Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 Launch Confirmed for September: What to Expect

Qualcomm is set to unveil its next flagship Snapdragon chip, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, at the Snapdragon Summit 2025 in Maui, Hawaii, from September 23-25. This announcement, confirmed by Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon during the Computex 2025 keynote, has the tech world buzzing about the potential advancements and competition in the high-end mobile processor market.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is expected to succeed the Snapdragon 8 Elite, currently powering top-tier Android smartphones like the Galaxy S25 series and the Galaxy S25 Edge. While the official name of the new chip is yet to be confirmed, rumors suggest it might be called Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 or Elite Gen 2.

Early speculation points towards a TSMC 3nm N3P process for the new chip, featuring Qualcomm's second-generation custom Oryon cores in a 2+6 core layout. The Adreno 840 GPU is also expected to be a key component, promising enhanced graphical performance.

The launch of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 also signals Qualcomm's continued push into the Windows PC market. According to Amon, Qualcomm is committed to this sector, aiming for over 100 product models launched or in development by next year. He emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence, suggesting on-device AI will become a crucial aspect of user experience.

Amon highlighted the growth in native Windows apps built for Arm-based chips, noting that "93% of the users’ time using those devices are now on native experiences." This addresses a key challenge for Arm-based laptops: software compatibility. The remaining time involves using an emulator to run x86 Windows apps.

However, uncertainty surrounds Samsung's adoption of the new Snapdragon chip. While initial rumors suggested a Snapdragon-only approach for the Galaxy S26, recent reports indicate that Samsung might incorporate the Exynos 2600 in some models. There's also speculation about a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 for Galaxy variant built on Samsung's 2nm process.

Qualcomm's Computex 2025 keynote also shed light on the company's intent to compete with Intel, AMD, and Apple in terms of performance, on-device AI capabilities, and battery life. However, whether the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 can truly challenge Apple's A19/A19 Pro remains to be seen.

The upcoming Snapdragon Summit promises to be a pivotal event, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 poised to potentially redefine the landscape of mobile processors. Will this new chip live up to the hype? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!

• Computex 2025
• Qualcomm
• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2

X talks about this news