Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite, a new high-end processor boasting significant enhancements in its Oryon cores, GPU, and NPU. Showcased at the Snapdragon Summit, the processor excels in benchmarks, achieving over 3000 points in single-core and 10000 points in multi-core performance, rivaling Apple’s top chips. The Snapdragon 8 Elite also showcases impressive results in GPU and NPU tests. However, real-world performance may vary due to software overlays and hardware limitations in commercial smartphones.
Qualcomm has once again raised the bar with its latest high-performance processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. This new chip boasts impressive capabilities thanks to its advanced Oryon cores, along with several upgrades to its GPU and NPU. But what do the benchmarks reveal? Let’s take a closer look.
During the Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the latest in its line of processors designed for Android smartphones. This chip is built on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 architecture, which combines multiple components such as the CPU, GPU, DSP, ISP, NPU, and modem into a single System on Chip (SoC). Notably, it features the latest Oryon cores, specifically engineered for mobile devices.
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The Oryon cores in the Snapdragon 8 Elite are the second generation of this technology, designed exclusively for smartphones. Qualcomm emphasizes that these cores are engineered for reduced power consumption, which enhances daily battery life, while also delivering outstanding performance—capable of speeds exceeding 4 GHz for the highest-performing cores. However, the real-world implications of this performance need to be examined.
The CPU Performance of Snapdragon 8 Elite
In our evaluation using a test platform provided by Qualcomm, the benchmarks were impressive across the board. Currently, no other smartphone platform can match this level of performance. The Snapdragon 8 Elite achieved over 3000 points in Geekbench for single-core performance, rivaling the A18 Pro of the iPhone 16 Pro, and exceeded 10,000 points in multi-core testing. The only competitors surpassing this are the Apple M2 and M4 Pro found in iPad devices. Additionally, it scored over 3 million points in Antutu, a feat that no other Android or iOS/iPadOS platform has managed.
On the graphics front, the Snapdragon 8 Elite made significant strides, showing enhanced performance in 3DMark and GFXBench. Only a few GPUs, including the Apple M2 and M4 Pro along with the impressive MediaTek Dimensity 9300+, can match its scores. In terms of NPU capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Elite also excelled in AITutu, exceeding 2 million points, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 reached only 1.5 million points, indicating a substantial improvement.
Here are some key specifications from the test platform’s datasheet:
It’s important to note that these results were obtained on development platforms rather than final commercial products. The actual performance of retail devices could vary due to additional overlays, applications, and optimizations implemented by manufacturers and carriers, which can affect overall processor performance. Additionally, smartphones presently do not utilize 24 GB of RAM as seen in testing, including models like the Asus ROG Phone. Thus, it remains to be seen how these factors will influence the impressive performance demonstrated in testing.