A detailed photo of the inner workings of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 phone chip has leaked online, showing only minor changes from its predecessor but clear improvements in the graphics section. Shared by tech enthusiast KurnalSalts on X, the image—known as a die shot—gives a close look at the chip’s layout, confirming that its recent strong test scores come mostly from smart design updates rather than a complete overhaul.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, unveiled earlier this month, powers upcoming high-end Android phones like the Xiaomi 17 Pro. The die shot reveals a layout almost identical to the previous Snapdragon 8 Elite, with the main central processing unit (CPU) area unchanged at about 48 square millimeters.
This keeps the chip’s core task-handling similar, focusing on eight efficient cores that run everyday apps smoothly.
However, small additions appear next to the main cores, including dedicated blocks for advanced math operations called Scalable Matrix Extension (SME), which help with quick calculations in tasks like photo editing or voice commands.
The real standout is in the graphics processing unit (GPU), the part that handles games and videos. The new Adreno 840 GPU now includes 128 megabytes of on-chip memory spread across 80 blocks, up from 64 megabytes and 64 blocks in the older Adreno 830.
This extra memory lets the chip store more data right inside, reducing the need to pull from slower external memory, which makes games run cooler and use less battery.
Qualcomm says this boosts overall graphics speed by up to 23% and cuts power use by 20%, leading to smoother play in titles like Honkai: Star Rail during long sessions.
Early benchmarks back this up. In tests like 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, the Gen 5 scored around 8,251 points, about 25% higher than the A19 Pro in Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max.
It also hit 155 frames per second in a detailed graphics check called GFXBench Aztec, compared to the A19 Pro’s 96, showing better handling of complex visuals. For AI features, the chip’s math engine is 37% faster and 16% more energy-efficient, supporting tasks like real-time photo enhancements or voice assistants that learn from your habits.
The die shot, taken from a high-quality microscope scan, measures the full chip at about 169 square millimeters—similar to the last version but with these targeted tweaks.
Qualcomm built it on an improved 3-nanometer process from TSMC, which packs more power into a tiny space without wasting energy. Clock speeds reach up to 4.61 GHz on the top cores for quick bursts and 3.63 GHz on others for steady work.
Experts note the changes confirm the Gen 5’s gains come from clever architecture rather than size increases, making it competitive with Apple’s chip in multi-tasking while leading in graphics-heavy uses. The chip supports up to 16GB of fast RAM and 5G download speeds of 7.4 gigabits per second for quick file grabs.
Phones with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are expected in stores by October, starting with models from Xiaomi and Oppo.
This leak highlights Qualcomm’s focus on balanced upgrades, potentially giving Android devices a fresh boost against iPhones in visuals and efficiency. As more tests roll in, the full picture of this chip’s impact on daily phone use will emerge.
