The best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones you can buy

For the past decade, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series processors have been leading the charts for Android performance flagships. If you want to get the absolute best-performing Android flagship, you have to look at the phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Since the chip was launched in November 2022, we’re still waiting on many popular smartphone lineups to refresh with updated hardware. But until then, these are the best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 smartphones that you can get! We’ve also selected some upcoming phones with this flagship processor, so keep an eye on their release within the first half of this year.

Do you really need a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 series phone?

With that being said, not everyone has needs that demand so much performance regularly. If you use your phone just for social media consumption, sending messages on Facebook and WhatsApp, or watching the occasional movie on Netflix and Disney Plus, then the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is overkill for you. You can breeze through your day just as well with a cheaper mid-range chipset like the Snapdragon 778G or even flagship chips from 2022 like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1. Phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus and the OnePlus 10T will continue to serve the vast majority of users just fine in 2023, even for tasks that require the occasional burst of power. Even a mid-range phone like the Galaxy A53 is more than powerful enough for everyday tasks.

So unless you absolutely need a top-tier flagship in your everyday routine, you don’t particularly need a phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. But of course, carriers and OEMs will be offering very enticing deals on these overkill flagships all through 2023, and if you are due for an upgrade and don’t mind spending a bit more, it makes sense to jump onto the very best phone. You get a better smartphone with updated specs and the latest features, and in most cases, you will also get a better window for software and security updates. You will have the best experience that Android has to offer, and that’s worth taking the plunge for.

Long story short: If your budget allows for it, and you want the best of the best, get a phone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. But if you can’t, you can opt for other chipsets too; you’re going to be just fine.

The best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones:

• Samsung Galaxy S23 series
• OnePlus 11
• nubia REDMAGIC 8 Pro
• Iqoo 11
• vivo X90 Pro Plus
• Xiaomi 13 Pro

Upcoming phones:

• OPPO Find X6 Pro
• Sony Xperia 1 V

Samsung Galaxy S23 series

The most prominent release of 2023 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. The reason this phone series assumes great importance this year is that Samsung has retired its Exynos processor for this cycle. The company is selling only one version of the Galaxy S23 series: with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This is a shift from its previous strategy of selling the S-series flagship in the USA with a Qualcomm processor, and then seeding Exynos processor variants in some regions. The Exynos chips have historically been inferior, which meant that these unlucky regions would get an “inferior” experience even when buying the same phone. But thankfully, we’re getting a global Galaxy S23 release with just the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 all around.

There’s still a twist to the tale. Samsung has not only launched its flagships on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but it has also launched it on a superior version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, called the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. This is a special version of the chip exclusive to Samsung flagships, and it has a higher clock speed for the Prime CPU core (from 3.2GHz to 3.36GHz) and a minor increase in the GPU clock speed (from 680MHz to 719MHz). This makes the Galaxy S23 series the best of the best among Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagships.

Coupled with widespread availability, exciting deals and trade-in offers, and long software support, it will become very hard for other OEMs to compete with the Galaxy S23 series, even if they manage to get a better hardware package in place. Samsung is also bumping up the camera hardware on the series, which will help the company maintain its position for smartphone camera quality. And with three phones in the series in the form of the S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra, there is wider price range coverage too.

The phones within the Galaxy S23 series have fair differences, namely around their size, display, battery, cameras, and S Pen support and integration. Performance through the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is going to remain largely the same irrespective of which phone you choose in the series.

Samsung Galaxy S23 specs

Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus specs

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra specs

OnePlus 11

Think what you may about OnePlus’ recent performance, it’s hard to deny that the company still makes great flagships. With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-totting OnePlus 11, the company is looking to reclaim lost ground in the flagship space globally, especially in key markets like North America and India.

OnePlus is known for its powerful flagship phones, and the OnePlus 11 continues to walk along that path with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The company is continuing its partnership with Hasselblad, but now the phone has an updated 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor. OnePlus has confirmed that there’s no Pro or T version for this year. So for all intents and purposes, the OnePlus 11 is pretty much the OnePlus 11 “Pro” too, thanks to its well-rounded specifications. The OnePlus 11 walks upon the path of practicality without going overboard. That means you can look forward to decent pricing when the device launches globally.

There are some curious omissions on the device, like the absence of wireless charging. Many users are also not completely satisfied with the OxygenOS experience as of late, so there’s some work to do on that end as well. The IP64 rating also leaves a lot to be desired. And the decision to stick with a 2x telephoto camera for the third sensor instead of more optical zoom affects the versatility of the camera setup.

In many ways, however, the OnePlus 11 is a successful return to the original OnePlus roots. You can pick up the OnePlus 11 for $699 for the 8GB/128GB variant, while the 16GB/256GB variant costs $799. If you want a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and don’t want a Samsung Galaxy, the OnePlus 11 is your best bet. The company already has decent retail and after-sales service network in several key regions, letting users enjoy a better quality of service in those locations.

OnePlus 11 specs

nubia REDMAGIC 8 Pro

The REDMAGIC 8 Pro’s central theme is gaming, and it leans heavily into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to achieve its objective. To make the most out of this powerful chipset, the REDMAGIC 8 Pro also features a built-in cooling fan and a large vapor chamber cooling plate, letting the phone sustain its peak performance for a longer period. The chip is flanked by UFS 4.0 storage and LPDDR5X RAM. The phone leans further into its gaming identity with a striking boxy design, capacitive shoulder triggers, and a beefy 6,000mAh battery with support for 65W USB PD fast charging. You also get a very clean front, thanks to a uniformly thin-bezelled display that has an under-display camera. The gamers out there will also appreciate the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The modest pricing of the REDMAGIC 8 Pro makes it a good option, as it starts at $649 / €649 / £579 for the 12GB/256GB variant.

nubia REDMAGIC 8 Pro specs

Iqoo 11

If you are in India and want to pick up a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagship right away and for a price lower than that of the OnePlus 11, then you are in luck! The Iqoo 11 was recently launched in the country, marking it as the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 smartphone to be sold in India.

Iqoo is a sub-brand from vivo, and the Iqoo 11 is its flagship for 2023. In addition to all high-end specifications such as an excellent E6 AMOLED display with LTPO 3.0 and a 144Hz refresh rate, the Iqoo 11 also sports the vivo V2 imaging chip. This lets the 50MP primary camera — which is a Samsung ISOCELL GNV sensor — work some incredible magic with HDR, similar to the HDR performance on previous vivo flagships such as the excellent vivo X80 Pro.

Naturally, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on board, the Iqoo 11 is also a top-tier performance flagship. While it isn’t explicitly marked as a gaming smartphone, you will still have no problems gaming on this. There’s also 120W fast charging support on the device for its 5,000mAh battery.

Iqoo 11 specs

vivo X90 Pro Plus

The vivo X90 Pro Plus is a successor to the excellent vivo X80 Pro and X70 Pro Plus. It embodies the spirit of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in its entirety, with a slew of features that are overkill for most users. It has a great and versatile camera system on paper with four rear sensors. The primary camera is a 50MP Sony IMX989 which should produce excellent results thanks to its 1-inch sensor. There’s also vivo’s V2 imaging chip on board, lending itself once again to excellent HDR performance across the board.

You could use the vivo X90 Pro Plus as a camera-centric smartphone, and you can also use it equally well for gaming and performance tasks. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 ensures that you have no reason to be disappointed in either of those areas. This is a top-tier flagship done well, and you can pick up the 12GB/256GB variant in China right now for 6,499 Chinese yuan (~$960).

vivo did launch the predecessors vivo X80 Pro and X70 Pro Plus internationally, so we are crossing our fingers to see an international launch for the X90 Pro Plus as well.

vivo X90 Pro Plus specs

Xiaomi 13 Pro

Xiaomi makes some of the best value-for-money smartphones, and their value philosophy also extends onto their flagships. For this reason, we’re also crossing our fingers to see the Xiaomi 13 Pro get a wider global release in the coming months. For now, the device is available in China, marking it as one of the best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 devices you can buy.

What we like about the Xiaomi 13 Pro is that it balances the line between practicality and overkill. You get a slew of features that have a high-performance ceiling, but nothing too extreme to remain forever under-utilized — Xiaomi will sell you an Ultra flagship for that, hopefully. Even then, there are enough jaw-dropping features on board. For instance, you get the same 50MP Sony IMX989 sensor from the vivo X90 Pro Plus and the Xiaomi 12S Ultra, paired with two more 50MP cameras for secondary functions. There’s 120W wired fast charging, as well as 50W wireless fast charging support for its 4,820mAh battery.

As mentioned, the Xiaomi 13 Pro is available in China in a multitude of RAM and storage options, starting at just 4,999 Chinese yuan (~$735) for the 8GB/128GB variant. Compare this Chinese pricing with that of the vivo X90 Pro Plus’ Chinese pricing, and you can see why we are excited about the practicality of this top-tier flagship. 

We’re expecting a global release of the Xiaomi 13 Pro in the coming months, but with just one or two RAM and storage combinations. So stay tuned!

Xiaomi 13 Pro specs

Upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones

We’re fairly early in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s product cycle, so options may seem limited as of right now. We’re expecting many more handsets to launch with this chipset in the coming months, but there are a few key flagships that we already know enough about.

OPPO Find X6 Pro

We haven’t heard a whole lot about OPPO’s next flagship, but we’re expecting to see the Find X6 Pro succeed the Find X5 Pro this year. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will once again be a highlight of this phone, what will set the Find X flagship apart from the competition will be how OPPO takes advantage of its Marisilicon X2 chip and its continued association with Hasselblad.

The Find X5 Pro was well received last year, but it took a backseat when it came to general availability, which in turn affected how many consumers were actually interested in purchasing this device. We hope to see a wider release if and when OPPO releases the Find X6 Pro this year.

Sony Xperia 1 V

Sony takes a rather unconventional approach to smartphone flagships, and it’s rather refreshing to see an OEM walk on the offbeat path. The Xperia 1 IV focused on a Pro-level camera experience, tailoring the entire smartphone experience around this niche use case. While we’re still some months away from officially taking a look at the Xperia 1 V (read as “Xperia 1 Mark 5”), we can reasonably expect Sony to retain the lineup’s overall Pro-camera philosophy.

Of course, a Pro-level camera experience would not be possible without a Pro-level chipset, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the obvious choice. We’re also crossing our fingers for a more palatable price tag, one that doesn’t scare the enthusiasts away too.

FAQs