Qualcomm is preparing to unveil its next flagship chipset later in September, but reports suggest its naming could be far more confusing than expected.
The successor to last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite has so far been informally referred to as the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. However, a leak from China claims it may debut instead as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
At first glance, the “Gen 5” branding appears to skip a generation, since the Elite series only launched last year. But in Qualcomm’s logic, the original 8 Elite followed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, effectively making it the fourth generation. By that reasoning, the upcoming chip is technically the fifth generation — though critics argue the naming could confuse buyers.
Multiple high-end variants
Qualcomm reportedly plans to launch another premium processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, which will sit below the Elite Gen 5 in the hierarchy. This means the lineup would include:
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Snapdragon 8s Gen 5 (upper mid-range)
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Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 (high-end)
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Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (top-tier flagship)
The structure, however, risks making the branding harder to follow, especially for mainstream consumers.
Early benchmarks and adoption
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has already appeared in early benchmarks, reportedly powering the upcoming OnePlus 15, signaling that smartphone makers are gearing up to integrate the chipset into their next-generation flagships.
Qualcomm has yet to officially confirm the naming or launch details, but the company is expected to clarify everything at its September launch event.