Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Snapdragon X2 Elite series in India

Qualcomm Technologies has unveiled its newest flagship processors during the Snapdragon Summit Global Highlights Meet held in Goa, India. The company introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform, touted as the fastest mobile system-on-a-chip globally, alongside the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme and X2 Elite processors designed for Windows PCs. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 aims to elevate mobile performance and energy efficiency, with a strong focus on on-device artificial intelligence (AI). It incorporates the third-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU, promising a 20% boost in performance. Additionally, it features an upgraded Adreno GPU architecture and an enhanced Hexagon NPU tailored for AI tasks. This platform also supports Advanced Professional Video (APV) recording, facilitating professional-level video production directly on smartphones. Several leading smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, and iQOO, are set to adopt the new mobile platform, with devices anticipated to launch in the near future. In the PC sector, Qualcomm presented the Snapdragon X2 Elite series, designed to power high-end Windows 11 laptops. The top-tier X2 Elite Extreme boasts an impressive capacity for AI processing, achieving up to 80 trillion operations per second (TOPS), making it the fastest neural processing unit (NPU) available for laptops. This series claims to enhance CPU performance by up to 75% compared to competitors using the same power. Qualcomm stated that the Snapdragon X2 Elite is optimized for multitasking, offering 31% improved performance while consuming 43% less power than its predecessor. Devices using the new X2 Elite series are expected to hit the market in the first half of 2026. Savi Soin, Senior Vice President and President of Qualcomm India, emphasized the significance of these launches, stating, "With the debut of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Snapdragon X2 Elite platforms, we are transforming mobile and PC experiences. These advancements are critical for India's digital evolution, bringing cutting-edge AI, exceptional performance, and energy efficiency to the forefront." Several smartphone brands have confirmed their intention to integrate the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 into their upcoming models. iQOO plans to release the iQOO 15 featuring this chipset, while OnePlus will include it in the forthcoming OnePlus 15. Realme has announced that the Realme GT 8 Pro will utilize this platform, and Xiaomi is expected to adopt the technology in its upcoming Xiaomi 17 series. All of these devices are projected to arrive in India shortly. Qualcomm highlighted that its latest platforms are designed to accelerate the integration of AI across mobile and PC devices, enhancing efficiency and performance for both consumers and businesses.