Key Takeaways
1. Qualcomm will launch its Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 flagship SoC sooner than expected, with a confirmed date at the Snapdragon Summit from September 23 to 25 in Hawaii.
2. The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is expected to outperform its predecessor by up to 26% in AnTuTu benchmarks, featuring a 6 + 2 CPU layout and an Adreno GPU that is 30% faster.
3. Devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 are anticipated to be released in October 2025, including models from Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Realme, while Samsung may skip this generation.
4. The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2’s ability to compete with Apple’s A19/A19 Pro and MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500 is uncertain, as Samsung’s Exynos 2600 appears less competitive.
5. A new competitor, Xiaomi’s Xring O1, has emerged, showing potential to compete with the previous Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Multiple reports suggested that Qualcomm will unveil its new flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, sooner than expected. Qualcomm has been reducing the time between high-end smartphone SoC releases since the Snapdragon 888. Now, we have a confirmed date for the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2’s launch.
Snapdragon Summit Announcement
During its Computex 2025 keynote, Qualcomm announced that the next Snapdragon Summit is scheduled for September 23 to September 25 in Hawaii. It’s possible that the new Snapdragon X Elite 2 (or Snapdragon X2 Elite) laptop chips could also be introduced at this event; however, some rumors suggest that these may not launch until 2026.
Performance Expectations
Earlier leaks have shown that the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 could outperform its predecessor by up to 26% in AnTuTu benchmarks. It will maintain its 6 + 2 CPU layout and feature an Adreno GPU that’s as much as 30% quicker than the previous version. If these numbers are correct, the improvements will come from the Arm v9 instruction set, new Nuvia CPU cores, and TSMC’s N3P manufacturing process.
Upcoming Devices
Smartphones equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 are anticipated to hit the market in October 2025. Devices such as the Xiaomi 16, OnePlus 15, Realme GT8 Pro, and several others are expected to feature this chip. Samsung may skip this generation as Qualcomm reportedly intends for the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 to be produced on Samsung Foundry’s SF2 node, while the Galaxy S26 series is likely to utilize the Exynos 2600 across all models.
Competitive Landscape
It remains unclear if the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 will have the capability to compete with Apple’s A19/A19 Pro. MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500 is also positioned as a strong rival, but Samsung’s Exynos 2600 does not seem to have the same competitive edge. Additionally, a new contender has emerged: Xiaomi’s Xring O1. The first generation of this SoC has shown it can compete with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is a notable achievement.
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