The introduction of Snapdragon 8 Elite turned out to a pivotal second in Qualcomm’s historical past, because it noticed the return of customized CPU cores after a decade. Mixed with the node shift to 3nm, the 8 Elite delivered large beneficial properties throughout the board, and it continues to be one of many quickest cellular platforms accessible immediately.
Qualcomm is not sitting idly by both — the chip vendor is pushing up the launch of this yr’s flagship, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. That could be a large deal in itself, because it permits system makers to launch telephones and tablets based mostly on the chipset prior to ever earlier than. That is what we all know in regards to the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, and when it should make its debut.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2: CPU
Qualcomm went again to utilizing customized cores with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and the 8 Elite 2 is about to construct on this basis. It’ll use an analogous design that ought to see two efficiency cores alongside six mid-size cores, and it’s also more likely to be fabricated on the 3nm node.
What’s attention-grabbing is {that a} new leak out of China particulars the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2’s Geekbench scores, and with a single-core rating of over 4,000 and multi-core going over 11,000, it has a major increase over the 8 Elite. To place that into context, the utmost I received in Geekbench with the Snapdragon 8 Elite is 3,190 in single-core and 9,957 in multi-core outcomes.
Basically, Qualcomm is concentrating on a rise of as much as 30% in single-core workloads, and as much as 12% in multi-core eventualities. That is an enormous deal contemplating the sheer efficiency differential between the Snapdragon 8 Elite and eight Gen 3, and it is thrilling to see the chip vendor capable of ship these form of beneficial properties for the second yr in a row.
After all, these particulars are based mostly on a leak, so we might want to wait and see how the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 holds up in real-world testing.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2: Gaming
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is a gaming powerhouse, and it has a considerably increased overhead in relation to taking part in demanding titles. I did not see any points getting secure framerates even with all of the settings turned up, and if something, the gaming ecosystem on Android is the bottleneck — we want console-quality titles like iOS.
Whereas we do not know what modifications Qualcomm is making to Adreno this yr, the one factor I would prefer to see is healthier thermal thresholds. The Snapdragon 8 Elite tends to run hotter than earlier variations, and which means resultant gadgets overheat even with sizeable thermal administration options. Qualcomm must do a greater job setting thermal boundaries on the 8 Elite 2 to make sure this is not a difficulty on 2026 flagships.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite 2: Launch date
Qualcomm has confirmed that it’s accelerating the launch window of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. The chipset will likely be showcased on the chip vendor’s annual Snapdragon Summit, being held on September 23. Qualcomm normally holds its launch occasion someday in This fall, with the preliminary wave of gadgets that includes its newest chipset debuting in Q1.
Clearly, it desires to alter that dynamic, and by launching the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 early, will probably be capable of place it higher alongside the upcoming A19 — which may even be introduced at an analogous time.
Whereas there’s lots we do not know in regards to the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 — together with modifications to the digicam and connectivity — we must always get these particulars over the approaching weeks, and I am going to replace this submit accordingly.