Every September, people who love smartphones look forward to a big announcement from Qualcomm. This year is no different. The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is officially on the horizon, set to redefine what we expect from flagship mobile processors.
This processor represents more than just an upgrade; it is a completely new entity. It has a better AI engine, better GPU performance, and next-level efficiency on a 3nm device. This blog post goes over all the reasons why the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is the most eagerly awaited chip of the year, from its specs and benchmarks to its gaming performance and real-world uses.
What is Snapdragon 8 Elite 2?
Qualcomm showed off the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 at Computex 2025. It will be fully available at the Snapdragon Summit on September 23. It’s made to run the newest Android flagships and go up against Apple’s A19 Bionic chip, which is coming out soon.
Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and iQOO are some of the most important companies that are likely to use this chipset in their smartphones in late 2025 and early 2026.
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There is no Samsung 2nm variant, unlike what some people had said. Qualcomm is staying with TSMC’s 3nm node, which is more reliable and uses less heat.
Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Specifications & Features
Let’s explore what powers this next-gen chip:
- CPU Setup: Custom core architecture
- 1x Prime Core @ 3.4 GHz
- 2x Performance Cores
- 6x Efficiency Cores
- Fabrication: 3nm process (TSMC), with better thermal control
- AI Engine: 7th Gen AI Engine for:
- Real-time voice translation
- AI-enhanced GPS & imaging
- Predictive battery optimization
- GPU: New Adreno GPU
- Ray tracing hardware
- Higher FPS for AAA mobile gaming
- Memory Support:
- LPDDR5X RAM @ 4.2 GHz
- UFS 4.0 storage
- Connectivity:
- Snapdragon X75 5G Modem
- Wi-Fi 7 ready
- Bluetooth 5.4
- Camera:
- Triple 36MP capture
- 8K HDR video recording
- Up to 200MP single-lens support
- Display:
- Up to 4K @ 60Hz or QHD+ @ 144Hz
- HDR10+ supported
Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 Benchmarks and Performance
Qualcomm’s new flagship is not just about specs—it’s breaking records too.
Geekbench 6 Scores:
- Single-Core: 4,000+
- Multi-Core: 11,000+
Compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, this shows a 30% single-core and 12% multi-core boost.
AnTuTu Score:
- It ranks among the fastest chips ever tested with a score of over 2.6 million.
- For comparison:
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: ~2.18 million
- Snapdragon 8 Elite: ~2.75 million
Gaming:
- Ultra-realistic visuals with ray tracing
- Smooth gameplay at high frame rates
- Consistent performance under load
- Reduced input lag and faster response time
Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 for Gaming and AI
The jump in the GPU will be especially good for gamers. Even on the best mobile games, you can expect consistent frame rates, excellent textures, and real-time shadows. Elite 2 aims to bring console-quality experiences to mobile devices with AI-powered frame prediction and thermal management.
AI isn’t limited to gaming, though. The 7th Gen AI Engine enables:
- Smarter voice assistants
- Real-time camera effects
- Battery usage prediction
- Faster GPS lock via AI positioning
Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 vs Gen 3
| Feature | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Fabrication | 4nm | 3nm (TSMC) |
| Geekbench (Single) | ~3,100 | 4,000+ |
| Geekbench (Multi) | ~9,800 | 11,000+ |
| GPU | Adreno (Gen 3) | Adreno with ray tracing |
| AI Engine | 6th Gen | 7th Gen |
| Power Efficiency | Good | Improved (debated) |
Some early reviews still have issues regarding battery life and heat production, even if things have gotten better. This is especially true for the first test devices. Qualcomm says it has greater optimization, but real-world testing will show how effectively it handles heat in smartphones like the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
Battery Efficiency and Thermal Concerns
Qualcomm says that the Snapdragon 8 Elite will use less power, while some consumers have said that prior variants used more battery power. Geekerwan says that the Elite series does make things work better at lesser loads, but it might use up to 45% more power when things become tough than the Gen 3.
OEMs will probably focus on thermal tuning for phones that come with this processor.
Ecosystem and Future Outlook
Beyond phones, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is part of a larger push by Qualcomm toward AI-first devices.
- Snapdragon X Elite PCs from Lenovo, Dell, and ASUS are expected to offer multi-day battery and Windows 11 Copilot+ features.
- Qualcomm is building momentum in Snapdragon Spaces XR, teaming up with Meta and Samsung to bring AI AR glasses by 2026.
- Key partnerships include:
- Microsoft – AI PC optimization
- Google – Gemini Nano integration
- NVIDIA – Custom CPU collaboration
- Tencent – Snapdragon-optimized mobile games
Conclusion
The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is not only Qualcomm’s most powerful mobile processor, but it also powers a new generation of AI devices, great gaming, and smart computing. This chip will be at the heart of everything, whether you’re waiting for the next Galaxy or looking forward to AI-powered PCs.
Is this the chip that ultimately beats Apple’s chips? We’ll find out soon enough. Until then, check out dontleaveit.com for real-world reviews of devices and news about new ones.