Snapdragon-powered Xiaomi phones: Xiaomi has inked a new multi-year agreement with Qualcomm to continue to employ Snapdragon 8-series processors in its next-generation flagship smartphones. The decade-long deal is a follow-up to a 15-year tie-up between the two tech industry leaders that reaffirms Xiaomi’s commitment to delivering high-performance devices with Qualcomm’s premium processors.
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Upcoming Xiaomi Flagships to Feature New Snapdragon Chipsets
As part of the agreement, Xiaomi will be among the first brands to use Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 processor. What this means is that the next flagship Xiaomi phone, which has been said to be the Xiaomi 16, will come equipped with this new processor. The Xiaomi 15, which has already been released in China, already has the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, and its second generation has also been said to bring performance to another level.
Xiaomi 16 to Feature Snapdragon 8 Elite 2
The Xiaomi 16 will reportedly launch with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset. The new processor is rumored to provide up to 25% improved performance compared to the existing one and even support next-gen LPDDR6 RAM. In light of TSMC’s new N3P (3nm) process, the processor is reported to deliver some significant efficiency improvements as well.
Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit Postponed to September
To get a head start on this early debut, Qualcomm has timed its Snapdragon Summit for September 23 to 25, ahead of its planned schedule. This presents phone makers like Xiaomi with an early head start to implement the new chipset on their late 2025 and later flagship devices.
New Chip Could Deliver Mass Performance Boost
The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 has to be Qualcomm’s most advanced processor to date, with enhanced GPU and CPU performance and more advanced artificial intelligence processing. These features are especially crucial for premium smartphone brands like Xiaomi, which desire to stay ahead of the curve in mobile technology with best-of-breed hardware.
Xiaomi is Also Working on Its Own XRING 01 Processor
Besides extending its partnership with Qualcomm, Xiaomi is also developing an in-house processor, the XRING 01 SoC. The chip has only been found on Geekbench today, and scores somewhere in between Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 8 Elite. The new Xiaomi 15s Pro will be driven by the XRING 01, whose China launch is set for May 22.
Snapdragon Will Still Be Used in Xiaomi’s Flagship Phones
Despite making its own chip, Xiaomi has indicated that its flagship phones will still use Snapdragon chips shortly. The XRING 01 will likely have more difficulty maintaining niche or mid-range positions, and the Snapdragon chips will continue to occupy the center of Xiaomi’s flagship devices.