The most effective Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 telephones you should buy

For the previous decade, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series processors have been main the charts for Android efficiency flagships. If you wish to get absolutely the best-performing Android flagship, you need to take a look at the telephones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. For the reason that chip was launched in November 2022, we’re nonetheless ready on many well-liked smartphone lineups to refresh with up to date {hardware}. However till then, these are the very best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 smartphones you can get! We’ve additionally chosen some upcoming telephones with this flagship processor, so control their launch inside the first half of this yr.

See additionally: The best Android phone you can buy

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a top-tier flagship chipset. This implies it could do just about every thing you throw at it, and that too faster than different chipsets within the Android area. In case you are somebody who recurrently pushes your smartphone to its limits, whether or not it’s lengthy gaming periods, intensive video or reels enhancing, or multitasking with a number of open apps concurrently, then that is the fitting chipset for you. Telephones with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will carry out nice on your wants as they’ve the next efficiency ceiling. And usually talking, these telephones may even have a superb tech bundle, with the very best show, extraordinarily succesful and versatile cameras, and different up to date options and specs.

With that being mentioned, not everybody has wants that demand a lot efficiency recurrently. For those who use your telephone only for social media consumption, sending messages on Fb and WhatsApp, or watching the occasional film on Netflix and Disney Plus, then the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is overkill for you. You’ll be able to breeze by your day simply as effectively with a less expensive mid-range chipset just like the Snapdragon 778G and even flagship chips from 2022 just like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Telephones just like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus and the OnePlus 10T will proceed to serve the overwhelming majority of customers simply tremendous in 2023, even for duties that require the occasional burst of energy. Even a mid-range telephone just like the Galaxy A53 is greater than highly effective sufficient for on a regular basis duties.

So until you completely want a top-tier flagship in your on a regular basis routine, you don’t significantly want a telephone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. However in fact, carriers and OEMs will probably be providing very attractive offers on these overkill flagships all by 2023, and in case you are due for an improve and don’t thoughts spending a bit extra, it is smart to leap onto the easiest telephone. You get a greater smartphone with up to date specs and the newest options, and normally, additionally, you will get a greater window for software program and safety updates. You’ll have the very best expertise that Android has to supply, and that’s value taking the plunge for.

Lengthy story quick: In case your funds permits for it, and also you need the very best of the very best, get a telephone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. However should you can’t, you’ll be able to go for different chipsets too; you’re going to be simply tremendous.

The most effective Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 telephones:

Upcoming telephones:

Probably the most distinguished launch of 2023 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. The explanation this telephone sequence assumes nice significance this yr is that Samsung has retired its Exynos processor for this cycle. The corporate is promoting just one model of the Galaxy S23 sequence: with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This can be a shift from its earlier technique of promoting the S-series flagship within the USA with a Qualcomm processor, after which seeding Exynos processor variants in some areas. The Exynos chips have traditionally been inferior, which meant that these unfortunate areas would get an “inferior” expertise even when shopping for the identical telephone. However fortunately, we’re getting a worldwide Galaxy S23 launch with simply the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 throughout.

There’s nonetheless a twist to the story. Samsung has not solely launched its flagships on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, nevertheless it has additionally launched it on a superior model of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, known as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. This can be a particular model of the chip unique to Samsung flagships, and it has the next clock pace for the Prime CPU core (from 3.2GHz to three.36GHz) and a minor enhance within the GPU clock pace (from 680MHz to 719MHz). This makes the Galaxy S23 sequence the very best of the very best amongst Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagships.

Coupled with widespread availability, thrilling offers and trade-in gives, and lengthy software program help, it’ll turn into very arduous for different OEMs to compete with the Galaxy S23 sequence, even when they handle to get a greater {hardware} bundle in place. Samsung can be bumping up the digital camera {hardware} on the sequence, which is able to assist the corporate preserve its place for smartphone digital camera high quality. And with three telephones within the sequence within the type of the S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Extremely, there may be wider worth vary protection too.

The telephones inside the Galaxy S23 sequence have truthful variations, particularly round their dimension, show, battery, cameras, and S Pen help and integration. Efficiency by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 goes to stay largely the identical regardless of which telephone you select within the sequence.

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs

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Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely specs

If that is the primary time you’re listening to in regards to the Crimson Magic 8 Professional, we don’t blame you. Nubia is a sub-branding from ZTE, and it largely focuses on promoting gaming smartphones internationally. The Nubia Crimson Magic 8 Professional finds area on this record for the mere reality of its wider international availability. For the reason that Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a brand new chipset, the Crimson Magic 8 Professional is amongst the primary smartphones with it you can feasibly buy internationally. Extra telephones with this chip will probably be bought internationally quickly, however for now, the Crimson Magic 8 Professional is an efficient guess.

The Crimson Magic 8 Professional’s central theme is gaming, and it leans closely into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to realize its goal. To take advantage of out of this highly effective chipset, the Crimson Magic 8 Professional additionally encompasses a built-in cooling fan and a big vapor chamber cooling plate, letting the telephone maintain its peak efficiency for an extended interval. The chip is flanked by UFS 4.0 storage and LPDDR5X RAM. The telephone leans additional into its gaming identification with a hanging boxy design, capacitive shoulder triggers, and a beefy 6,000mAh battery with help for 65W USB PD quick charging. You additionally get a really clear entrance, because of a uniformly thin-bezelled show that has an under-display digital camera. The avid gamers on the market may even recognize the three.5mm headphone jack.

As talked about, if that you must choose up a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 telephone straight away and don’t need a Samsung Galaxy, this telephone is your greatest guess. The pricing of the machine can be modest, beginning at $649 / €649 / £579 for the 12GB/256GB variant.

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Nubia Crimson Magic 8 Professional specs

In case you are in India and wish to choose up a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagship straight away, then you might be in luck! The Iqoo 11 was just lately launched within the nation, marking it as the primary Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 smartphone to be bought in India.

Iqoo is a sub-brand from Vivo, and the Iqoo 11 is its flagship for 2023. Along with all high-end specs corresponding to a superb E6 AMOLED show with LTPO 3.0 and a 144Hz refresh price, the Iqoo 11 additionally sports activities the Vivo V2 imaging chip. This lets the 50MP main digital camera — which is a Samsung ISOCELL GNV sensor — work some unimaginable magic with HDR, much like the HDR efficiency on earlier Vivo flagships corresponding to the superb Vivo X80 Pro.

Naturally, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on board, the Iqoo 11 can be a top-tier efficiency flagship. Whereas it isn’t explicitly marked as a gaming smartphone, you’ll nonetheless haven’t any issues gaming on this. There’s additionally 120W quick charging help on the machine for its 5,000mAh battery.

The Vivo X90 Professional Plus will quickly get a world launch. We count on that to occur within the subsequent few months, however for now, this smartphone is proscribed to China solely, making it tough to buy exterior of the area.

The Vivo X90 Professional Plus is a successor to the superb Vivo X80 Pro and X70 Pro Plus. It embodies the spirit of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in its entirety, with a slew of options which might be overkill for many customers. It has an important and versatile digital camera system on paper with 4 rear sensors. The first digital camera is a 50MP Sony IMX989 which ought to produce wonderful outcomes because of its 1-inch sensor. There’s additionally Vivo’s V2 imaging chip on board, lending itself as soon as once more to wonderful HDR efficiency throughout the board.

You could possibly use the Vivo X90 Professional Plus as a camera-centric smartphone, and you can too use it equally effectively for gaming and efficiency duties. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ensures that you haven’t any cause to be disillusioned in both of these areas. This can be a top-tier flagship completed effectively, and you may choose up the 12GB/256GB variant in China proper now for six,499 Chinese language yuan (~$960).

Vivo did launch the predecessors Vivo X80 Professional and X70 Professional Plus internationally, so we’re crossing our fingers to see a world launch for the X90 Professional Plus as effectively.

Xiaomi makes a few of the greatest value-for-money smartphones, and their worth philosophy additionally extends onto their flagships. Because of this, we’re additionally crossing our fingers to see the Xiaomi 13 Professional get a wider international launch within the coming months. For now, the machine is out there in China, marking it as the most effective Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 gadgets you should buy.

What we like in regards to the Xiaomi 13 Professional is that it balances the road between practicality and overkill. You get a slew of options which have a high-performance ceiling, however nothing too excessive to stay perpetually under-utilized — Xiaomi will promote you an Extremely flagship for that, hopefully. Even then, there are sufficient jaw-dropping options on board. For example, you get the identical 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor from the Vivo X90 Professional Plus and the Xiaomi 12S Extremely, paired with two extra 50MP cameras for secondary capabilities. There’s 120W wired quick charging, in addition to 50W wi-fi quick charging help for its 4,820mAh battery.

As talked about, the Xiaomi 13 Professional is out there in China in a mess of RAM and storage choices, beginning at simply 4,999 Chinese language yuan (~$735) for the 8GB/128GB variant. Examine this Chinese language pricing with that of the Vivo X90 Professional Plus’ Chinese language pricing, and you may see why we’re excited in regards to the practicality of this top-tier flagship. 

We’re anticipating a worldwide launch of the Xiaomi 13 Professional within the coming months, however with only one or two RAM and storage combos. So keep tuned!

Assume what it’s possible you’ll about OnePlus’ current efficiency, it’s arduous to disclaim that the corporate nonetheless makes nice flagships. With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-totting OnePlus 11, the corporate will probably be trying to reclaim misplaced floor within the flagship area globally, particularly in key markets like North America and India. The OnePlus 11 has launched in China already, and the corporate has scheduled a worldwide launch on February 7.

OnePlus has all the time produced one of many best-performing flagships ever since its inception and the OnePlus 11 continues to stroll alongside that path with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The corporate is constant its partnership with Hasselblad, however now the telephone has an up to date 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor. There’s unlikely to be a Professional-version coming anytime quickly too, so for all intents and functions, the OnePlus 11 is just about the OnePlus 11 “Professional” too, because of its well-rounded specs. Very similar to the Xiaomi 13 Professional, the OnePlus 11 walks upon the trail of practicality with out going overboard. Meaning you’ll be able to sit up for respectable pricing when the machine launches globally.

There are some curious omissions on the machine, just like the absence of wi-fi charging on the Chinese language variant. Many customers are additionally not fully happy with the OxygenOS expertise as of late, so there’s some work to do on that finish as effectively. Nonetheless, we’ll reserve full judgment till the worldwide launch of the telephone. The pricing for the OnePlus 11 in China begins at 3,999 Chinese language yuan (~$590) for the 12GB/256GB mannequin, however don’t learn an excessive amount of into this pricing as the corporate will possible be launching a decrease RAM/storage variant exterior of China.

We will’t look ahead to February 7 to study extra in regards to the international availability of the OnePlus 11. The corporate already has respectable retail and after-sales service community in a number of key areas, letting customers get pleasure from a greater high quality of service in these areas.

Upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 telephones

We’re pretty early within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s product cycle, so choices could appear restricted as of proper now. We’re anticipating many extra handsets to launch with this chipset within the coming months, however there are just a few key flagships that we already know sufficient about.

We haven’t heard an entire lot about Oppo’s subsequent flagship, however we’re anticipating to see the Find X6 Pro succeed the Discover X5 Professional this yr. Whereas the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will as soon as once more be a spotlight of this telephone, what is going to set the Discover X flagship aside from the competitors will probably be how Oppo takes benefit of its Marisilicon X2 chip and its continued affiliation with Hasselblad.

The Discover X5 Professional was effectively acquired final yr, nevertheless it took a backseat when it got here to basic availability, which in flip affected what number of shoppers have been really fascinated with buying this machine. We hope to see a wider launch if and when Oppo releases the Discover X6 Professional this yr.

Sony takes a slightly unconventional strategy to smartphone flagships, and it’s slightly refreshing to see an OEM stroll on the offbeat path. The Xperia 1 IV targeted on a Professional-level digital camera expertise, tailoring the whole smartphone expertise round this area of interest use case. Whereas we’re nonetheless some months away from formally looking on the Xperia 1 V (learn as “Xperia 1 Mark 5”), we are able to fairly count on Sony to retain the lineup’s total Professional-camera philosophy.

In fact, a Professional-level digital camera expertise wouldn’t be attainable and not using a Professional-level chipset, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the plain alternative. We’re additionally crossing our fingers for a extra palatable price ticket, one which doesn’t scare the fanatics away too.