Qualcomm Snapdragon processors with 5G support: Here’s the full list

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone, in all likelihood, you would want to hop onto the 5G bandwagon. With wide support for 5G on mobile networks across India, it makes sense to consider a 5G-ready smartphone to make the most of the high speed mobile data on offer. Right now, it doesn’t even cost anything extra to get a 5G mobile data plan; most basic plans from major operators offer 5G connectivity if you’re using a compatible smartphone or device to use it with.

Additionally, if you’re looking at an Android smartphone, you might want something with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Remember to take a look at the specifications of the smartphone you have in mind and check which processor powers the device, because only a select set of Snapdragon processors have a 5G-compatible cellular modem in the chipset that can be used to connect to a 5G network. 

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Here’s a quick and easy list of 5G-ready Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. Take a look and check if your Snapdragon-powered smartphone will work with 5G in India.

5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 series processors

Qualcomm’s flagship lineup of mobile processors is the Snapdragon 8 series, usually found in high-end smartphones. Flagship and premium devices in 2024 will likely have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processors, both of which are 5G enabled and support bands on major networks in India for 5G connectivity. A few phones powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor are the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, OnePlus 12, Xiaomi 14. The Snaprdragon 8 Gen 2 on the other hand, powers quite a few older flagships including the OnePlus 11 and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. 

However, even older processors in the Snapdragon 8 series are compatible with 5G networks thanks to having the right cellular modem in place. So even if you’re using a slightly older device with a Snapdragon 8 series processor, you’ll likely benefit from high-speed 5G connectivity.

Compatibility in the Snapdragon 8 series covers the previous generation Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chips, and goes all the way back to the Snapdragon 855 processor, and the various options in between. This means that even some smartphones with Snapdragon 8 series processors dating back to 2019 are likely to be 5G-ready today.

Here’s the full list of 5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 series processors:

1. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

2. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

3. Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1

4. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

5. Snapdragon 888+

6. Snapdragon 888

7. Snapdragon 865+

8. Snapdragon 865

9. Snapdragon 860

10. Snapdragon 855+

11. Snapdragon 855

5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 series processors

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 series of processors is a step below the flagship Snapdragon 8 series, but recent launches are 5G compatible nonetheless. However, there are fewer 5G compatible options here, since 5G compatibility was initially considered a premium feature reserved for the Snapdragon 8 series, while earlier mid-range devices were only LTE-ready.

While the relatively recent Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 and Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 are obvious entries on this list, you can also get 5G connectivity on some slightly older processors. However, not all of these older processors made it to a large number of smartphones, so compatibility will be somewhat limited for smartphones with the Snapdragon 7 series processors dating back to 2020.

Here’s the full list of 5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 series processors:

1. Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2

2. Snapdragon 7 Gen 1

3. Snapdragon 782G

4. Snapdragon 780G

5. Snapdragon 778G+

6. Snapdragon 778G

7. Snapdragon 768G

8. Snapdragon 765G

9. Snapdragon 765

10. Snapdragon 750G

5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 series processors

Qualcomm’s current lower mid-range processor lineup is the Snapdragon 6 series, which has just a handful of entries on the list with 5G compatibility. The most notable of these is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, but a couple of older devices in the Snapdragon 6 series also make the list. Devices with Snapdragon 6 series processors dating back to 2021 could thus have 5G connectivity.

Here’s the list of 5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 series processors:

1. Snapdragon 6 Gen 1

2. Snapdragon 695

3. Snapdragon 690

5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 series processors

The entry-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 series of processors power some of the most affordable smartphones available right now, but 5G support is limited to only a handful of processors dating back to devices launched since 2021.

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Here’s the list of 5G-compatible Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 series processors:

1. Snapdragon 4 Gen 2

2. Snapdragon 4 Gen 1

3. Snapdragon 480+

4. Snapdragon 480

Armed with this information, you now know if your phone is 5G-ready already. Also, if you are looking for a new phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, make sure it is powered by one of the above to reap benefits of 5G on the device.