Qualcomm is stepping up its game in the AI space with the introduction of its latest chips designed to boost performance in next-generation smartphones and laptops. The company revealed the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for mobile devices and the Snapdragon X2 Elite series for laptops, aiming to set new standards in their respective markets. These new chipsets underscore Qualcomm's strategy to become a key player in the AI-driven technology ecosystem.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is being touted as the world's fastest mobile processor. Qualcomm claims the new mobile chip delivers a 20% performance boost, leading to faster app launches, and includes an upgraded Adreno GPU for enhanced graphics. According to Qualcomm, its new mobile chip is faster and more energy efficient. The chip will allow personalized AI agents to see, hear, and think in real-time.
The Snapdragon X2 Elite series is designed for laptops, targeting users who demand a combination of performance and battery life. The Snapdragon X2 Elite features the third-generation Oryon CPU with up to 18 cores. The "Extreme" variant is specifically designed for AI experiences, complex data analysis, and professional media editing. Qualcomm says the new processors come with a powerful Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with 80 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second) of on-device AI processing performance and boasts "multi-day" battery life. The company says the Snapdragon X2 Elite series delivers up to 75% better performance than competing processors at the same power consumption levels.
A key element of both chipsets is a powerful Hexagon NPU, which Qualcomm claims is the fastest NPU for laptops, delivering 80 TOPS of AI computing power. This NPU enables advanced machine learning models and supports Copilot+ PCs. The new chips can run the latest large language models (LLMs) that power on-device AI agents without significantly draining the device's battery.
Qualcomm's increased emphasis on generative AI involves integrating AI features directly into its Snapdragon platforms, allowing devices to perform real-time AI functions without cloud processing. The aim is to improve performance, privacy, speed, and efficiency.
The new Adreno GPU architecture achieves a 2.3x performance improvement per watt compared to the previous generation. This improvement makes it possible to run demanding graphics and AI workloads on thin and light laptops.
Major smartphone manufacturers, including Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Honor, and Sony, are expected to launch devices with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the coming months. Devices powered by the Snapdragon X2 Elite are anticipated to appear in the first half of 2026.
In 2021, Qualcomm hired a team of former Apple engineers to help design its laptop chips. These chips, known as "Oryon," became available this year and have contributed to AI features in Microsoft Windows devices. Qualcomm is now bringing this technology to its smartphone chips.
Qualcomm is also introducing a new security feature called Guardian, aimed at corporate buyers. It can combine Guardian with its modem chips, making it possible to manage machines over 5G and other mobile networks. That means companies could reach their devices almost anywhere in the world with cell coverage, not just when they are on a company's internal network.
