Key Takeaways
1. Qualcomm plans to unveil the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 by the end of September, with smartphones debuting in October.
2. The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is expected to have a CPU base frequency of 4.4GHz and a second-generation self-designed CPU architecture.
3. The GPU’s dedicated cache will increase from 12MB to 16MB, potentially boosting overall performance by 30%.
4. The chip is manufactured using TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process, improving performance by 4% and reducing power usage by 9%.
5. Anticipated devices featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 include Xiaomi 16, 16 Pro, Redmi K90 Pro, Realme GT 8 Pro, and OnePlus 14.
A recent leak from tipster Digital Chat Station has shed light on the expected release period for Qualcomm’s next high-end chip, tentatively called the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. This new chip will take over from the original Snapdragon 8 Elite, which was officially revealed in October of last year. Keep reading to find out the speculated specifications, launch dates, and the devices anticipated to include the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2.
Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Launch Timeline (Speculated)
The leaked information from DCS suggests that Qualcomm plans to unveil the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 by the end of September this year. Furthermore, it’s indicated that the first smartphones powered by this new chip will debut in October. This strategy appears to be Qualcomm’s attempt to directly compete with Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 17 series, which is rumored to arrive in September. Reports suggest that the Xiaomi 16 and 16 Pro will likely be the initial models to adopt the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2.
Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Specifications (Speculated)
The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset is rumored to offer substantial performance improvements over its predecessor. It is said that the CPU will operate at a base frequency of 4.4GHz, which is a slight increase from the previous model’s 4.32GHz. Moreover, this new chip incorporates a second-generation self-designed CPU architecture, with the GPU’s dedicated cache expanding from 12MB to 16MB, which could lead to a 30% increase in overall performance.
When it comes to manufacturing, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is built using TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process. This process is expected to boost performance by 4% while lowering power usage by 9% compared to the last generation, all without changing clock speeds. The chip also includes the new SME instruction set, part of the Arm64 architecture, which aims to improve multimedia and graphical processing, making it more effective for these tasks.
Upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Devices
In addition to the Xiaomi 16 and 16 Pro, other devices that are likely to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 include the Redmi K90 Pro, Realme GT 8 Pro, OnePlus 14, iQOO 14, Xiaomi 16 Ultra, Vivo X300 Ultra, and Oppo Find X9 Ultra. The Ultra versions mentioned here are expected to be released in the first half of 2026.
