Qualcomm’s Next Move: A “Sub-Flagship” Chip to Bridge the Performance Gap?
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus might debut in 2026 as a new premium processor. While it's rumored to have less power than the forthcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, it could deliver performance comparable to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Qualcomm's existing top-tier chip. The fabrication may be handled by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) on its 3nm N3P node, and it could incorporate certain “peripheral” components from the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2.
The Qualcomm SoC May Match Snapdragon 8 Elite’s Performance
In a social media post on the Chinese platform Weibo, leaker Digital Chat Station disclosed that the processor company Qualcomm is working on a new premium System-on-Chip identified by the model number SM8845. This forthcoming chip is rumored to provide a performance level similar to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is the firm’s present top-of-the-line SoC. This suggests that Qualcomm intends to position the alleged processor in its lineup between the future Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 and its current leading chip. According to a GSMArena report, the SoC might be officially called the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus.
Furthermore, the leaker also mentioned that the purported Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus will be built using a custom architecture featuring large cores. The chip will reportedly use TSMC’s 3nm N3P node and borrow “some peripherals” from the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, which is anticipated to release in September with substantial performance enhancements over its forerunner. It is anticipated that devices utilizing the Snapdragon 8 Plus SoC will also accommodate very large batteries, reaching up to an 8,000mAh capacity.
Given that it is projected to match the Snapdragon 8 Elite in performance, its specifications can be used as a point of comparison. Introduced in October 2024, Qualcomm’s present flagship SoC is constructed on a 64-bit architecture and a 3nm manufacturing process. It contains a second-generation, custom-designed eight-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU that achieves a maximum clock speed of 4.32GHz. Qualcomm asserts that it delivers a 45 percent boost in both single and multi-core tasks, which speeds up web browsing by 62 percent. During its debut, the firm noted that devices with this chip would be compatible with LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. The Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC also incorporates the Nanite solution from Unreal Engine 5, allowing for cinema-grade 3D graphics in mobile gaming.
