Announced in April, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a high-end premium chipset from Qualcomm that offers excellent performance and efficiency. It features a high-performance octa-core CPU that operates at up to 3.2GHz and a capable Adreno 825 GPU, ensuring smooth graphics performance.
On the other hand, the Dimensity 8400 Ultra is a mid-range announced back in December 2024. It also features a capable CPU and GPU that operate at a higher speed than the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. However, there’s much more beneath the surface, which we will uncover in this detailed comparison. How do these two chipsets stack up against each other? Which offers the better performance and features? Let’s break it down.
Let’s begin with a spec sheet:
| Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 | Dimensity 8400 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | April 2025 | December 2024 |
| Manufacturing | 4nm (TSMC) | 4nm (TSMC) |
| CPU | 1 x 3.21 GHz — Cortex-X3 3 x 3 GHz — Cortex-A720 2 x 2.8 GHz — Cortex-A720 2 x 2.02 GHz — Cortex-A720 | 1 x 3.25 GHz — Cortex-A725 3 x 3 GHz — Cortex-A725 4 x 2.1 GHz — Cortex-A725 |
| GPU | Adreno 825 GPU Ray tracing support Snapdragon Elite Gaming features | Mali-G720 MP7 Ray tracing support MediaTek HyperEngine features |
| NPU | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU | MediaTek NPU 880 |
| Storage/Memory | UFS 4.0 LPDDR5x, up to 4.8GHz | UFS 4 + MCQ LPDDR5x, up tp 8533Mbps |
| Camera | Spectra triple 18-bit AI ISP Up to 320MP single camera Semantic segmentation support Up to 4K/60fps video recording | Imagiq 1080 ISP Up to 320MP single camera Semantic segmentation support Up to 4K/60fps video recording |
| Connectivity | Snapdragon 5G modem Download: 4.2Gbps Wi-Fi 7 (peak speed: 5.8Gbps) Bluetooth 6.0 | MediaTek 5G modem Peak speed: 5.17Gbps Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.4 |
Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Dimensity 8400 Ultra: Benchmark battle
Note: The following benchmark tests were conducted on the Redmi Turbo 4 Pro (powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4) and Poco X7 Pro (powered by MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra).
AnTuTu comparison
| SD 8s Gen 4 | D8400 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu score | 2,050,881 | 1,590,202 |
| CPU | 460,339 | 370,994 |
| GPU | 852,942 | 567,384 |
| Memory | 410,236 | 329,331 |
| UX | 327,364 | 322,493 |
In the AnTuTu benchmark comparison, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 clearly outperforms the Dimensity 8400 Ultra with a total score of 2,050,881 — roughly 29% higher than the 8400 Ultra’s 1,590,202. This advantage is consistent across every test category.
The Snapdragon chip delivers 24% better CPU performance (460,339 vs 370,994), making it more capable in handling demanding tasks and multitasking. Its GPU score is also significantly higher — 852,942 vs 567,384 — marking a 50% improvement in graphics performance. Additionally, the 8s Gen 4 leads in both memory (410,236 vs 329,331) and UX (327,364 vs 322,493), although the UX difference is marginal. Overall, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 stands out as the more powerful and well-rounded performer in synthetic benchmarks.
Geekbench comparison
| SD 8s Gen 4 | D8400 Ultra | |
| Single core | 2,041 | 1,579 |
| Multi core | 6,833 | 6,238 |
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 shows a decisive performance lead over the Dimensity 8400 Ultra. It scores 2,041 in the single-core test — about 29% higher than the Dimensity chip’s 1,579. This means improved responsiveness in tasks such as app launches, UI navigation, and light multitasking.
In multi-core performance, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 also maintains an edge with a score of 6,833, outperforming the Dimensity 8400 Ultra’s 6,238 by nearly 10%. This gives it an advantage in handling heavier workloads, such as multitasking and gaming. Overall, the Snapdragon chip proves to be stronger across the board in raw CPU power.
Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Dimensity 8400 Ultra: key differences that matter
Performance
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 and Dimensity 8400 Ultra utilize TSMC’s 4nm process node and the same ARMv9.2-A instruction set, but they have distinct CPU architectures. The 8s Gen 4 features one Cortex-X4 core and seven Cortex-A720 cores. In contrast, the Dimensity 8400 Ultra features all Cortex-A725 cores.
The Cortex-X4 is significantly more powerful than Cortex-A720 and is designed to handle demanding tasks. In contrast, the Cortex-A725 is better optimized for efficiency and sustained performance rather than peak speed. That’s why the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 achieves higher scores on benchmarks.
For graphics, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 features Adreno 825, while the Dimensity chip utilizes Mali-G720 MP7 GPU. While the latter has a slightly higher peak frequency, the Adreno 825 features higher shading units, total shaders, and FLOPS, which are crucial for gaming performance. The result is better GPU performance on the Snapdragon chip.
Both chips also feature NPUs with support for various LLMs, enabling on-device intelligence. The AI also works with the camera for fine-tuning images.
Camera
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 features a Spectra 18-bit Triple AI ISP with support for up to 320MP camera. With zero shutter lag, it supports up to 108MP single-camera or 36MP triple-camera setups. The chip also supports real-time semantic segmentation in photos and videos with up to 250 layers. Additionally, the chip offers a range of camera features, including AI-based auto-exposure, low-light capture, Truepic photo capture, Video super resolution, and Bokeh Engine.
The Dimensity 8400 Ultra has an Imagiq 1080 ISP with support for 320MP (maximum resolution). It can record HDR videos throughout the entire zoom range. The chip allows up to 4K video recording, similar to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.
Connectivity
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 has an integrated 5G modem with a maximum download speed of 4.2Gbps. On a Wi-Fi 7 connection, the maximum speed can reach up to 5.8Gbps.
The Dimensity 8400 Ultra has a slightly lower peak connection speed of 5.17 Gbps. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards are also slightly downgraded — Wi-Fi 6E (vs. Wi-Fi 7) and Bluetooth 5.4 (vs. 6.0).
Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Dimensity 8400 Ultra: Conclusion
In conclusion, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 emerges as the more powerful and versatile chipset when compared to the Dimensity 8400 Ultra. It dominates across all major benchmark categories — CPU, GPU, memory, and UX — and consistently delivers better scores in both AnTuTu and Geekbench tests. With its inclusion of a high-performance Cortex-X4 core and the capable Adreno 825 GPU, the 8s Gen 4 excels in demanding tasks, gaming, and multitasking scenarios.
While the Dimensity 8400 Ultra holds its ground with solid efficiency and slightly higher clock speeds, it ultimately prioritizes sustained performance over peak power.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 also excels in connectivity, AI capabilities, and imaging features, making it a better fit for users who want a truly premium smartphone experience without going full flagship.
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