If we’re talking about the absolute best smartphones in terms of performance, there’s one thing they all share in common – Snapdragon’s flagship chipset. This year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC improves upon the highly impressive S8+ Gen 1 that was launched in the latter half of 2022. The processor is one of the key elements that separate a flagship device from the rest, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is unmatched when it comes to benchmark numbers as well as task management. Let’s take a look at the best smartphones you can buy right now that come with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC inside.
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Table of Contents
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Key Specs
| Display | 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (read our review here) is one of the best smartphones to come out this year. We reviewed this smartphone back in February and were thoroughly impressed by its performance across the board. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC under the hood of the S23 Ultra is specially customised for the smartphone and registers a higher CPU clock speed than its regular avatar. The difference can be seen in gaming and camera performance. Samsung’s epic flagship is also better at handling CPU workloads and machine learning tasks compared to other smartphones powered by the same processor.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
Key Specs
| Display | 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED, 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Battery | 4,400 mAh |
The recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 carries the same customised Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC that is found in the Galaxy S Series smartphones. Samsung’s range of foldable devices is ahead of the curve largely due to the tremendous processing powering them. While there are cheaper folding smartphones on the market, none of them match the numbers that the Fold5 produces. Despite its incredible performance, the star of the show is the One UI OS. Samsung’s clever software tricks get the most out of the screen real estate that is on offer. While it may cost a small fortune, the Fold5 retains its position as the leader of the (foldable) pack.
Xiaomi 13 Pro
Key Specs
| Display | 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery | 4,820 mAh |
Xiaomi has been putting out some decent premium smartphones for the last couple of years, but its most recent flagship makes the statement that it is here to hang with the best of the best. Xiaomi 13 Pro packs the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and features a stunning 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display. The camera array at the back is comprised of three 50MP wide, ultrawide, and telephoto sensors. The star of the show is the 1-inch primary sensor that produces immaculate results in every lighting condition. Read our full review here.
OnePlus 11
Key Specs
| Display | 6.7-inch LTPO3 Fluid AMOLED |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB, 16GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
After releasing a series of mild smartphones last year, OnePlus came back strong in 2023 to reclaim its title of being the enthusiasts’ favourite brand. The flagship OnePlus 11 gets the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and is one of the few smartphones available with a 16GB RAM variant. It also gets a 6.7-inch LTPO3 Fluid AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. OnePlus 11 is also one of the fastest charging phones around, with support for 100W wired charging. Interestingly, it misses out on wireless charging.
iQOO 11
Key Specs
| Display | 6.78-inch LTPO4 AMOLED |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 8GB, 12GB, 16GB |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh |
Ending this list is the highly underrated iQOO 11. This flagship device from Vivo’s sister company offers incredible value for money. Equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, it does not make any compromises when it comes to the processor. The 6.78-inch LTPO4 AMOLED display on the iQOO 11 has a refresh rate of 144Hz and offers HDR10+ support. The rear camera array on this device consists of a 50MP primary sensor, a 13MP telephoto lens, and an 8MP ultrawide camera. Up front, the camera gets a 16MP selfie camera housed in a punch-hole cutout. Read our review here.
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Conclusion
These are the best smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. As the year progresses, we may see a few other smartphones carrying this processor. OnePlus is rumoured to announce its debut foldable soon. Dubbed OnePlus ‘Open’, the smartphone is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Which device do you fancy out of this list? Let us know in the comments!
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