Xiaomi is gearing up to leap ahead of Samsung in the race to launch smartphones powered by Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform.
The new chip will make its debut inside the upcoming Xiaomi 17 lineup, set to be unveiled later this month, months before Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series, expected in January.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: What’s New
Qualcomm has confirmed that the processor will launch during its annual Snapdragon Summit. The new name, 8 Elite Gen 5, reflects the company’s refreshed branding strategy.
Key details so far:
- 3nm TSMC process with custom Oryon CPU cores.
- CPU frequencies up to 4.6 GHz (4.7 GHz in the For Galaxy variant).
- New GPU design with 1.2 GHz rendering frequency.
- Expected Antutu score: ~4.4 million, marking a big leap over its predecessor.
For comparison, the Galaxy S25’s Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy variant peaks at 4.47 GHz, showing Qualcomm has squeezed out more performance for this new generation.
Xiaomi 17 Lineup: What to Expect
Rumors suggest Xiaomi will introduce three models:
- Xiaomi 17 (base model)
- Xiaomi 17 Pro
- Xiaomi 17 Pro Max (the “ultra” flagship)
Highlights:
- Xiaomi 17 & 17 Pro: Compact flagships with 6.3-inch displays and batteries up to 7,000 mAh.
- Xiaomi 17 Pro Max: Positioned as the most powerful in the lineup, with a 6.8-inch display, a huge 7,500 mAh battery, and possibly a secondary rear display for added functionality.
Availability
The Xiaomi 17 launch event is scheduled for later this month in China. As usual, the global release may take a bit longer, but expectations are high that Xiaomi will try to get ahead of Samsung in major markets.
