Android offers great choice for smartphone buyers, with countless options depending on your needs and budget. There are some devices that meet simple needs for as little as £200, but there are also devices that are cutting edge in what mobile computing can achieve, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The latter packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, one of the most powerful ever in a phone, but it looks like that’s about to change.
From October 21st to 23rd, mobile chip maker Qualcomm will hold its annual Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii, where it has been announcing its latest and highest-end mobile chipsets in recent years. This chip typically powers many premium Android smartphones released within the next 12 months.
That didn’t change after the launch of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in October 2023. This chip is included in the Galaxy S24 Ultra, OnePlus 12, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, Honor Magic 6 Pro, and Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Qualcomm claimed that 8 Gen 3 is 20% faster than the older 8 Gen 2, but the increased computing power means that many of the top Android smartphones of 2024 will need the highest specs to run properly. We were able to facilitate the inclusion of AI capabilities that require .
Although unconfirmed, this new processor could be called “Snapdragon 8 Gen 4,” and the performance boost it brings to the next generation of high-end Android smartphones in the coming months could mean the smartphone in your pocket will be the same. It can feel a little outdated.
Newer silicon often offers better raw power, so your phone can play AAA games without crashing, multitask between apps without annoying lag, and handle videos without crashing. Run pro-level apps for editing and audio recording.
Next-generation processors also allow Android smartphone manufacturers to integrate new upgrades and features, such as improved dynamic range for photos, AI editing tools for images, and improved lighting and shadows for 3D games.
Google, the maker of Android, chooses to use its own custom Tensor chipset in its Pixel phones, but the majority of Android manufacturers use Samsung, Honor, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Asus, Oppo, and Sony. It uses a Qualcomm chip that includes. That said, Qualcomm’s main rival MediaTek has just announced its latest flagship chipset, the Dimencity 9400, which will replace the expected Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in high-end phones. It may be installed in
We recently tested the Xiaomi 14T Pro with the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset and found it to be on par with, and in some cases even outperform, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
So if you’re looking to upgrade your Android smartphone, keep an eye out for what Qualcomm announces later this month to decide whether it’s worth waiting a little longer for the next generation of Android devices with cutting-edge internals. It might be better to wait.
