While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 remains officially unannounced, rumors about its successor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, have started to circulate. According to a Weibo tipster, the upcoming chipset is poised to deliver significant performance gains over its predecessor.
Key Points:
- Clock Speed Boost: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is rumored to feature a 2+6 core architecture, similar to the 8 Gen 4. However, the performance cores are said to reach impressive clock speeds of up to 5GHz, while the efficiency cores may peak at 4GHz. This suggests that flagship devices powered by this chipset, such as the Galaxy S26 Ultra, could see substantial performance improvements in 2025 and 2026.
- TSMC’s 3nm Process: Qualcomm is reportedly adopting TSMC’s third-generation 3nm (N3P) process node for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. This manufacturing process is expected to offer significant advantages in terms of power efficiency and performance.
- Dual-Sourcing Strategy: Interestingly, Qualcomm is planning to source the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 from both TSMC and Samsung Foundry. While the TSMC version is confirmed to use the N3P process, the Samsung-built variant will reportedly leverage the company’s 2nm (SF2) process node.
- Samsung’s Progress: Samsung’s recent advancements in its 4nm-based Exynos 2400 chipset suggest that the company is making strides in process technology. It remains to be seen whether Samsung can deliver a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 variant that matches or exceeds the performance of the TSMC version.
Overcoming Past Challenges: Qualcomm’s decision to collaborate with Samsung Foundry is noteworthy, considering the challenges faced in previous partnerships. While Samsung’s manufacturing processes have improved significantly, it will be crucial to see if they can deliver a product that meets Qualcomm’s high standards for performance and reliability.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 promises to be a significant leap forward in mobile computing performance. As we await official announcements from Qualcomm, it will be fascinating to see how this chipset stacks up against the competition.
