Qualcomm has officially confirmed that its next flagship smartphone chip, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, will be launched earlier than usual. The company announced during its Computex 2025 presentation that this powerful new processor will be unveiled between September 23 and 25 during the annual Snapdragon Summit.
This is a noticeable shift in schedule, as last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was launched in October. With this earlier timeline, smartphone makers are expected to jump into action faster than usual, with some Chinese flagship devices set to debut as early as October.
This early launch could shake up the usual rhythm of the smartphone market. Brands like Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Realme are all expected to be among the first to introduce phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, with models like the Xiaomi 16, OnePlus 15, and Realme GT8 Pro reportedly in the pipeline. These devices are likely to hit the domestic Chinese market first, followed closely by global releases
In terms of performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 promises to be a serious upgrade. Early benchmarks and leaks suggest that it could deliver up to 26% better performance on AnTuTu compared to its predecessor. It keeps the same core structure — six performance cores and two efficiency cores — but it’s built using Arm’s new v9 architecture and Qualcomm’s Nuvia-designed CPU cores.
The chip also uses TSMC’s advanced N3P node, which should offer improved power efficiency and speed. The integrated Adreno GPU is also expected to deliver up to 30% faster graphics rendering, which would be a big win for gamers and power users.
Interestingly, while most major smartphone brands seem eager to adopt this chip, Samsung might take a different route this time. Reports suggest that Qualcomm is planning a custom “Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 for Galaxy” version using Samsung’s own SF2 fabrication process.
However, the Galaxy S26 lineup may rely entirely on Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2600 chip instead, meaning we might not see a Snapdragon-powered Galaxy flagship in this round — something that could put Samsung in a tough spot if Qualcomm’s chip outperforms it by a large margin.
Beyond Samsung, Qualcomm faces stiff competition from other chipmakers. Apple’s A19 and A19 Pro are expected to continue leading in raw performance, while MediaTek is also stepping up with the Dimensity 9500.
Even Xiaomi has entered the arena with its in-house Xring O1 chip, which already gave the previous Snapdragon Elite a run for its money. This creates a more competitive space where Qualcomm’s early launch may offer a key advantage — not just in timing, but in raw power and efficiency.
In short, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is arriving ahead of schedule and ready to push boundaries. From better speeds to smarter architecture, Qualcomm seems set to make a strong impact in 2025. For smartphone fans, that means better devices sooner — and for competitors, it’s game on.