Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Confusing Names, Big Expectations

Qualcomm is once again in the spotlight, but not for the reasons it might hope.

Its next flagship processor, expected to arrive at the Snapdragon Summit in late September, doesn’t even have a final name yet – and that indecision is leaving fans and industry watchers scratching their heads.

Currently, leaks suggest Qualcomm might revert to its old naming convention, with the chip potentially being branded as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. That would make it a direct follow-up to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, with the short-lived Snapdragon 8 Elite effectively standing in as the unofficial ‘Gen 4.’ The problem is that Qualcomm’s portfolio already feels inconsistent, and bringing back the Gen branding may confuse users further.

The situation gets even trickier with talk of a second, nearly flagship-level chip. This processor could also carry the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 label, though positioned slightly below the true flagship. Whether that means it’s a successor to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 or an entirely new tier isn’t clear yet, but the overlap in names will almost certainly cause headaches for consumers trying to understand the hierarchy.

Qualcomm’s naming rollercoaster is not new. In the past few years, we’ve seen the company jump from Snapdragon 865 to 888, then to 8 Gen 1, and most recently, to the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Now, with another pivot possibly on the way, the branding feels more chaotic than ever. Contrast that with Apple’s clean, predictable approach: iPhone chips move step by step – A18, A18 Pro, and next year, almost certainly, A19 and A19 Pro. No confusion, no rebranding mid-cycle.

We’ll get definitive answers soon. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit runs September 23–25, where the company will unveil the new processors. Devices powered by the chip are expected to appear as early as October. Until then, all we can do is speculate – and hope Qualcomm finally embraces some consistency in how it names its most important products.

And while chip naming might seem trivial, clarity matters. For tech enthusiasts, journalists, and average smartphone buyers alike, a logical naming scheme makes understanding performance tiers easier. Qualcomm risks losing that clarity if it keeps reshuffling names every generation.