Snapdragon 801 Processor
Overview
Product sourcing insights & recommendations
The Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974-AB/AC), originally the definitive flagship processor of 2014, has transitioned from a high-end mobile powerhouse to a prestigious legacy asset in 2026 AlibabaAlibaba. While no longer suitable for modern heavy apps or security-sensitive tasks, it maintains a unique market position due to its historical reliability and cultural resurgence AlibabaXdaforums.
1. Market Trends & Modern Utility (2026)
In today's market, the Snapdragon 801 serves three primary niche sectors:
* Retro-Tech & "Digital Detox": A growing trend among Millennials and Gen Z involves repurposing refurbished 801-powered devices (like the HTC One M8 or Sony Xperia Z3) as single-purpose tools (e.g., dedicated music players) to escape the constant notifications of modern smartphones Alibaba.
* High-Reliability Embedded Systems: Due to its proven thermal stability, the chip remains a staple in educational robotics and legacy industrial testing environments where modern AI processing is unnecessary Alibaba.
* Secondary Market Stability: On B2B platforms, the 801 has stabilized as a "high-value budget legacy asset," often preferred over modern ultra-budget plastic handsets for its superior historical build quality Alibaba.
2. Historical Significance: The "Mars" Brain
One of the most significant endorsements in technical history is the Snapdragon 801's role in NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter WikipediaAlibaba.
* Autonomous Flight: The chip provided critical autonomous flight calculations—processing sensor data 500 times per second—to maintain stability in the thin Martian atmosphere Alibaba.
* Proof of Concept: Its success proved that consumer-grade "off-the-shelf" technology could significantly outperform specialized, radiation-hardened space hardware in specific high-performance tasks Alibaba.
3. B2B Pricing & Sourcing (2026)
The Snapdragon 801 market now consists primarily of refurbished or "second-hand" inventory found on platforms like Alibaba.com Alibaba.
| Metric | 2026 B2B Insights |
|---|---|
| Wholesale Price Range | $50 to $89 USD per unit for bulk refurbished flagship devices Alibaba. |
| IC Chip Pricing | Raw MSM8974AC chips can be sourced for approximately $3.00 USD in bulk for industrial repair or robotics Alibaba. |
| End of Life (EOL) | Official Qualcomm driver support has ended, notably concluding with Android 7.0 (Nougat) due to lack of Vulkan API support Alibaba. |
Final Insight: For B2B buyers in 2026, the Snapdragon 801 is a cost-effective legacy solution for specialized hardware needs where proven reliability and historical prestige are more critical than modern 5G connectivity or AI capabilities Alibaba.
Based on these historical and market insights, you may wish to:
Qualcomm Msm8974ac Processor Chips Wholesale
Products · 2 lists

CPU Ic Chip QCA9533-BL3A Qca9533 QFN for Wireless Router
Shenzhen Shiji Chaoyue Electronics Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN8 yrs
CPU IC Processor Chip SM8150-503-AC BGA Integrated Circuit Brand New China Origin 7-Day Lead Time in Stock
Shenzhen Xinsheng Pengye Technology Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN5 yrs
CPU ic chip QCA9533-BL3A qca9533 QFN for wireless router
Shenzhen Cxcw Electronic Co., Ltd.verified🇨🇳CN12 yrs
Low Price Electron Memorial Chip MSM8917 Mobile Phone CPU Processor IC BGA Chip

New original imported Computing ASIC chips BM1382 BM1384 BM1485 BM1387 BM1387B
Shenzhen Hanheng Technology Trading Co., Ltd.verified🇨🇳CN7 yrs
Brand New MSM7227A Mobile Phone CPU Processor Chip ICs Category
Shenzhen Xinli Development Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN8 yrs
Low price electron memorial chip MSM8917 mobile phone CPU processor IC BGA chip

New Original Processor chip S912XEP768J5MAGR LQFP-144 Support BOM Fast delivery

Low price electron memorial chip MSM8917 mobile phone CPU processor IC BGA chip
Shenzhen Junhao Yunxin Technology Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN1 yr
Low Price Electron Memorial Chip MSM8917 Mobile Phone CPU Processor IC BGA Chip

STM32F767IGT6 Advanced Cortex-M7 Processor 1MB SRAM LQFP-176 MCU Chip for Industrial IoT & Smart Control Systems BOM Supporting
Shenzhen Lesters Technology Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN1 yr
Original S905X 905X BGA-368 Cortex-A53 4-core ARM Mali-450 MP3 1.5 GHz DDR3/4 LPDDR2/3 IC Chip
Shenzhen Innovo Technology Co., Limited🇨🇳CN8 yrs
STM32F769IIT6G LQFP-176 STM32H745IGT6| ST MCU chip

Original IC Stock Integrated Circuits MSP430F149IPMRG4 QFP-64 MCU MICROCHIP IC Chip MSP430F149 MSP430F149
Shenzhen Nine Lucky Star Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN1 yr
New Integrated Circuits IC Chips Singlechip Electronic Parts QUALCOMMCPU BOM List
Shenzhen Jealon Micro Technology Co., Ltd.verified🇨🇳CN3 yrs
IC Chip MSM8917 Mobile IC CPU Memory original stock
Wuhan Amsemi Tech Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN10 yrs
SDM660 301-AA Microprocessor Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU GPU Controller Integrated IC Chip
Shenzhen Keyongbang Electronic Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN4 yrs
New and Original IC CHIPS SM8954AC40QP for Wholesales
Shenzhen Shenyixin Electronic Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN8 yrs
original MSM8940 Integrated circuits IC CPU cellphone chip MSM-8940-3-727NSP-TR-00-0-AA in stock
Shenzhen Gihe Electronics Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN5 yrs
ORIGINAL IC CHIP NJM12904R-TE1 NJM12904R NJM12904 MSOP8
Shenzhen Xiongxin Ruida Electronics Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN5 yrs
Phone Processor Chip IC MSM8996
Shenzhen Shengye Xincheng Technology Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN1 yr
Imported Chips STM32F100C8T6B STM32F071CBT6 Microcontroller Package: QFP48
Shenzhen Huayang Sheng Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN1 yr
MSM8974-1AB BGA IC Chip New in Stock Electronic Components
Shenzhen Yiluda Technology Co., Ltd.🇨🇳CN1 yr
MSM8974-1AB BGA IC Chip New in Stock Electronic Components
Related Searches
Explore more sourcing topics & related categories
Sources & References
23 sources cited · Verified industry data & reports
Qualcomm Snapdragon - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
The debut of Apple's 64-bit A7 chip in the iPhone 5S forced Qualcomm to rush out a competing 64-bit solution, despite the capable performance of the Snapdragon 800/801/805, since their existing Krait cores were only 32-bit. The first 64-bit SoCs, the Snapdragon 808 and 810, were rushed to market and released in 2014 using Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 cores. They suffered from overheating problems and throttling, particularly the 810, which led to Samsung ditching Snapdragon for its Galaxy S6 flagship phone. The entry-level 200 series was expanded with six new processors using 28 nanometer manufacturing and dual or quad-core options in June 2013. NASA's Ingenuity helicopter, which landed on Mars in 2021, has a Snapdragon 801 processor integrated onboard. By November 2008, 15 device manufacturers had embed Snapdragon chips in their consumer electronics products. In November 2008, a techdemo processor and netbook was showcased. The processor consumed less power than the contemporary Intel Atom Z500. The netbook used 1.5 GHz processors and was intended for developing markets. By 2011 Snapdragon was embedded in Hewlett Packard's WebOS devices and had a 50% market share of a $7.9 billion smartphone processor market. In mid-2012 Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon software development kit (SDK) for Android devices at the Uplinq developer conference.It also collaborated with Microsoft to optimize Windows Phone 8 for Snapdragon semiconductors. As of July 2014, the market share of Android phones had grown to 84.6 percent, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips powered 41% of smartphones.
History of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series: World-class Android ...
www.androidauthority.com
The Snapdragon 801 is an incremental upgrade over the Snapdragon 800, featuring slightly faster CPU and GPU clock speeds and improved endurance. Otherwise, they’re both 32-bit chips with quad-core Krait 400 CPU designs and Adreno 330 graphics. Qualcomm’s first Snapdragon 800 processors also offered support for Quick Charge 2.0, LPDDR3 RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, and 2K screens. Qualcomm followed up the Snapdragon 600 with the first Snapdragon 800 processors in its history. We got the Snapdragon 800 chipset in early 2013 and the Snapdragon 801 in early 2014. The Snapdragon 810 shared plenty in common with the Snapdragon 800/801, such as Quick Charge 2.0, 4K display support, UFS storage, Bluetooth 4.1, and 55MP camera capabilities. On the one hand, this means the device is ready for 5G when it comes to your market — provided it has other 5G components too. On the other hand, you’re paying a premium for mandatory 5G components even if you’re happy with 4G. In any event, the Snapdragon 865 offers a similar triple power domain CPU arrangement as the 855 series. So, that means four Cortex-A77 cores — one prime core and three medium cores — and four Cortex-A55 cores for efficiency. We’ve also got the Adreno 650 GPU, which continues the trend of being a top-notch performer for advanced gaming.
List of Qualcomm Snapdragon systems on chips - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
"Qualcomm Snapdragon 801: Performance Previewed". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved March 9, 2026. The APQ prefix stands for Application Processor Qualcomm [...] MSM (Mobile Station Modem) [...] APQ simply means no modem, while MSM means that some form of modem is included [...] The second numeral is zero in the APQ SKU, while that digit is a nine in the MSM SKU. 1 2 "Snapdragon 800 Processor". Qualcomm. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2015. 1 2 3 4 "Snapdragon 801 Processor". Qualcomm. Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. 1 2 "The Snapdragon 801 Processor Is a Smooth Step Up from the Snapdragon 800 Processor". Qualcomm. February 23, 2014. Archived from the original on March 16, 2014. 1 2 "Snapdragon 412 and 212 processors announced". Qualcomm. July 28, 2015. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2016. ↑ "Qualcomm 215 Mobile Platform". Qualcomm. Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020. ↑ "New Qualcomm 215 Mobile Platform Raises the Bar for Mass Market Devices". 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Snapdragon 400 Processor". Qualcomm. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016. ↑ "Qualcomm Technologies Introduces Snapdragon 410 Chipset with Integrated 4G LTE World Mode for High-Volume Smartphones". December 9, 2013. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013. ↑ "SMIC achieves a historic manufacturing milestone".
Snapdragon 801 devices buying guide for B2B buyers
electronics.alibaba.com
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, launched in early 2014, has transitioned from a flagship mobile processor to a significant artifact in technical history and a niche asset in the 2026 secondary market. The Snapdragon 801 processor is designed to support incredibly fast apps and web browsing, visually stunning graphics, breakthrough multimedia capabilities, ... Qualcomm Q1 FY 2026: Record Revenue, Memory ... ... Qualcomm Q1 FY 2026 shows record revenue and segment momentum; AI PCs and automotive offsetting handset headwinds from memory constraints. The Most Used Technology in the World Has Zero Marketing ... Market Verdict: While technologically obsolete for modern flagship AI applications, the Snapdragon 801 remains a high-value chip for retro-tech collectors, educational robotics, and high-reliability embedded systems due to its proven thermal stability and historical prestige. Reddit Refurbished units and "legacy stock" smartphones utilizing these chips are available in the wholesale market, typically ranging from $55 to $89 per unit for bulk orders. The following devices represent the core Snapdragon 801 market, currently available through secondary wholesale channels for specialized retro-tech retail or industrial testing applications:
Snapdragon 801 Price Guide for Refurbished Devices
electronics.alibaba.com
The Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974-AB/AC), once the definitive flagship processor of 2014, has transitioned from a high-end mobile powerhouse to a legacy component primarily found in the used and refurbished markets as of 2026. Based on the Snapdragon 801's legacy, would you like to: ✨Find wholesale suppliers for modern budget Snapdragon processors?✨Compare current entry-level 5G smartphones under $100?✨Research the resale market for iconic devices like the OnePlus One? However, in the broader consumer market, it has been entirely superseded by modern budget chips (like the Snapdragon 4 or 6 series) which offer 5G connectivity and superior efficiency at similar price points. LaptopmediaPcmag · * Speed Bump Strategy: The 801 was a refined version of the Snapdragon 800, offering a ~14% boost in CPU and 28% faster graphics (Adreno 330) at its launch. The 801 is slightly faster in both CPU and GPU and has a better Image Signal Processor (ISP), which helps phone cameras perform better. The ... ... The 801 is Qualcomm's best SoC in the past two years. We all know the 615 and 810 have their own problems, and the 805 (at least according to what I've read on ... Snapdragon 801 Processor Overview | PDF | Computers
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC SoC - Notebookcheck Tech
www.notebookcheck.net
Thanks to a clock rate of up to 2.45 GHz and a high performance per MHz somewhere between an ARM Cortex-A9 and a Cortex-A15, the Snapdragon 801 offers very strong CPU performance. The S801 competes with the Nvidia Tegra 4, Samsung Exynos 5420 and Apple A7 and is therefore one of the fastest ARM SoCs on the market in the beginning of 2014 (till the Snapdragon 805 arrives). It is built at TSMC in a 28nm HPM (High Performance Mobile) HKMG process and includes 4 Krait 400 cores at up to 2.45 GHz and a Adreno 330 at up to 578 MHz. Compared to the Snapdragon 800 chips like the MS8974AB, the 801 offers a higher clock rate for GPU and CPU and support for eMMC 5.0. Processor The CPU portion is based on Qualcomm's Krait architecture, which is compatible with the ARMv7 ISA. > Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Benchmarks / Tech > Notebook Processors > Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC SoC A fast SoC, a high-resolution screen, plenty of storage, and high-speed LTE speak for themselves. However, the manufacturer did not manage to fulfill all the expectations that the technical specifications promise.Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC, Adreno 330, 5.5", 164 g
