Qualcomm is still one of the top leaders in smartphone chip developments in the world, but with the rise of its rivals looking to take over the space, it stepped its efforts up with the global unveiling of its latest Snapdragon 8 Elite. Based on its Snapdragon 8 platform, Qualcomm made significant improvements that will boost its performance, hence the 'Elite' moniker, and it brings a massive focus on running artificial intelligence models across devices.
Apart from its focus on AI, Qualcomm also prioritized improving its overall experiences including battery life management, performance upgrades for different processes like gaming, as well as boosting other components that make a smartphone.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite is Going Against Apple's A18 Pro
Earlier this October, Qualcomm went on to unveil its latest flagship chipset to the world, and it gave it the 'Elite' designation as the company touted this to be the "world's fastest mobile CPU," with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. One of the main features of the new processor is its ability to bring more experiences for on-device generative AI to devices, also touting that it can accommodate multimodality "seamlessly."
However, Qualcomm is being left behind as a third-party manufacturer by Big Tech companies that previously relied on them for processors like Google which delivered its Tensor, and Samsung splitting its Galaxy devices between Snapdragon chips and Exynos.
That being said, its biggest rival is Apple which has been developing its own chips since 2010, with its latest generation bringing forth the A18 Pro which is dedicated to on-device AI and huge performance, currently powering the iPhone 16 Pro series.
Qualcomm's New Technology for Snapdragon 8 Elite
According to Qualcomm, what sets Snapdragon 8 Elite apart is its next-gen custom CPU called Oryon, paired with its Adreno GPU and Hexagon NPU that can smoothly run massive AI processes for top-tier smartphones. Additionally, this is a follow-up to last year's Snapdragon X Elite which delved deeper into personalized AI experiences.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Brings Focus on AI, Flagship Features
What sets Snapdragon 8 Elite apart from Qualcomm's previous developments is its Holy Trinity of the Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU which is ready for the AI models running on the device, depending on the brand's technologies.
However, one of its most notable features is its dedication to flagship devices from the likes of ASUS who introduced it for the ROG Phone 9, Xiaomi's 15 Pro, speculated for Samsung's Galaxy S25 series, and more like Vivo, RealMe, Oppo, and the rest.
Qualcomm puts an emphasis on yet another boost for battery management and how this chip can run significant processes while featuring low-power consumption that expands on its all-day battery features from Snapdragon X Elite.
Moreover, it will also improve the camera capabilities of devices with its AI-powered advancements, with its proprietary AI-ISP set to capture more in real time.
Gaming performance also gets an upgrade thanks to the second-generation custom-built Adreno GPU which features a new architecture, and it also offers a boost to entertainment experiences like audio or video streaming.
Also featured on Snapdragon 8 Elite are Qualcomm's top connectivity offers for gamers which now centers on 5G that will get a significant performance increase thanks to its 'cutting edge' AI, with the new SoC also featuring Wi-Fi 7 capabilities.
