C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The first apparent Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 specs have leaked online.
- The new chip is said to feature second-generation Oryon CPU cores with the same layout as the current chip.
- The processor will apparently be built on a more advanced 3nm process and signs suggest it could be based on the ArmV9 architecture.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is a major leap forward for flagship Android phones, bringing plenty of performance and a wide variety of features. We’re expecting a successor later this year, and it looks like we’ve now got some Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 specs.
Leaker Digital Chat Station has posted some specs for the tentatively named Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 (model number SM8850) on Weibo. The tipster points to a set of second-generation Oryon CPU cores, featuring two prime cores and six performance cores. This layout is in line with the current chipset.
The leaker also claims that the new processor will have an Adreno 840 GPU and will be built on a TSMC N3P process. The latter would be a more advanced 3nm process than the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s N3E process. A more advanced manufacturing process typically means a smaller, more efficient design.
Interestingly, Digital Chat Station adds that the chipset will support SME1 and SVE2 extensions. These architecture extensions enhance operations related to machine learning, computer vision, and more. Qualcomm’s ability to support SVE2 suggests that its new chipset is based on the ArmV9 architecture. That would be a big deal as the Snapdragon 8 Elite was based on the older ArmV8 architecture.
The new architecture brings mandatory support for security features like memory tagging extensions (MTE) that are otherwise optional on older architectures. MTE is used to protect against some memory-related flaws and powers the advanced memory protection feature on the Pixel 8 series. These additions and the expected ArmV9 architecture would bring the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 in line with the latest Arm hardware as far as security and extensions are concerned.
There’s no word on the CPU clock speed and other details just yet, though. The Snapdragon 8 Elite brought a ridiculous 4.32GHz clock speed, so we won’t be surprised if the new chip brings a similarly high frequency. Nevertheless, we really hope Qualcomm focuses on sustained performance as we’ve encountered more than a couple of overheating Snapdragon 8 Elite phones.
