A major leak from prominent Chinese tech blogger Digital Chat Station has revealed crucial details about Qualcomm’s upcoming flagship mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (SM8850). The information includes clock frequencies and architecture changes, giving the tech world its first real glimpse of what is likely to be Android’s most powerful chipset to date.
According to the leak, the DVT (Design Validation Test) version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is already being tested. It is understood that DVT refers to the design validation test phase, which is a key stage in the product development process. It aims to ensure that the product design fully meets the specification requirements. This stage is carried out after all product designs are completed, and mainly tests the overall performance of the product.
Judging from the exposed frequency, the standard version is clocked at 4.8GHz, while the high-frequency variant reaches an unprecedented 5.3GHz. These speeds mark a significant jump over its predecessor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite (SM8750), which offered 4.32GHz in its regular version and 4.47GHz in the high-frequency edition.
Interestingly, the new chip is said to feature a second-generation self-developed architecture. However, the details surrounding this architecture remain somewhat unclear and “a bit confusing,” as per the leaker. Still, the performance numbers suggest major under-the-hood improvements.
Based on previous information, on GeekBench 6, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 reportedly scores around 4000 points in single-core tests and an impressive 11000 in multi-core tests. These scores position it ahead of all current Android chips and may even rival Apple’s upcoming silicon in raw performance.
The GPU segment also receives a major overhaul. The new chip integrates the Adreno 840 GPU, supported by an expanded 16MB independent GPU cache — a notable upgrade aimed at enhancing gaming, rendering, and AI performance.
Qualcomm is expected to officially launch the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 in September 2025, maintaining its usual release schedule. Industry insiders confirm that Xiaomi’s upcoming 16 series will be the first to feature the chip globally, continuing the tradition of Xiaomi debuting Qualcomm’s latest silicon.
With these upgrades, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is shaping up to be a performance monster, setting a new benchmark for Android flagships and pushing the boundaries of mobile computing into new territory.
