The best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones you can buy

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series processors have been leading the charts for Android performance flagships for the past decade. If you want to get the absolute best-performing Android flagship, you’ll want a Snapdragon 8, but in 2024, attention has turned to the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

Nonetheless, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones are still very capable in 2023. Below, we look at some of the best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 smartphones available.

The best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones:

Editor’s note: We’ll regularly update this list of the best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones as new devices launch.

Samsung Galaxy S23 series

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series is easily one of the biggest showcase pieces for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The reason this phone series assumes great importance is that Samsung has retired its Exynos processor for this cycle, only to return it a year later with the Galaxy S24.

The company offered 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 other 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 got 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 particular 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, 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 will 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

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

OnePlus is known for its powerful flagship phones, and the OnePlus 11 continued to walk along that path with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The company also kept its partnership with Hasselblad alive, but the phone has an updated 50MP Sony IMX890 sensor. For all intents and purposes, the OnePlus 11 is pretty much the OnePlus 11 “Pro,” 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 have also not been completely satisfied with the OxygenOS experience lately, so there’s some work to do on that end as well. The IP64 rating also leaves a lot to be desired. 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 was 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. That said, these are older now, and you can often find them on discount. 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 a 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

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the hottest foldable phones on the market thanks to its improved hinge and other upgrades over its predecessor. It is also powered by Qualcomm’s latest silicon, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Backing up the SoC, you’ll find 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. There’s also a 4,400mAh dual battery, IPX8 protection, and wireless charging.

There’s also a solid camera experience, though it’s worth noting that the Z Fold 5 retains the same cameras as its predecessor. That means you get a 50MP wide cam, 12MP ultrawide shooter, and a 10MP telephoto lens. While it would have been nice to see some upgrades, the overall quality here is solid.

Of course the real appeal to the Fold 5 is its ability to become a tablet. The main display gets reasonably big when unfolded, at 7.6 inches. In comparison, the main folded display is 6.2-inches.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 specs:

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

Here’s yet another Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered device that has a foldable display, and again, by Samsung. While the powerful SoC is nice, the main draw here is the unique folding design, which harkens back to the days of flip phones. Up from there’s an excellent secondary display called the Flex Window, which is 3.4 inches. That’s a pretty big upgrade from the 1.9-inch display on its predecessor. The display is mostly designed with widgets in mind, though there are officially supported ways to get full-screen apps, but Samsung considers these experimental.

The other big upgrade to the Z Flip 5 is its new gapless folding display, which makes it harder for dust and other particles to get into your device. Such particles might scratch or otherwise damage the phone. While the Flip might not offer new functionality, its novel design tends to attract those looking for something that stands out from a sea of iPhones and other candy bar-shaped devices.

But the Flip needs to do more than look nice, right? The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is already a step in the right direction, but the rest of the specs are solid as well including 8GB of RAM, a solid camera, and storage configurations up to 512GB. The only small downside is the 3,700 mAh battery. It’s enough to make it through a single day’s use, especially if you use the Flex Window a lot over the power-hungry main display.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 specs:

ASUS Zenfone 10

ASUS isn’t the biggest name in the smartphone world, but that doesn’t mean the ASUS ZenFone 10 isn’t worth a closer look. The Zenfone 10 was a much smaller phone than most others out there, even the Samsung Galaxy S23. This is all thanks to its relatively sleek 5.9-inch AMOLED display.

Despite its smaller stature, the phone has a lot of power under the hood. It has a Qualcomm 8 Gen 2 SoC, for starters.

Are you not impressed? You can also select a variant with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. You’ll also get a reasonably large battery for a phone of this size, at 4,300mAh. This can easily make it through the whole day and can be quickly recharged with support for up to 30W. Audiophiles will also be pleased to hear the ZenFone 10 rocks a headphone jack.

The camera package is also pretty solid here. You get a six-axis gimbal stabilizer which makes it perfect for capturing video. There’s also a 50MP primary camera, and a 13MP ultrawide shooter. On the front you’ll get a 32MP selfie camera that’s perfect for sharing to social media and more.

The ZenFone 10 packs a lot of punch and yet it’s actually pretty affordable, with the base model starting at just $699.99. Even the highest-end model is just $899, despite packing 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage space. Furthermore, it can usually be found cheaper now that the phone is older. For what you get, this phone is extremely well-priced and a good choice if you’re looking for something beyond the typical Samsung, Apple, and Google options that tend to dominate the US.

ASUS Zenfone 10 specs

Motorola Edge Plus

Motorola has steadily been improving its game recently with winners like the Razr foldables, but the typical candy bar phones have also improved quite a bit. One of the best options out there is the Motorola Edge Plus.

You’ll get plenty of performance chops thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC onboard, which is backed by 8GB of RAM and 512GB storage. There’s also an attractive 6.7-inch pOLED with a 165Hz refresh rate.

>Battery life isn’t a concern with the Edge Plus, as it can easily last more than a day. In our own tests, we found you’d be able to go to bed on day one with still 69% battery left. If you do kill the battery, there’s even an extremely fast 68W to help you get back up and running as quickly as possible.

Motorola has had a complicated history with Android updates, but the Edge Plus promises three full Android OS updates and four years of bi-monthly security patches. That’s not as nice as Google or Samsung, but it’s actually pretty solid for an Android phone maker.

Not everything is perfect. The camera system isn’t the best, the edge display is prone to accidental touches, and there’s no always-on display. Historically, Motorola is known for its cleaner takes on Android, yet this phone also has quite a bit of bloatware.

Despite its downsides, if you can look past the quirks, the Edge Plus is a great value, retailing for just $799.99 and often going on sale for even less. Especially in 2024.

Edge Plus (2023) specs:

nubia REDMAGIC 8 Pro

Since the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a new chipset, the REDMAGIC 8 Pro was among the first smartphones with it that you could feasibly purchase internationally. Of course, more phones with this chip have been sold since.

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 REDMAGIC 8 Pro’s modest pricing makes it a good option. The 12 GB/256 GB variant starts at $649 / €649 / £579. Of course, it can be had for cheaper now. But if you want something newer, you can also take a look at our list of the best gaming phones for more alternatives.

nubia REDMAGIC 8 Pro 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 top-tier flagship was done well, and you could pick up the 12GB/256GB variant in China for 6,499 Chinese yuan (~$960).

vivo X90 Pro Plus specs

Xiaomi 13 Ultra

Xiaomi makes some of the best value-for-money smartphones, and its value philosophy also extends onto its flagships. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra was an extremely powerful device at launch, powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 12-16GB of RAM.

The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is a beast in every other department. For starters, the camera was utterly amazing for its time, offering four 50MP cameras and a ToF 3D sensor. The 6.73-inch has a really nice QHD+ resolution, along with an LTPO AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.

While the battery is pretty average at 5,000mAh, but the phone does an outstanding job with charging. You can top it off at up to 90W, and even wireless charging speeds are pretty insane at 50W.

Of course, all of these goodies didn’t come cheap. The asking price was set at €1,499, but it was a fantastic device. Even now, it competes only with the best models out there.

Xiaomi 13 Ultra specs

Sony Xperia 1 V

The Sony Xperia 1 V was a highly respected device for multiple reasons. Sony has made a name for itself in the smartphone market, especially among content creators, and this was definitely one of the best Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones.

For starters, the device sports an impressive 4K display resolution, a rare feat among smartphones. The OLED panel measures 6.5 inches and has a 120Hz refresh rate. The cameras were great for the time, featuring a 48MP primary sensor and two 12MP additional cameras. It also came with a 5,000mAh battery that can be charged at up to 30W.

What truly made the Xperia 1 V special, though, was the addition of Sony’s photo and video shooting features, which it brought from its Sony mirrorless cameras. These capabilities include eye autofocus, manual controls, and more.

Sony Xperia 1 V specs

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 2024, 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.

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