Qualcomm reportedly testing Snapdragon 880 Pro — and it’s coming this year

Snapdragon 888
(Image credit: Qualcomm)

Even though it seems like we just got the Snapdragon 888 system-on-chip, Qualcomm is seemingly planning a mid-cycle refresh. The massive company's Snapdragon 888 Pro looks to offer some minor upgrades over the regular 888.

Leaker Digital Chat Station let slip the news, also claiming that flagship phones will be using the 888 Pro later this year, as you might expect. Testing has already started for the new chip, allegedly.

As far as we know, the Snapdragon 888 Pro will not feature an upgrade to the GPU. That said, the primary core, the Cortex-X1, will be overclocked to give the new one an edge over the regular 888. In all, the 888 Pro looks like it'll continue Qualcomm's bi-annual chipset releases.

snapdragon 888 pro

(Image credit: Digital Chat Station)

If we had to venture a guess, we'd say that the OnePlus 9T will use the Snapdragon 888 Pro. If the Galaxy Note stays alive, we'd also hazard a guess and say that the Galaxy Note 21 will use the new chip. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 could be powered by the Snapdragon 888 Pro, but with a rumored summer release date that may be too soon. 

There's still a gap between Qualcomm's best silicon compared to Apple's A14 Bionic, so the 888 Pro might stand to catch up. However, it's extremely likely the iPhone 13 will use the A15 Bionic, which might extend the A series' lead over the Snapdragon 8XX line up.

In testing and real-world use, we doubt the Snapdragon 888 Pro will offer more than its predecessor, especially since the secondary cores and GPU will probably remain at their current clock speeds. Most consumers will not likely notice the difference, especially when side-by-side with a phone using the regular 888. 

Qualcomm has come a long way in the recent years, notably from the Snapdragon 810 days. The company produces the best performing chipsets you can get in an Android phone. The Snapdragon 888 is an impressive SoC, and the Pro stands to make the slightest bit better. 

TOPICS
Jordan Palmer
Phones Editor

Jordan is the Phones Editor for Tom's Guide, covering all things phone-related. He's written about phones for over six years and plans to continue for a long while to come. He loves nothing more than relaxing in his home with a book, game, or his latest personal writing project. Jordan likes finding new things to dive into, from books and games to new mechanical keyboard switches and fun keycap sets. Outside of work, you can find him poring over open-source software and his studies.

Read more
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 CPU spec looks very different to S25
CAD renders of the Google Pixel 10
Google Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 chipset could be very different — here’s what we know
CAD renderings of the Google Pixel 10 Pro
Latest Google Pixel 10 leak could make you want to skip it altogether
Snapdragon X Elite
I’m hyped for Snapdragon X2, but it must outmuscle Intel and AMD — 5 ways to do so
Dell XPS 13 laptops side by side showing Snapdragon vs Intel Geekbench scores
I just saw how Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series outperforms Intel CPUs — and I’m blown away by the difference
Xiaomi Mix Flip
Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 hardware upgrades just leaked — and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 should take notes
Latest in Phones
Render of the alleged design of the iPhone 17 Pro
New iPhone 17 Pro dummy leak highlights redesigned camera and part glass body
Pixel 9 Pro XL held in the hand with price drop badge.
Not a typo! This epic deal makes the flagship Pixel 9 Pro XL the same price as the budget Pixel 9a
huawei pura x
This might be the most unique foldable phone design — and it's not from Samsung
Google Pixel 9a hands-on.
Pixel 9a’s on-device AI isn’t as good as the Pixel 9 — here’s what’s different
Google Pixel 9 Pro deal
Forget Pixel 9a — get the Google Pixel 9 Pro for $250 off at Best Buy right now
Siri in iOS 18 on iPhone
Users complain that Siri can’t answer even the most basic questions — here’s what we know
Latest in News
Apple Peek Performance
Apple makes a move to revive its Siri revamp — and the Vision Pro boss could play a part
NYTimes Connections
NYT Connections today hints and answers — Friday, March 21 (#649)
Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2
Deleted image reveals Steam games in the Xbox app — here's what it could mean
Severance season 2 finale
How to watch 'Severance' finale online – stream final episode of season 2 tonight
Render of the alleged design of the iPhone 17 Pro
New iPhone 17 Pro dummy leak highlights redesigned camera and part glass body
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 just tipped for three display upgrades — here's what we know