Qualcomm recently unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, a new chipset aimed at powering flagship smartphones that won't break the bank. It's not quite as beefy as the "Elite" version they announced back in November, but it still packs a punch, according to Qualcomm.

Think of it this way: the 8 Gen 5 is like the younger sibling of the 8 Elite Gen 5. It shares many of the same genes but with slightly toned-down specs. Qualcomm is positioning it as a step up from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which came out two years ago. They claim it offers a decent jump in CPU and GPU performance, along with better power efficiency.

For example, the 8 Gen 5 has a similar CPU structure to the Elite version, but the clock speeds are a bit lower. This means the performance cores won't be quite as fast. Additionally, its X80 modem delivers slightly slower peak 5G speeds. It also has downgraded specifications for its Adreno GPU and Hexagon AI NPU. However, things like charging, display support, and most camera hardware options remain the same.

While the "Elite" badge might be missing, the regular Gen 5 still promises a premium experience. Several manufacturers, including Motorola, OnePlus, and Vivo, are already on board, and we should see phones powered by this chip hitting the market soon.