Since Apple released and launched the iPhone 16 series, it has once again surpassed all competitors in overall performance. Although Huawei also launched its high-end Mate XT model at the same time, there is still a significant gap in overall performance compared to the iPhone 16 series. This gap will persist even when the Mate 70 series is released, as the disparity in processor chips is quite substantial. Perhaps Huawei will catch up in this area in a few years, but the current gap is undeniable. To challenge the iPhone 16 series in overall performance, one must wait for the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen4 phones from the Android camp.

The release date is basically set for late October. The source of the Snapdragon 8 Gen4's formidable performance lies in Qualcomm's decision to abandon the ARM architecture and adopt its self-developed Nuvia architecture for the first time in its chips. Freed from underlying constraints, Qualcomm's strong self-development capabilities are fully unleashed in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, with the maximum core frequency significantly increased from 3.3GHz in the previous generation to 4.2GHz, representing a comprehensive and substantial leap.

With the powerful performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen4 as a foundation, many mobile phone manufacturers that will be among the first to incorporate this chip are hinting at comprehensive performance upgrades in their upcoming models. With all the hype, users are naturally quite anticipatory. However, reality may dampen the enthusiasm of some potential buyers. Even before the Snapdragon 8 Gen4's release, information about next year's Snapdragon 8 Gen5 has already surfaced online, revealing that the main core's maximum frequency will reach an unprecedented 5.0GHz. The leaker described Qualcomm as having gone crazy.

It's worth noting that most computer CPU chips currently cannot achieve such a high core frequency, yet Qualcomm plans to do so with mobile chips. This is indeed a near-crazy idea, as a higher core frequency means a significant increase in the upper limit of chip performance. Qualcomm's elevation of mobile chip performance to such heights makes it exciting to anticipate what kind of performance smartphones will exhibit. Meanwhile, mobile phone manufacturers will face new challenges in adapting to the Snapdragon 8 Gen5 next year, as greater capabilities also mean greater difficulty in control.

Of course, one should not overlook the accompanying high power consumption that comes with such powerful performance. This is the most crucial reason why it is challenging to manage, as mentioned earlier. The 5.0GHz core frequency is indeed astounding. For users who demand high smartphone performance, this comparison makes the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen4 phones seem less appealing. Even more unbelievably, not only have the frequencies of the two performance cores been significantly increased, but the frequencies of the other six energy-efficient cores have also reached 4.0GHz. It's not an exaggeration to say that Qualcomm has gone crazy.

Does this mean that Snapdragon 8 Gen4 phones are not worth buying? Not necessarily. If you're currently using a Snapdragon 8 Gen3 phone, there may not be an urgent need to upgrade, and you can wait to see how the Snapdragon 8 Gen5 performs next year. However, if you're still using a Snapdragon 8 Gen2 or an even older chip, the performance improvements in this year's Snapdragon 8 Gen4 phones are quite substantial.

There is one potential concern, however. Rumors suggest that Qualcomm may consider introducing Samsung's manufacturing process for some Snapdragon 8 Gen5 chips. What are your thoughts on this?