QUALCOMM'S SNAPDRAGON 8 GEN 4 REVEALED – CUSTOM ORYON CPU, 60+ TOPS AI & RAY TRACING GPU
SAN DIEGO – Qualcomm has just pulled back the curtain on its most ambitious mobile chip ever: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. In a technical deep-dive today, the company confirmed game-changing upgrades that will power 2024’s flagship Android devices – including custom Oryon CPU cores, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and a staggering 60+ TOPS NPU for on-device AI.
⚡ The Triple Threat
Oryon CPU Cores (Fully Custom Design)
Qualcomm’s first in-house CPU architecture since acquiring Nuvia promises "the largest IPC gain in Snapdragon history." Translation: Apple-level single-core performance for Android.Adreno GPU w/Dedicated Ray Tracing
A reengineered GPU focused on console-like lighting/shadow effects – enabling Genshin Impact and Cyberpunk 2077 Mobile to run with PC-grade visuals at playable frame rates.Hexagon NPU: 60+ TOPS AI Monster
At >60 Trillion Operations Per Second (TOPS), it demolishes the Gen 3’s 45 TOPS. Expect:
✓ Real-time 4K video enhancement
✓ Instant generative AI (text-to-image in 0.8s)
✓ Lifelike voice assistants
🚀 Availability
Mass production begins August 2025
First phones land October-November 2025
Confirmed for: Galaxy S25 series, Xiaomi 15, OnePlus 13
💥 Why Tech Twitter Is Exploding
"This is Qualcomm’s ‘M1 moment’ – Oryon cores could finally close the Apple performance gap. Pair that with 60 TOPS AI? Game over for MediaTek."
– Tech Analyst Ming Guo, reacting on X
"Ray tracing on mobile without 5-hour battery life? If Adreno delivers, gaming phones just became next-gen consoles."
– GamingLeaks subreddit
⚖️ How It Stacks Up
| Chipset | CPU Design | NPU Power | Ray Tracing | Launch Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SD 8 Gen 4 | Custom Oryon | 60+ TOPS | Yes | Oct-Nov 2025 |
| Apple A18 Pro | Enhanced 6-core | ~50 TOPS | Partial | Sept 2025 |
| MediaTek Dim 9400 | Arm Cortex-X5 | 55 TOPS | No | Nov 2025 |