and has now quickly followed up with Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 — a more affordable take on its flagship package that should still sit near the top of the chipset pecking order.

In another unusual branding decision from Qualcomm, this isn’t an S-series model, unlike the last-gen Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. More curious is the company’s choice to make direct performance comparisons to its far older 8 Gen 3 (36% better performance and 42% better efficiency), which was released in late 2023, rather than the original 8 Elite. So, without the Elite moniker, is this still a proper high-end option or a mid-range chip in disguise? Let’s dig into how it stacks up against the latest Snapdragon 8-series processors.

Let’s start with the good news. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU cores, the same architecture foundation as its Elite models — no Arm Cortex cores here. Qualcomm doesn’t explicitly state that this is the same third-gen design as the 8 Elite Gen 5. However, the inclusion of matrix acceleration support suggests that this could well be the latest iteration of its Oryon design.

On the GPU side, we’re looking at a modern Adreno 8XX part with Qualcomm’s latest sliced architecture, complete with ray tracing, mesh shading, and Snapdragon Game Super Resolution capabilities. Qualcomm no longer officially assigns part numbers for its GPUs, so we’ll need a device in hand to confirm specifics, but it’s clearly a cut-down version. Based on Qualcomm’s own metrics, it will be slower than 2024’s Elite and well behind the latest 8 Elite Gen 5.

Other trade-offs include a marginally slower and less AI-focused X80 modem (the same as in the 8 Elite) rather than the Snapdragon X85. For most users, this incremental change won’t be noticeable.

While peak performance may not match the Elite level, the new chip incorporates key 8-series features. The Hexagon NPU appears to be taken straight from the original Snapdragon 8 Elite, providing a significant performance boost that’ll help the chip keep pace with modern AI workloads. We also see virtually the same 20-bit Triple AI ISP that features in the 8 Elite Gen 5, allowing OEMs to pair the chip with powerful camera hardware. Bleeding-edge Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, along with Qualcomm’s XPAN connectivity technology, LE Audio, and other staples of the brand’s high-end chipsets, are included as well.

While Qualcomm might technically consider the 8 Gen 5 the successor to the 8 Gen 3, it’s being a bit coy by omitting the 8 Elite from its comparisons, and likely with good reason — the new chip isn’t as fast and therefore is quite some way behind the latest 8 Elite Gen 5 flagship.

To figure it out, I dug back through Qualcomm’s talking points between the 8 Elite and 8 Gen 5 with reference to the 8 Gen 3. Here’s what the company says, and what the performance difference amounts to.

Given that Qualcomm touts roughly a 20% performance improvement from the 8 Elite to the 8 Elite Gen 5, the 8 Gen 5 clearly sits at the lower end of the lineup. This is almost certainly why Qualcomm chose its 2023 chip as a comparison point rather than either of the Elite models — making its naming scheme all the more confusing.

However, there’s reason for optimism. The 8 Gen 5 delivers performance that’s not far off last year’s flagship. CPU and NPU capabilities remain in the same ballpark, with only single-digit differences in peak performance and efficiency. The GPU is roughly 20% slower, but still sufficient for today’s demanding Android games and emulators, except on the most extreme settings. Bottom line, few will be disapointed with the chip’s real-world performance.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is an intriguing chip. It isn’t quite Elite in raw performance, which may give some buyers pause. Still, it outpaces the two-year-old 8 Gen 3 — itself no slouch — and provides CPU and AI performance comparable to last year’s ultra-premium 8 Elite. That’s potentially a pretty good deal.

If we’re being really optimistic, perhaps the phone’s more conservative approach to graphics performance will help it avoid some of the overheating issues we’ve observed with other flagships. However, we’ll wait for proper stress tests before declaring any conclusions. In any case, daily and advanced tasks, including gaming, should run smoothly on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

Perhaps most importantly, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will be more affordable. Qualcomm hasn’t provided a cost target, but I expect to see this chip in handsets priced around the price of a $799 entry-level flagship, or perhaps marginally cheaper. Given the ever-increasing prices of the Elite line, this is welcome news for consumers and OEMs alike.

With top-tier features, AI capabilities, and robust camera support, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 blurs the lines with the Elite series. Phones equipped with it should remain hot on the heels of the very best in the business. Keep an eye out for the first handsets in the months ahead.