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During its traditional event held on the island of Maui, at Havai, Qualcomm released data about the processor Snapdragon 8 Elite, which will be present in high-end smartphones and tablets, offering even more performance through AI activities. Check out all the details, which also give us a preview of the mobile technology market for the year 2025.
name change
In 2021 the Qualcomm stopped using numbers in their processors and then started identifying them as categorization January. This was followed by 2022 and 2023, but a new change was announced: now the new full-fledged processor will be called Snapdragon 8 Elite, rather than Snapdragon 8 Gen4.
The processor is still considered the successor to the Snapdragon 8 Gen3 presented in 2023, but the change is focused on brand positioning, to demonstrate that this is the most complete model. Something similar to what Samsung did with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, a definition that was also used in notebooks and tablets.
If you follow processor launches, you may already know that the name “Elite” is used by Qualcomm for its notebook processors. However, the company emphasizes that, despite the name, there was no reuse of the CPU/GPU of these processors. Instead, Qualcomm brought a renewal of the Orion CPUs for its 2nd generation, aiming to deliver more performance, both in games and in artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
Architecture
Now having 3 nanometers instead of 4 nanometers, the Qualcomm promised that its new processor will allow 27% lower power consumption in total. The Snapdragon 8 Elite arrives on the market to compete head-on with the M4, da Apple And Dimensity 9400, Mediatek.
The company also highlights that this new architecture arrives to deliver good performance in various tasks, but with an emphasis on AI activities. Christian Amon, CEO and president of Qualcomm, opened the event by highlighting that smartphones will be focused on delivering even more performance to their users and this new architecture will be essential for this to be successful.
Orion CPUs
Defined as second generation, the Qualcomm promises that your new Orion CPUs delivers 45% better performance in terms of both multi-core and single-core performance. The company highlighted that this new CPU focuses on offering the same level of performance seen in notebook processors, but now in devices such as tablets and smartphones.
The Prime cores share a 2MB L12 cache memory, just like the Performance cores. This results in a total of 24MB of L2 cache. Additionally, each Prime core has 192KB of L1 cache, while each Performance core has 128KB of L1. In real-world usage, this results in 62% better responsiveness when browsing the web with Chrome, compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen3.
We’re excited to bring the power of Qualcomm Oryon to our Snapdragon mobile platforms for the first time. Earlier this year, we debuted it on PCs, delivering remarkable experiences and unmatched battery life to PC users, energizing the industry and capturing the attention of consumers. Today, our second-generation Qualcomm Oryon CPU debuts on our flagship mobile platform – a major leap forward, and we expect consumers to be thrilled with the new experiences enabled by our CPU technology.
Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile devices, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
In addition to delivering high performance, Qualcomm highlighted that energy consumption is 45% lower in this new processor, a promise that should drastically improve the battery life of smartphones and tablets that have the model under the screen.
NPU Hexagon
Acronym for Neural Processing Unity, or Neural Processing Unit, the chip dedicated to artificial intelligence activities has also been renewed for the smartphones and tablets of 2025.
A Qualcomm highlights that the NPU present in the Snapdragon 8 Elite It is 45% faster than the one present in the 2023 processor, in addition to having support for multimodal performance, allowing users to send text, audio, image and even calculation commands, receiving results in a few seconds.
Whether you need a quick summary of a long document or help calculating tips on a receipt, your assistant provides clear, accurate information and unique suggestions — in a snap.
Qualcomm on Snapdragon 8 Elite NPU performance.
It was also promised that the energy consumption in NPU was reduced to 45% so that, even if they are processed locally or via the cloud, artificial intelligence activities do not demand much from the smartphone or tablet battery.
The processor has its own AI which was named AI Assistant. This artificial intelligence runs locally on the processor and does not require an internet connection. It will be possible to perform activities such as real-time translations and even show a restaurant bill receipt to the camera, to ask the phone to split the amount among friends. This way:
All data will be saved in a secure location that companies will not be able to access. The new feature can also be used in smart glasses, giving these devices computer vision. Features already available such as photo expansion, remastering and creating photos from scratch will also be present in 2025 smartphones with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor.
GPU Adreno
Although it does not confirm which version of the video card the new smartphone processor will have for 2025 (rumors suggest it will be the Adreno 830), The Qualcomm mentions that it presents 40% more performance, with 35% gain in Ray Tracing, while being 40% more energy efficient. Interestingly, this should allow gamers to enjoy AAA titles without demanding too much processing power.
The company confirmed that the GPU Adreno has graphics engine support U, with Nanite support. In practice, this change will allow game developers to create 3D scenarios, similar to those seen in movies, but for games for tablets and smartphones in 2025. Here's an example:
It’s not just about stunning graphics; it’s about an incredibly immersive and engaging gaming experience that you can take anywhere.
Qualcomm on Snapdragon 8 Elite GPU performance.
Regarding content playback, the GPU supports screens with 4K resolution at up to 60 Hz or QHD+ at up to 240 Hz. Depending on the type of screen that manufacturers choose for the tablets and smartphones that will be launched with this processor, the experience will be quite interesting.
Connectivity and audio
Because it is focused on delivering the best experience to all users, the new processor from Qualcomm arrives with the X80 Modem-RF modems e Qualcomm Fastconnect 7900, with support for 5G, Wi-Fi 7 and UWB networks, acronym for Ultra Wideband which can be explained as a digital radio technology that allows data transmission over short distances with high accuracy and low interference.
In terms of audio, the model can also transmit audio Qualcomm aptX Adaptive and Aqstic, standards that guarantee a great sound experience on smartphones. It is interesting to note that the platform's features snapdragon sound will be present in this new processor for high quality transmission XPAN 24bit 96Hz lossless, also called lossless audio.
Qualcomm XPAN technology lets you maintain high-quality audio while moving around, even in large spaces, by dynamically adapting to your surroundings so your audio experience is never compromised. This feature is designed to increase Bluetooth network bandwidth and boost signal strength between devices while reducing latency.
Qualcomm on Snapdragon 8 Elite audio performance.
One confirmed detail is that if the user leaves the range of the Bluetooth device, the processor will understand this change and automatically switch to the Wi-Fi network (which has a greater range) so that the audio transmission is not interrupted. Even if a user changes floors.
Camera
In terms of photography, there is the debut of AI ISP for cameras. In practice, it will allow the capture of photos and videos with superior quality, allowing, for example, to record photos with up to three cameras. 48 MP simultaneously a 30 fps, or videos in 4K is 60 fps with the help of AI.
This increases the level of detail and the ability to adjust in real time for situations such as lighting correction and object removal. It will also be possible, after tracking your face, to create artificial light to compensate for poor ambience during a video call.
O Limitless Segmentation was explained as an artificial intelligence feature that can improve frames in a scene. This applies to faces, hair, clothes, objects and more. Qualcomm mentions that it will be possible for photos to have up to 250 layers of improvements so that the result is as complete as possible.
The company emphasizes that its new processor supports post-processing of photos taken in low-light environments, without the need to maintain the noise that has been reduced year after year. The company highlighted the Hexagon Direct Link, which can enhance photos and videos with crystal-clear images via AI.
Thinking about the authentication of everything created by content creators, the feature of C2PA encryption It comes to label photos and videos, indicating whether they were created by artificial intelligence or not.
already talking about the AI Pet Capture Suite, it understands and corrects photos of pets in motion, so that the final photos are not blurry and can be shared on social media right after capture. Watch the example below:
When it comes to documenting our lives, capturing the perfect photo of your pet can be a challenge. Whether your dog is running around the park or your cat is scaling new heights, this revolutionary feature is designed to keep up with your furry friend’s unpredictable antics.
Qualcomm on AI Pet Capture Suite
Additionally, there is the option to remove unwanted elements from a scene with the Video Object Eraser, which uses the chip's processing power to perform these modifications. See an example below:
Availability
One of the models that will receive Qualcomm's new processor will be the line Xiaomi 15, highlighting 29,7% lower energy consumption and greater performance. The launch is scheduled for October 29.
The first smartphone expected to arrive in Brazil with this new processor is the really GT 7 Pro. During Monday afternoon, the Chinese company confirmed that the sale in Brazil via social networks. It is expected to be launched on the global market in November 2024, with no specific date revealed as of the closing of this article. The device has already been seen running AAA games without crashes and promises to be an interesting option for the high-end market, see below:
The new processor will also be present across the entire line Galaxy S25 da Samsung, dismissing rumors that chips from Mediatek ou Exynos, from Samsung itself, would be placed on devices that are expected to be launched in beginning of next year. Some unofficial renders of the Galaxy S25 Ultra show what to expect from the model, which will have smaller edges and will also be more square compared to the Galaxy s24 ultra:
Another device that will receive Qualcomm's new processor is the ASUS ROG Phone 9, aimed at gamers. In addition to a high-performance chip, it was revealed during Qualcomm's event that it will have versions with 24 GB of RAM and 1 TB of internal storage. Photos of the device were also shown and the global announcement event for the device is scheduled for 19 November.
Finally, another device that will receive the new processor is the Honor Magic 7. Initial details show that the Pro version (a standard version is also expected) will have a 6,82-inch OLED screen with 2K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and Kunlun Glass protection that should be superior to Corning Gorilla Glass.
A 50 MP main camera, telephoto sensor and IP68 certification (which makes it waterproof and dustproof) are expected on the smartphone that will be announced on the day October 30 for the Chinese market, but the global launch should happen (and if it happens) only at the beginning of 2025.
See the video
In the meantime, let us know in the comments below what you think of the new features. Snapdragon 8 Elite!
See also other features
With information: Qualcomm Newsroom (1 e 2)
Text proofread by: Daniel Coutinho in 21 / 10 / 2024
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