Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 8 Gen 5; OnePlus 15R confirmed as the first phone to feature it

Qualcomm today launched a new chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Part of its premium chipset family, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 sits close to the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, featuring the same Oryon CPU architecture. It’s designed to deliver overall performance improvements and faster speeds over its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. OnePlus 15R is also confirmed to launch as the first phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

Powered by Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 delivers peak speeds of up to 3.8 GHz, translating to a 36 percent boost in performance. The updated Adreno GPU brings an 11 percent improvement in graphics rendering, while web browsing is said to feel up to 76 percent more responsive. Taken together, these gains promise smoother multitasking, quicker app responses, and more efficient handling of demanding tasks on Snapdragon 8 Gen 5-powered phones.

AI is a major focus of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 as well. One standout feature is the ability to instantly wake the AI assistant simply by picking up the device. This is enabled by the Qualcomm Sensing Hub, which uses a combination of microphone and sensor inputs to detect when a user intends to speak. The chipset also supports more context-aware interactions and personalised suggestions through on-device AI agents. All of this is driven by the updated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, which delivers up to 46 percent better performance.

Gaming is set to get a console-quality experience on smartphones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Multiplayer gaming is also said to be more seamless with better connectivity and consistent high frame rates, fuelled by the Oryon CPU. The chipset also supports real-time tone control, context-aware autofocus, auto-white balance, and auto-exposure, and better night videography.

While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 won’t match the raw performance of its flagship sibling, it’s still expected to deliver strong speeds for its segment. The OnePlus 15R will be the first phone globally to feature this chipset, and based on the OnePlus Ace 6T—likely the model it’s rebranding—you can expect a power-focused package. You can expect 165fps gaming support, the largest cooling system ever used in a OnePlus phone, and a substantial 7,000mAh–8,000mAh battery, among other upgrades, on the OnePlus 15R.

Qualcomm has also confirmed that more flagship devices from brands including iQOO, Honor, Meizu, Motorola, and Vivo are set to feature this chipset. With high performance expectations, there’s a lot to look forward to for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. If you’ve had eyes on a performance-focused phone without the flagship price tag, then it would be worth waiting for Snapdragon 8 Gen 5-powered phones.