Qualcomm has unveiled its next generation mobile platform called Snapdragon 8 Elite as it once again deviates from its naming scheme where the previous chipsets had numbers in their model name. The new Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC packs Qualcomm’s own and new Oryon CPU which was recently seen in its PC chips. In terms of numbers, Qualcomm is claiming significant gains over the last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.

Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC: Specs

The new Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC is based on the second-gen 3nm process from TSMC. It comprises of the eight-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU with a 64-bit Architecture. While efficiency cores have been omitted completely, there are 2x prime cores clocked at 4.32 GHz and six other performance cores running at up to 3.53 GHz clock speed. Qualcomm claims a 45% boost in CPU performance and 44% improved power efficiency over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

The all new Adreno GPU has support for real-time hardware-based ray tracing, Unreal Engine 5.3 running Nanite on smartphones and Chaos Physics engine, HDR gaming, Snapdragon Game Super Resolution, and more. Overall, Qualcomm is promising a respectable 40% increase in GPU performance over Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

For wireless connectivity, it gets the Qualcomm FastConnect 7900 system with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v6.0, up to 6Ghz spectral band, and peak speeds of 5.8 Gbps. There’s the X80 5G Modem that supports peak download speeds of up to 10 Gbps. Further, there’s USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port support as well.

The devices equipped with this Chipset can load up to 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. It has 24MB L2 cache. As for cameras, there’s an AI-based triple 18-bit ISP with support for up to 320MP photo capture paired up to 10-bit colour depth video and photo capture, Google Ultra HDR photo capture, HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, and more.

The enhanced image signal processing (ISP) is now more tightly integrated with the new Hexagon NPU, delivering better HDR, more natural skin tones, improved sky colors, and enhanced Autofocus performance. Qualcomm has also introduced chip-level photo and video semantic segmentation, along with a video object eraser feature.

Read More: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 SoC Debuts: Qualcomm Further Muddles Its Processor Range

There’s further support for triple video capture from HDR image Sensors with seamless switching between any HDR mode. The Snapdragon 8 Elite additionally supports 8K Resolution video shooting up to 30 FPS, 4K video shooting up to 120 fps, or 1080p slo-mo video capture at 480fps.

For AI, the new Hexagon Neural Processing Unit (NPU) enables AI tasks to run 45% faster with greater energy efficiency. Qualcomm’s AI Engine now supports multimodal Gen AI, allowing large and small models to operate with enhanced capabilities, including processing up to 70 tokens on SLMs.

For display, it can support up to 4K resolution running at 60Hz or QHD+ at 240Hz. Next, in terms of audio, it gets Qualcomm’s Aqstic codec support with Aqstic smart speaker amplifier and spatial audio with head tracking. In terms of security, the chipset has Trust Management Engine, Qualcomm 3D Sonic Sensor, 3D Sonic Max and more. Lastly, the chipset supports Quick Charge 5.

Snapdragon 8 Elite is set to power a host of upcoming Android flagships smartphones from OEMs like Asus, Honor, iQOO, OnePlus, Oppo, Xiaomi, Realme, Samsung, Vivo, and others. Some of the confirmed models include Xiaomi 15 series, OnePlus 13, and the iQOO 13.

iQOO 13 is going to debut soon in China and teasers for the device are being shared by the brand in the country on a regular basis. Now, a new teaser from iQOO India head has confirmed that the iQOO 13 India launch is also going to take place soon. Here’s everything to know.

As shared by Nipun Marya, iQOO India CEO, on X, the company official is teasing the launch of iQOO 13 in India by asking “Ready for the next?” in an image that shows the Snapdragon processors being used by iQOO flagships since iQOO 9 Pro till last year’s iQOO 12. The next, would be iQOO 13, which will likely draw power from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Processor that will debut tomorrow, October 22.

Last year, the iQOO 12 debuted in December in India and a recent report suggests that its successor, the iQOO 13, will also come to the country around a similar timeline, likely on December 3.

Read More: OnePlus 13 Shown Off at an eSports Event

Some of the specifications of the device have also been confirmed, such as a 6.82-inch (3168×1440 pixels) 2K+ 144Hz flat display with narrow bezels, a 6150mAh third-generation silicon carbon battery with 120W fast wired charging, a multi-layer graphene, 7K ultra-large area VC cooling system, and a Proprietary gaming chip Q2.

Aside from that, it could come with up to 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. For optics, the phone could feature a triple cam setup on the back, including a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 50MP 2x telephoto sensor. A 32MP camera could handle selfies and video calls on the device.

Samsung debuted the Galaxy A16 5G earlier last week in India, during which Realme also launched the Realme P1 Speed 5G. Both handsets come at a similar price point and have something unique to offer. However, which one would better suit your needs? Checkout this comparison of the two devices and decide for yourself.

Display

The Galaxy A16 5G sports a 6.7-inch full-HD+ (2,340 x 1,080 pixels) Super AMOLED Display with a 90Hz refresh rate, 800 nits brightness in HBM mode, and 385 ppi. The Realme P1 Speed 5G gets a 6.67-inch (2400 x 1080 pixels) full-HD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 2000 nits peak brightness, 180Hz touch sampling rate, and Panda Glass Protection.

Purely on the basis of on-paper specs, the Realme P1 Speed 5G has a much better panel, not only in terms of refresh rate but also when it comes to brightness. Both handsets have decent panels, but Realme’s display is far ahead in terms of how advanced it is.

Performance & Software

The Realme P1 Speed 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy chipset, paired with up to 12GB LPDDR4x RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage that supports expansion. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G handset is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip. It has a built-in storage of 128GB, which can be expanded to 1TB with a microSD card. There’s support for 8GB RAM.

Realme P1 Speed 5G once again rushes ahead with a better Processor under the hood and more RAM. However, regarding software, the Galaxy A16 5G finally beats the Realme phone because it gets six years of OS updates and security patches. Realme hasn’t specified the number of updates the P1 Speed 5G will get, but considering the Realme P1 5G receives 3 years of OS updates and four years of security patches, the policy should likely remain similar for the Speed model as well, which is half of what the Galaxy A16 5G gets.

The choice of software would remain subjective, as both of them run on Android 14-based software skins that come with an ample number of features.

Cameras & Battery

For optics, the Realme device has a dual rear camera setup, including a 50MP primary sensor with an f/1.8 Aperture and LED flash paired with an additional 2MP f/2.4 portrait sensor. At the front, there’s a 16MP f/2.45 sensor for selfies and video calls. The handset is backed up by a 5000mAh battery with 45W fast wired charging.

The Galaxy A16 5G features a triple camera setup on the back, comprising of a 50-megapixel primary sensor with 10x magnification, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, and a 2-megapixel camera with a macro sensor. The front camera has a 13-megapixel sensor. The device includes a 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W wired fast charging.

In terms of cameras, the Galaxy A16 5G wins because of the more practical setup which includes an ultra-wide angle sensor on the back. In case of battery, the Realme P1 Speed 5G once again takes the lead due to superior charging speeds.

Other better features in the Realme P1 Speed 5G include a superior IP65 rating over Samaung’s IP54 rating and support for stereo speakers over the Galaxy A16 5G’s single mono speaker.

Conclusion

The Realme P1 Speed 5G starts at Rs 17,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and Rs 20,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model. The Galaxy A16 5G comes in two models: 8GB + 128GB priced at Rs 18,999 and 8GB + 256GB priced at Rs 21,999.

For a cheaper price tag by a thousand bucks, along with more RAM, a better display, IP rating and chipset, stereo speakers, and faster charging, the Realme P1 Speed 5G is definitely a superior choice over the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G. However, if better cameras and software support are of the utmost importance to you, then you could consider the Galaxy A16 5G as well.

Samsung has announced the launch of Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition in Korea and China. The new foldable from Samsung arrives as a slimmer option over the regular Galaxy Z Fold 6 along with superior optics. Here’s everything you should know about the new Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition: Price, Availability

The new foldable from Samsung starts at KRW 2,789,600 (approx Rs 1,70,000) in South Korea. It will be available in a single 16GB + 512GB variant and a sole Black Shadow colour. The device will go on sale starting October 25 through the brand’s website and other online retail shops such as T Direct Shop, KT, and Eu+.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition: Specifications

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition sports a 8.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X primary display with 2194 x 1968 pixels resolution, up to 2600 nits peak brightness, and 120Hz adaptive Refresh Rate that can go down till 1Hz. The display on the outside is a 6.5-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. It has 2520 x 1080 pixels resolution, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate same as the inner panel, going down till 1Hz.

The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Chipset paired with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage. It runs on Android 14 based One UI 6.1.1 that will get 7 years of OS upgrades and 7 years of monthly security updates.

Read More: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Review: The Foldable Evolution Continues

For optics, you get a triple camera setup at the rear. This includes a 200-megapixel f/1.8 primary sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS), a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle f/2.2 sensor with a 123-degree field-of-view (FoV) and a 10-megapixel telephoto sensor with an f/2.4 aperture, 3X optical zoom, and OIS. There are two front cameras on the phone. The one present alongside the front display is a 10-megapixel f/2.2 lens, while the one present inside the fold under the main display is a 4-megapixel f/1.8 sensor.

Connectivity options include 5G, LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 7, NFC, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. There’s a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security while the device is IP48 rated also. Finally, the handset packs a 4400mAh battery with 25W fast wired charging along with wireless charging support. Unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 6, there’s no S-Pen support.

The OnePlus 13 is days away from launch and ahead of that, it has made a surprise appearance at an eSports event held in China, where the device could be seen in all its glory from the rear. Here’s everything you can expect from the upcoming OnePlus 13 in terms of design.

The unreleased OnePlus 13 was being used by competitors at the Peacekeeper Elite 2024 event in China. We know it’s a OnePlus 13 because the design of the device is like no other OnePlus phone we have seen in the past, and it also matches the teased design by OnePlus China on its website.

The photos showcase the device in three shades, at least, including the black model, a dual-tone model with a blue rear panel and a white camera array, and a white variant with a silver frame. The frame appears flat, as well as glossy in the white and blue models while the black one appears to have a black frame in a matte finish.

Read More: OnePlus Nord 4 5G Review: Settle for Metal

The rear camera island largely remains unchanged in terms of design if we compare it to the OnePlus flagships from the past few years. The “Hasselblad” logo has shifted to the right side of the panel with a silver lining beneath it. Other usual design elements should include an alert slider on the left side of the handset, power button and volume rocker on the right, a USB-C port and a SIM tray at the bottom along with a speaker grille, along with a couple of mics placed on the top and bottom.

As for the specs of the OnePlus 13, these include a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 50W wireless charging support, top-of-the-line BOE display with local high Refresh Rate support, a huge 6,000mAh battery with 100W wired fast charging, and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader as well.

Samsung has announced the launch of the Galaxy A16 5G shortly after it announced the device globally. The model comes with a more powerful Chipset from MediaTek, packs an IP54 rating, and more.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G: Price, Availability

The device is available in Blue Black, Gold and Light Green colours in two models: 8GB + 128GB priced at Rs 18,999 and 8GB + 256GB priced at Rs 21,999. Users can avail a bank Cashback of up to Rs 1,000 on Axis and SBI Credit Cards.

As part of the Galaxy A16 5G launch offer, Samsung India is offering a special promotion for its Tap & Pay feature. Users who complete five Tap & Pay transactions through Samsung Wallet will receive a Rs 500 voucher. This limited-time offer is valid until December 31, 2024.

Samsung Galaxy A16 5G: Specifications

The Galaxy A16 5G has a 6.7-inch full-HD+ (2,340 x 1,080 pixels) Super AMOLED Display with a refresh rate of 90Hz. An octa-core Exynos 1330 SoC powers the phone. However, the Indian model is expected to use the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip. It comes with a built-in storage of 128GB, which can be expanded to 1TB with a microSD card. There’s support for 4GB RAM.

The phone comes with One UI 6.1 pre-loaded, which is based on Android 14. The device is set to receive six years of Android OS updates along with security patches as well.

The triple camera setup on the back comprises of a 50-megapixel primary sensor with 10x magnification, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, and a 2-megapixel camera with a macro sensor. The front camera has a 13-megapixel sensor.

The A16 5G includes a 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W wired fast charging. It further gets a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security. Connectivity options on the device includes Bluetooth v5.3, Wi-Fi 5, GPS, NFC, and a USB-C port for charging. The handset is also IP54 rated as well.

Xiaomi 15 is all set to launch soon in China and its specifications have been leaked online. The leaked Xiaomi 15 specifications suggest it will be a major upgrade over last year’s model, and will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. Here’s everything you should know.

Xiaomi 15 Specifications (Leaked)

Xiaomi 15’s specifications have been leaked by tipster Yogesh Brar on X. The device will sport a 6.36-inch flat AMOLED Display with a 1.5K resolution and a Refresh Rate of 120Hz. For cameras, the Xiaomi 15 could feature a triple rear camera setup, comprising a 50-megapixel camera with OmniVision OV50H sensor, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, and a 50-megapixel 3.2x telephoto camera. These could be tuned by Leica.

The Xiaomi 15 may be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which will compete with Apple’s A18 Pro and MediaTek’s latest Dimensity 9400. The device could run on HyperOS 2.0 operating system based on Android 15. Aside from that, the device will draw power from a 5,500mAh battery with support for 90W wired and 50W wireless fast charging. The handset will also be IP68 rated for protection against dust and water.

Finally, separate reports suggest that it could also pack up to a whopping 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of in-built storage. The handset could be made available in black and white colour options.

Meanwhile, a slew of other next-gen flagships are gearing up for launch in India, including the new Vivo X200 series which is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400. Reports suggest that these devices will come to India by December, alongside the iQOO 13, and even OPPO’s upcoming Find X8 series devices.