A report by Counterpoint Research last month revealed that memory prices have jumped between 80% and 90% since the first quarter of 2026, compared with the end of last year. This includes everything from DRAM to NAND and even HBM, all of which are now sitting at record highs.

And guess what? All of these costs will eventually be passed down to consumers. According to industry tipster Digital Chat Station (DCS), the combined cost of 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB UFS 4.1 storage has now surpassed the price of a flagship processor like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

For years, chipsets have been the most expensive component in a high-end phone. Now, memory and storage are catching up, if not overtaking them.

There’s also no clear sign of relief. According to DCS, the same memory-and-storage configuration is expected to exceed 2,300 yuan by the second quarter. This will add even more pressure on manufacturers already operating on tight margins.

In fact, Meizu has reportedly paused its in-house hardware development for new phones and is exploring partnerships instead. Meanwhile, companies across the board have begun adjusting prices. OnePlus and Oppo, for example, have recently increased smartphone prices in China.

For consumers, this means higher prices are becoming harder to avoid, even outside the premium segment. Both budget and mid-range phones are now being pulled into the same cost pressures.

The only positive

The one silver lining, according to Digital Chat Station, is that newer phones are at least getting more capable hardware. As component costs rise, manufacturers appear to be compensating by upgrading specifications. delivering the hardware users expect and, in some cases, adding new features along the way.

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(Source)

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Samsung’s Exynos chipsets have historically been less powerful than Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets. The latter has always dominated key aspects, including CPU, GPU, and connectivity. However, the newly-released Exynos 2600 narrows the gap significantly. In fact, it outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 on several benchmarks.

In this detailed comparison, we’ll make sense of the benchmark scores and dive into the key differences to understand how the Exynos 2600 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 stack up against each other.

Let’s begin with a quick look at the spec sheet:

Exynos 2600 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Benchmark scores

Since the Galaxy S26 trio has yet to reach Gizmochina’s house, we used NL Tech’s benchmark data. The Galaxy S26+ (Exynos 2600) and Galaxy S26 Ultra (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) were used in the testing.

Geekbench score (v6)

On Geekbench, the Exynos 2600 posts lower scores than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. In the single-core test, the Snapdragon gets about 18% higher score, while the difference in multi-core scores is just 4%.

AnTuTu score (v11)

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 shines on AnTuTu too, posting a total score close to 3.4 million (vs. 2.66 million on Exynos 2600). That 27% uplift in total score for the Snapdragon chip is also reflected in the CPU and GPU scores.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 also achieves a significantly higher score in the memory test, while the Exynos 2600 scores 3% higher in the user experience test.

3DMark score

Wild Life Extreme Stress Test

Benchmark results from the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test show that the Exynos 2600 performs on par with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. There isn’t a big gap in stability either.

Solar Bay Extreme Stress Test

The Exynos 2600 surprisingly outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the Solar Bay Extreme Stress Test, which means that the latest phones have excellent ray tracing performance.

Now that we’re aware of the benchmark data, let’s dig further into the key differences to get a clearer picture.

Exynos 2600 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Key differences

The Exynos 2600 was announced in December 2025 as the world’s first smartphone chipset to use a 2nm process. The chip has been built by Samsung, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has been built by TSMC using its 3nm node.

CPU, GPU, and NPU

The Exynos 2600 features a 10-core CPU, which includes one C1-Ultra prime core and nine C1-Pro high-performance cores. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 uses a custom-designed Oryon CPU, featuring two Oryon prime cores (third-gen) and six Oryon performance cores (third-gen).;

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 benefits from a higher peak CPU speed, which is one of the reasons it scored higher in the single-core test on Geekbench. For graphics-intensive tasks, the Exynos 2600 relies on the Xclipse 960 GPU, while the Snapdragon chip uses the Adreno 840 GPU.

Both chipsets have highly capable GPUs with strong ray tracing capabilities. However, the Exynos 2600 may have an edge, as seen in 3DMark tests.

The Exynos 2600 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 feature advanced NPUs optimized for on-device generative AI. They also use AI to optimize connectivity, camera, and many other aspects.

Camera

The Exynos 2600 introduces an AI-powered Visual Perception System (VPS), which integrates with the ISP for real-time scene analysis, object recognition, and noise reduction. This enables ultra-high-res processing at 60fps with over 50% better power efficiency than the Exynos 2500.

The Exynos chip features Deep Learning Video Noise Reduction (DVNR) for noise reduction in low-light conditions and supports hybrid OIS + AI-EIS for better stabilization.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 offers 20-bit triple AI-ISPs, delivering 4x dynamic range, real-time semantic segmentation with up to 250 layers, and direct NPU access to raw sensor data for on-device AI processing. Additionally, the chip offers a range of features to further improve the camera output, including object eraser, skin/sky tone enhancements, Night Vision 3.0, video object eraser, and Snapdragon Audio Sense.

Connectivity

The Exynos 2600 features a redesigned connectivity setup with an external modem (Exynos Modem 5410), offloading cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth from the main 2nm die to improve the thermal efficiency and space for CPU/GPU.

The Exynos chip supports a higher peak download speed of 14.79Gbps (vs. 12.5Gbps) and a higher peak upload speed of 4.9Gbps (vs. 3.7Gbps) on a cellular connection compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

The Snapdragon chip features an integrated Snapdragon X85 5G modem with FastConnect 7900 for robust connectivity. Wi-Fi 7 supports a peak speed of 5.8Gbps. Furthermore, the chip includes AI-powered optimizations for traffic prioritization, seamless Wi-Fi/cellular switching, and enhanced satellite support.

Exynos 2600 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Which is a better choice?

Since we haven’t yet tested an Exynos 2600-powered Samsung phone, it’s difficult to say whether it’s the same story this year or if the Exynos 2600 completely outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. However, based on the benchmark data and spec sheet, the Exynos 2600 appears to be significantly better than its predecessor, particularly in gaming performance.

The Exynos chip also introduces major camera upgrades, including Deep Learning Video Noise Reduction. It now features a redesigned connectivity system with an external modem, which claims to improve thermal efficiency.

That said, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 still delivers strong CPU performance and features a mature ISP with excellent imaging capabilities. Its robust connectivity system with better carrier support also makes a notable difference.

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Qualcomm’s next push into high-performance Windows laptops is starting to show up in benchmarks, and the early numbers look promising.

The upcoming Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-96-100) has finally appeared in a leaked Geekbench listing tied to an Asus Zenbook A16 configuration with 48GB of RAM. While the chip was announced earlier and even shown in a few prototype devices at CES 2026, this is one of the first independent benchmark entries to surface publicly.

In Geekbench 6.6.0, the processor reportedly scored 4,033 in single-core and 23,198 in multi-core tests. Those results put it in interesting territory.

On the single-core side, the chip appears to edge past Apple’s Apple M4 Max, which typically lands somewhere around the high-3,800 to low-3,900 range in the same benchmark. Multi-core performance still favors Apple, though, with the M4 Max hovering closer to 25,700.

Compared with current Windows-focused competitors, the results look significantly stronger. AMD’s top Strix Halo configurations generally score around 2,900 single-core and 18,000 multi-core, while Intel’s Core Ultra X9 388H Panther Lake part sits roughly in the 3,000 / 17,800 range. If the numbers hold up, Qualcomm’s new chip would represent a clear step forward for Windows-on-Arm performance.

Graphics performance also appears to have taken a notable leap. The integrated Adreno X2-90 GPU — listed with 16 compute units — achieved 44,786 points in Geekbench’s OpenCL test. That’s almost double what earlier Snapdragon X Elite graphics managed in similar benchmarks.

The Snapdragon X2 Elite lineup is expected to feature Qualcomm’s updated Oryon CPU architecture, with an 18-core design and boost clocks reportedly reaching up to 5.0 GHz on prime cores. The chip also includes an 80 TOPS NPU aimed at accelerating AI workloads.

The leak gives an early glimpse of Qualcomm’s ambitions. The company has spent the past few years positioning Snapdragon chips as a serious alternative to traditional laptop processors, promising much improved power efficiency and battery life.

If production laptops deliver results close to these numbers, the Snapdragon X2 Elite could end up being Qualcomm’s strongest attempt yet at challenging both Apple Silicon and the latest x86 processors.

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(Sources: 1, 2 | Image: Qualcomm)

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At MWC 2026, Qualcomm introduced the Snapdragon Wear Elite platform, signalling a fresh push into premium wearable silicon. The new chip is aimed at upcoming Wear OS smartwatches, including future Galaxy Watch models, while also expanding into AI-driven wearable devices. It marks a clear shift in Qualcomm’s wearable strategy toward stronger performance and deeper on-device intelligence.

Snapdragon Wear Elite: A 3nm platform focused on performance and AI

The Snapdragon Wear Elite is built on a 3nm process and adopts a big.LITTLE architecture for the first time in Qualcomm’s wearable lineup. It features a single prime core clocked at 2.1GHz alongside four efficiency cores running at 1.95GHz. Compared to the earlier Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2, Qualcomm claims up to five times better single-core CPU performance, which should translate into faster app launches, smoother multitasking and quicker boot times.

Graphics performance also sees a notable jump, with the Adreno GPU delivering up to seven times higher peak frame rates and support for 1080p at 60fps. A dedicated Hexagon NPU enables on-device AI models with up to two billion parameters, supporting use cases such as real-time transcription, contextual recommendations, voice interaction and AI agents. An additional low-power AI engine handles always-on tasks like keyword detection and activity recognition without heavily impacting battery life.

Qualcomm says devices powered by Snapdragon Wear Elite can offer up to 30 percent longer usage compared to the previous generation. Fast charging support allows compatible watches with 300 to 600mAh batteries to reach 50 percent charge in around 10 minutes at 9V.

On connectivity, the chip integrates Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 6.0, UWB, GNSS, 5G RedCap and NB-NTN satellite support. Micro-power Wi-Fi enables lower energy consumption for continuous syncing, while UWB opens up secure unlock and proximity-based features. Qualcomm expects the first commercial devices running Snapdragon Wear Elite to arrive in the coming months, with partners including Google and Samsung onboard.

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Qualcomm had hinted that GDC 2026 could be an important moment for Windows-on-Arm gaming hardware. That’s no longer the case.

The company has confirmed it won’t be announcing any updates to its Snapdragon G Series gaming chips at this year’s Game Developers Conference, which runs from March 9 to 13 at Moscone Center in San Francisco. There also won’t be hands-on benchmarking sessions for the newer Snapdragon X platform revisions — the chips currently powering Windows-on-Arm PCs that some hoped would make a stronger push into gaming.

That clarification cools expectations that had been building since CES. Earlier in the year, Qualcomm had downplayed major handheld announcements but suggested GDC might be a better venue for gaming-focused updates. Naturally, that led many to expect performance demos, developer tools, or at least some clarity around OEM partnerships. None of that is happening — at least not this month.

For those following the space, this matters. The Snapdragon G Series (G1 Gen 2, G2 Gen 2, and G3 Gen 2) is Qualcomm’s dedicated push into handheld gaming silicon. On paper, these chips support QHD+ displays up to 144Hz, Wi-Fi 7, and Adreno GPUs tuned for portable gaming. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon X lineup — especially the “Elite” branded chips — have been positioned as powerful enough to handle both productivity and gaming in thin-and-light Windows devices. Together, they’ve fueled optimism about a possible Windows-based alternative to x86 handhelds.

That’s why GDC felt important. It would have been the ideal place to show real-world gaming benchmarks, highlight driver improvements, or announce partnerships with handheld makers. Even early developer toolkits would have signaled momentum. Instead, things remain quiet.

Windows-on-Arm gaming is at a delicate stage. There’s genuine potential, especially with the efficiency gains Qualcomm’s architecture can deliver. But the x86 gaming ecosystem is deeply entrenched, and expectations are high. Without concrete demos or measurable progress, enthusiasm can cool quickly.

For developers and enthusiasts attending GDC this year, Snapdragon-powered gaming hardware won’t be the headline some were anticipating.

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The “s” chips inside the Snapdragon 8-series have been popular for offering great performance at an affordable price, and the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is no different. It delivers a strong CPU performance with an all-big-core CPU design, a reliable Adreno GPU for smooth gaming, and a mature ISP.

The Dimensity 9300 Plus was announced a year before the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, featuring an even more powerful CPU with more large cores, a capable GPU, and competitive camera and connectivity capabilities. The real question is whether the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 truly outperforms the Dimensity 9300 Plus, or if the Dimensity 9300 Plus is too compelling to ignore? Let’s find out.

Let’s begin with the spec sheet:

Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Dimensity 9300 Plus: Benchmark score

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the POCO F7 (powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4) and the Vivo X200 FE (powered by the Dimensity 9300 Plus) 

Geekbench performance

Thanks to a more performance-focused CPU configuration, the Dimensity 9300 Plus pulls higher Geekbench scores. In the single-core test, it gets about a 5.6% higher score, while the multi-core score is up by 7.3%.

The difference isn’t significant. However, the Dimensity 9300 Plus would still benefit from peak performance. In regular everyday tasks like browsing the internet and scrolling through your social feeds, there shouldn’t be any performance difference, though.

AnTuTu performance

In the AnTuTu benchmark, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 outperforms the Dimensity 9300+ by 6% in total score. The latter still gets a slightly higher CPU score, but the Snapdragon chip makes a strong comeback in the GPU score, scoring 465K (vs. 455K on the Dimensity 9300+).

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 also benefits from better memory performance, while the Dimensity 9300+ achieves a higher score in the user experience (UX) test.

3DMark performance

3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test

The 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test further solidifies the point that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 offers better gaming performance. It gets about a 10% better high score, which represents the peak performance.

The gap widens significantly to 47% in the low-score test, indicating that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip doesn’t throttle as much as the Dimensity 9300+ during long gaming sessions. This results in much better stability on Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 devices.

Now that we know the benchmark scores, let’s examine the key differences to get a clearer picture.

Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Dimensity 9300 Plus: Key differences

CPU, GPU & NPU

The CPUs of Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 and Dimensity 9300 Plus comprise Cortex-X4 and Cortex-A720 cores. The Cortex-X4 offers higher performance, while the Cortex-A720 balances power and efficiency. Since the Dimensity 9300 Plus features more Cortex-X4 cores, it is able to achieve higher peak performance in CPU tests across benchmarks. The chip also benefits from a higher CPU clock speed.

Gaming performance has always been a major strength of Qualcomm chips, thanks to highly optimized Adreno GPUs, improved driver support, and excellent sustained performance. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 with Adreno 825 GPU achieves a much better score and stability on gaming benchmarks than the Dimensity 9300 Plus with Mali-G720 GPU.

For on-device AI intelligence, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 relies on Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU architecture. It brings generative AI capabilities and support for multimodal and multilingual AI assistants.

Qualcomm also uses AI to improve the camera output and deliver stronger connectivity. MediaTek also leverages its NPU 790 in these areas and supports a variety of popular LLMs, including Alibaba Qwen, Google Gemini nano, and Meta Llama 3.

Camera and imaging

Equipped with an 18-bit triple ISP, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 supports up to 320MP single camera and real-time semantic segmentation for photos and videos with up to 250 layers. Furthermore, the chip supports intelligent, real-time skin and sky tone correction and up to 4K video recording at 60fps.

The Dimensity 9300 Plus, on the other hand, features an 18-bit Imagiq 990 ISP with up to 320MP single camera, AI Semantic Analysis Video Engine with 16 categories of scene segmentation, and 8K video recording at 30fps. MediaTek highlights AI-videography and zero-latency video preview as key features.

Connectivity

The Snapdragon X75 5G modem on the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a sub-6GHz-only modem with a peak download speed of 4.2Gbps. Over a Wi-Fi 7 connection, the peak speed jumps to 5.8Gbps. The modem supports Bluetooth 6.0, Bluetooth Low Energy, and XPAN, enabling earbuds/headphones to stay connected via Wi-Fi for wider-range coverage.

The Dimensity 9300+ features an integrated 5G modem supporting both mmWave and sub-6 GHz. Furthermore, it offers higher download speeds over 5G and Wi-Fi connections, but doesn’t bring support for the latest Bluetooth standard.

Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Dimensity 9300 Plus: Which is a better choice?

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 features a more powerful Adreno 825 GPU, delivering a smooth gaming experience, even during longer sessions, with much less throttling. The positive aspects also include a high memory performance, an advanced Hexagon NPU, a mature 18-bit AI ISP, and Bluetooth 6.0 support.

The Dimensity 9300 Plus excels in peak CPU performance and supports 8K video recording. The integrated 5G modem supports both mmWave and sub-6GHz bands with faster download speeds. And the Imagiq 990 ISP features AI video enhancements and zero-latency preview.

In short, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a better choice for gaming, while the Dimensity 9300 Plus delivers higher peak CPU performance. For everyday usage, both chipsets offer a similar performance with no significant difference.

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The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 is positioned as an affordable version of the 7 Gen 4 chipset, while still offering excellent performance and efficiency. However, it’s not a clear upgrade over the 7 Gen 3. The latter still dominates some key aspects, such as connectivity, whereas the 7s Gen 4 leverages the newer CPU and newer GPU. So, the real question is: which one delivers the better value?

In this post, we’ll dive deep into benchmark figures and crucial differences to find out if the newer Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 can actually outperform the 2023’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 3.

Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 vs 7 Gen 3: Spec sheet

Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 vs 7 Gen 3: Benchmark scores

[Note: For the benchmark results, the tests were performed on the POCO M8 Pro (powered by Snapdragon 7s Gen 4) and OnePlus Nord CE 4 5G (powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 3).]

Geekbench performance

In the Geekbench test, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4-driven POCO M8 Pro pulls ahead with 1,231 points in the single-core test and 3,257 points in the multi-core test. In contrast, the OnePlus Nord CE 4, powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, achieves 1,154 and 3,018 points in the single-core and multi-core tests, respectively.

While the difference isn’t significant, devices powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 should see noticeable improvements in demanding tasks. However, in everyday tasks such as browsing the internet, scrolling through social media feeds, and watching videos, there shouldn’t be any noticeable performance gap.

AnTuTu performance

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 achieves a higher AnTuTu score, but the difference isn’t significant. The CPU score is also just above that of the 7 Gen 3 chip, posting a difference of just 2.8%. However, the 7 Gen 3 bounces back strongly in the GPU performance with a 21% higher score. We’ll tell you the reason in the following section.

As the benchmarks show, the newer Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 offers better CPU performance, but the 7 Gen 3 is still ahead in GPU performance. However, they don’t say anything about the camera’s performance or connectivity. So, let’s now look at the key differences to get a better picture.

Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 vs 7 Gen 3: Key differences that matter

CPU, GPU & NPU

Both Snapdragon chipsets use the same 1+3+4 core configuration, but the 7s Gen 4 features newer CPU cores that offer better performance and power efficiency. Plus, they run at higher speeds, further improving performance.

For gaming and graphics-related tasks, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 mainly relies on the Adreno 810 GPU, while the 7 Gen 3 features an Adreno 700-series GPU, the Adreno 720. Despite that, the latter is able to offer better GPU performance because it has a higher GPU frequency, more shading units, and faster computational capabilities.

Both chips feature Qualcomm Hexagon NPUs with a fused AI accelerator design. They can generate text, photos, and other content on-device. Plus, it helps with noise cancellation and improves the overall camera output.

Camera & Imaging

The camera specs are mostly the same, except that the 7 Gen 3 supports 4K video recording at 60 fps, while the 7s Gen 4 is limited to 30 fps. Note that the final output also depends on the camera sensor and OEM optimizations.

Connectivity

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 and 7 Gen 3 are identical in most connectivity areas, except that the 7 Gen 3 offers up to 5Gbps download speed over 5G, while the 7s Gen 4 peaks at 2.9Gbps. The rest of the connectivity specs are the same, as both offer sub-6GHz, mmWave 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth v5.4.

Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 vs 7 Gen 3: Which is a better choice?

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is a better choice, even though the 7s Gen 4 offers better CPU performance. That alone can’t justify the advantages provided by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, including a much better gaming performance, faster memory, and better video recording capabilities. The 7 Gen 3 also offers faster download speed over 5G.

If gaming isn’t your thing, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 might make more sense if you can get a device at a lower price than one powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3.

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Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 has been a popular choice among mid-range phones for offering excellent performance, power efficiency, and a reliable gaming experience. Its successor, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, takes everything a step ahead with notable advancements to CPU, GPU, and connectivity.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 will offer better performance, but the real question is: how big an upgrade is it? Is it just a new name with minor changes, or are there some serious upgrades? Let’s look at the benchmark scores and key differences to find out.

Here’s the spec sheet to begin with:

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs 7 Gen 3: Benchmark scores

[Note: For the benchmark results, the tests were performed on the Vivo T4 Pro (powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 4) and OnePlus Nord CE 4 5G (powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 3).]

Geekbench score

The Vivo T4 Pro, powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, has achieved 1,252 points in the single-core performance, which is about 8% higher than the 7 Gen 3. The gap widens in the multi-core performance, where the 7 Gen 4 leads with 20% higher score (3620 vs 3018).

Geekbench results suggest devices powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 will perform better than those powered by 7 Gen 3, especially in tasks that require multiple cores to work together.

AnTuTu score

In the AnTuTu benchmark, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 scores over 1 million, while the 7 Gen 3 scores 819K. That’s a 23% higher score for the newer chip, which also reflects in every single test on the platform.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 delivers 14% higher CPU and 26% higher GPU scores than the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. The memory and UX scores also favor the newer chip.

Benchmark scores suggest a notable performance boost for the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, but they don’t reveal improvements to the camera, connectivity, or other key areas. So, let’s discuss them in the following section.

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs 7 Gen 3: What are the upgrades?

CPU, GPU, and NPU

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 features an upgraded (1+4+3) core configuration, which replaces an efficiency core with a performance core. On top of this, the CPU uses a newer instruction set and newer cores, which offer better performance and power efficiency than the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3.

Additionally, the prime core in the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 runs at a higher frequency, further improving the chip’s performance. Qualcomm claims a 27% performance uplift in CPU over the 7 Gen 3.

For graphics rendering, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 relies on the Adreno 722 GPU, which brings higher capabilities than the 7 Gen 3’s Adreno 720 GPU. The newer chip also benefits from some additional gaming optimizations, such as Qualcomm Adaptive Performance Engine 4.0 and Snapdragon Adaptive Game Configuration. Qualcomm says the newer GPU does 30% faster rendering.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 also features an upgraded Hexagon NPU, which delivers 65% better AI performance. It’s also the first in the lineup to support Stable Diffusion 1.5, enabling real-time image generation in seconds. 

Camera and imaging

The camera specs are largely unchanged, but there are a few upgrades worth paying attention to. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is an AI ISP that enables AI-powered autofocus, auto white balance, and auto exposure.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is the first in the series to feature hardware-enabled electronic image stabilization (EIS) and adds real-time Video Super Resolution. Additionally, it significantly improves multi-frame noise reduction, resulting in clearer, crisper capture.

Connectivity

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 features more robust connectivity, thanks to an upgraded 5G modem that implements the latest 3GPP Release 17 standard. Unfortunately, though, the 7 Gen 4 features a lower peak download speed over 5G. On the plus side, it features twice the download speed over Wi-Fi as the 7 Gen 3.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 also benefits from Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 implementation. It’s the first chip in the series to feature Qualcomm Expanded Personal Area Network (XPAN) technology, which keeps earbuds connected over Wi-Fi ultra-clear, untethered audio.

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs 7 Gen 3: Which is a better choice?

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is a real upgrade rather than a new name slapped to minor improvements. It has a performance-focused CPU and a newer GPU with faster rendering and additional gaming-centric features. The upgraded NPU is faster and more capable.

The newer Snapdragon chip also features an AI-ISP with advanced camera capabilities like hardware-enabled electronic image stabilization (EIS) and real-time Video Super Resolution. It also offers more modern, robust connectivity features, such as Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and Qualcomm’s XPAN technology.

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is clearly the better choice here. But it will come with a higher price tag than 7 Gen 3-powered devices. In short, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 gives you an excellent value for money, whereas the newer 7 Gen 4 pushes for higher performance and modern features for a slightly higher price.

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The original Snapdragon 8 Elite was introduced in 2024 as the company’s first mobile chipset featuring an Oryon CPU, then came the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 next year as its successor, which was earlier supposed to launch as Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, but Qualcomm had a different plan.

A few weeks after the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2’s announcement, Qualcomm followed up with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 as an affordable flagship alternative for premium mid-range devices. While it appears to be a successor to Snapdragon 8 Elite, the latter actually delivers better performance. The inconsistent naming scheme from Qualcomm is confusing many people, so we’ve created this detailed post explaining how the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and Snapdragon 8 Elite stack up against each other.

Here’s the spec sheet for a quick overview:

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Elite: Benchmark numbers

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the iQOO 15 (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5), OnePlus 15R (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5), and OnePlus 13 (Snapdragon 8 Elite).

Geekbench performance

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, unsurprisingly, achieves the highest score in both single-core and multi-core tests (3649, 10682), followed by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which gets about 7% higher single-core score than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, while the multi-core scores for the two chips don’t have a big difference.

AnTuTu performance

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is far ahead of the other two, with a total score above 3.7 million. The Snapdragon 8 Elite almost touches the 3 million mark, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is just below it, scoring 2.96 million points.

3DMark performance

The result isn’t any different on 3DMark than AnTuTu and Geekbench. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 pulls off the best high score in the Wild Life Extreme test, followed by the Snapdragon 8 Elite and then the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

However, things get interesting when you look at low scores. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has the worst low score of 3,219. In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 scores 3,321 points, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite scores 4,155 points. This could mean a higher gaming stability on a Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered device than on devices powered by the other two chipsets. However, that also depends on the software tuning, gaming optimizations, and cooling solution of a device.

The benchmarks focus solely on performance and don’t address other important aspects, such as connectivity and camera capabilities. Let’s talk about them and other important stuff in the following section to get the complete picture.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Elite: Key differences

CPU, GPU, and NPU

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and 8 Gen 5 have been manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm (N3P) node, which offers slightly improved performance and efficiency over the N3E node used for the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

All three Qualcomm chips have the same 2+6 core configuration. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and 8 Gen 5 feature third-generation Oryon CPU, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite has a second-generation Oryon CPU. Despite a generation older CPU, the 8 Elite beats the 8 Gen 5 on benchmarks because its cores run at higher clock speeds.

As for graphics rendering, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 features the powerful Adreno 840 GPU with excellent ray tracing capabilities, along with a full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features to enhance the gaming experience further. In contrast, the 8 Gen 5 has an Adreno 829, and the 8 Elite has Adreno 830. Both GPUs support ray tracing and offer Snapdragon Elite Gaming features.

Now, coming to AI capabilities, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 features the largest and most capable NPU with agentic AI support. The NPU performance of the two other chips is nearly identical, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5’s official page mentions agentic AI support, whereas the Snapdragon 8 Elite doesn’t.

Camera and Imaging

The camera capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and 8 Gen 5 are nearly identical, except that the latest Elite chip features Advanced Professional Video (APV) codes for near-lossless, pro-grade capture and limitless real-time semantic segmentation. The Snapdragon 8 Elite features a lower-bit ISP, while the rest of its specs are mostly the same as those of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

Connectivity

While all three Qualcomm chips offer robust connectivity features, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 excels by delivering higher download and upload speeds over 5G. The rest of the connectivity specs are almost the same.

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Snapdragon’s latest flagship processor is a scorching performer in more ways than one. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset delivers blazing-fast performance for 2026’s Android flagships, but early tests show it also runs extremely hot. With great power comes great heat: some benchmark stress tests pushed this chip to a searing 56°C internally, which is far too hot to hold comfortably. While everyday tasks won’t reach such extremes, heavy gaming or rendering can turn your phone into a hand-warmer and even trigger emergency cooldown measures. Here’s what you need to know about the 8 Gen 5’s thermal issues and what they mean for you.

Blistering Temperatures in Stress Tests

A clear example comes from the Red Magic 11 Pro, a gaming phone built specifically for sustained performance. According to testing reported by Android Authority, the device shut down during a 3DMark stress test despite using an active cooling fan and a dedicated thermal system. This result shows that even phones designed for gaming struggle to control the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 under maximum load.

Standard flagship phones fare worse. In testing of the Nubia Z80 Ultra, reported by PhoneArena, surface temperatures exceeded 50°C, making the phone uncomfortable to hold. Without active cooling, the device was forced to reduce performance quickly to prevent further heat buildup. These results highlight how difficult it is for passive cooling systems to handle this chip during sustained workloads.

Big Performance Drops Under Load

Excess heat leads directly to thermal throttling. In GPU stress tests, some Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 devices saw performance drop by more than 50 percent from the start of the test to the end. In extreme scenarios, sustained heat forced the chip down to less than one third of its peak performance.

By the end of prolonged tests, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 was running slower than the previous generation flagship processor. While the chip excels at short bursts of speed, it struggles to maintain those levels without aggressive cooling. In long gaming or rendering sessions, older chips that generate less heat can sometimes deliver more consistent performance.

Gaming Phones Help, But Only to a Point

Gaming phones still handle the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 better than standard flagships. Larger vapor chambers, liquid cooling systems, and internal fans allow devices like the RedMagic 11 Pro to sustain performance for longer periods. However, testing confirms that even these phones can suffer shutdowns or severe throttling during extreme workloads.

This points to a wider issue across the industry. Cooling systems are struggling to keep up with the power demands of modern flagship processors. Raw performance gains are increasingly limited by how effectively heat can be removed from the chip.

Daily Use Is Mostly Fine

For most users, these thermal issues will rarely appear. Reports from long-term daily use show no noticeable overheating or throttling during common tasks. Web browsing, messaging, navigation, video streaming, and casual gaming do not push the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 close to its limits.

Heat problems mainly occur during sustained high-load scenarios. Extended gaming sessions, graphically demanding titles, emulation, and heavy rendering workloads are where performance drops become noticeable. Casual users will experience fast and smooth performance, while power users may see dips during long sessions.

Looking Ahead: Cooling Tech to the Rescue?

Thermal challenges like these have phone makers and chip designers looking for new solutions. Interestingly, Samsung has developed a “Heat Pass Block” (HPB) technology that could help tame hot chips in the future. HPB essentially adds a tiny heat-sink layer directly on top of the processor to dissipate heat more effectively. It first appeared in Samsung’s Exynos 2600, where it delivered about a 16% improvement in thermal resistance thanks to a copper layer that helps draw heat away from the silicon. Rumor has it Qualcomm might adopt this Heat Pass Block tech in the next Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 processor to help rein in temperatures. If true, that could allow next-gen phones to run cooler or at least sustain peak performance longer than the 8 Gen 5 does.

In the meantime, expect smartphone brands to get increasingly creative with cooling. We’re already seeing bigger vapor chambers in devices (Apple even added one in the iPhone 17 Pro for the first time), and some gaming phones include mini internal fans. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 shows that cooling is now as critical as raw performance. For everyday use, it remains a powerful and reliable chip. Under sustained workloads, however, heat management has become the defining challenge for flagship smartphones.

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(Sources: Android Authority, PhoneArena)

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Among the two rumored flavors, Qualcomm is expected to bring LPDDR6 RAM and a full-fledged GPU for only the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. A newly leaked block diagram now suggests the Pro chip may also have another exclusive feature: an HPB design. 

According to a leak from China, Qualcomm is expected to adopt Heat Pass Block (HPB) technology, the same cooling method used in Samsung’s Exynos 2600. Instead of relying on more traditional layouts, HPB places a dedicated heat-spreading layer directly on top of the chipset package. The goal is to move heat away from the silicon faster, before it becomes a performance bottleneck.

Qualcomm’s recent chips have aimed for extremely high peak frequencies, with rumors suggesting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could reach even 6GHz. Sustaining those speeds has been a challenge in the past, often forcing the chip to throttle down once temperatures rise. HPB is designed to reduce that problem by giving the processor more thermal headroom.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro to use Package-on-Package memory

The schematic leak also reveals other technical details. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro appears to use a Package-on-Package (PoP) design, where memory is stacked closely with the processor to save space.

The chip supports both LPDDR6 and LPDDR5X RAM along with UFS 5.0 storage using two high-bandwidth lanes.

Beyond raw performance, the chip may also focus on productivity features. The leak hints at multi-display support, which could enable desktop-style experiences when phones are connected to external monitors.

If true, the leak suggests Qualcomm is seriously rethinking how it handles heat in its most powerful chips. Adopting HPB could help the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro maintain high performance for longer periods, instead of briefly hitting impressive numbers before slowing down.

That said, it’s still unclear whether this cooling solution will be exclusive to the “Pro” variant. There’s no confirmation yet that the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 will receive the same treatment.

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(Source)

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Snapdragon X2 Elite PCs are still a few months away from reaching users’ hands. We know that Qualcomm is betting big on it, and new benchmark results for the X2 Elite suggest the company is close to closing performance gaps with Apple.

The numbers come from early testing of a pre-production Asus Zenbook shared by the YouTube channel Hardware Canucks. Asus allowed the outlet to run a set of CPU- and productivity-focused benchmarks on a machine powered by the Snapdragon X2 Elite.

To note, the laptop is running early firmware and drivers, and the silicon itself isn’t final. So, consider these results are just a snapshot of what the chip is capable of.

Even so, the results are interesting. Qualcomm’s newest chip was tested at 31W, which puts it just 5W higher than Apple’s M5, capped at 26W in these comparisons.

Apple is still leading in single-core performance 

Despite that relatively small power gap, the Snapdragon X2 Elite managed to outperform the M5 in three out of five benchmarks, while also pulling well ahead of the first-generation Snapdragon X Elite.

For instance, the X2 Elite performed extremely well in Blender and HandBrake, completing the tasks noticeably faster than Apple’s M5. However, Apple still leads in single-core performance.

In Cinebench 2024’s single-core test, the M5 scored 200 points, while the X2 Elite topped out at 146. Apple’s chip is roughly 37 percent faster in this specific scenario, even though Qualcomm’s new silicon shows a sizable jump over the original X Elite.

In the multi-core test, however, the Snapdragon X2 Elite posted a score of 1,432, beating the M5’s 1,153 and leaving the older Snapdragon X Elite far behind.

Beyond benchmarks, there’s a big unanswered question around battery life. The YouTuber didn’t share any runtime test results, so we’re left with the official claim of 43 percent better efficiency than its predecessor. Until commercial laptops arrive with finalized software, it’s hard to say how these performance gains will translate to everyday use.

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(Source)

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Qualcomm is said to be working on the next-generation Snapdragon 8-series chipsets. Reliable tipster Digital Chat Station has revealed that the brand is working on two variants with part numbers SM8950 and SM8975, which are tentatively dubbed Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Elite Gen 6 Pro, respectively. In a new Weibo post, the same source has revealed a few more details about the next-generation Snapdragon 8-series chips.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 to be support LPDDR6, carry expensive price tag

According to the tipster, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 (SM8950) and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro (SM8975) chips are said to be manufactured using TSMC’s advanced N2P process node, which indicates a move toward improved efficiency and higher performance capabilities compared to current-generation silicon.

Among the two, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is described as the more advanced variant, supporting LPDDR6 memory along with a fully enabled GPU configuration and a more complete cache setup. This suggests that Qualcomm could differentiate the two processors not only by performance but also by memory standards and graphics capabilities. The higher-end version is expected to carry a significantly higher cost due to the advanced hardware configuration.

A previous report suggests that the Pro variant will be designed to power Ultra-branded phones like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, Oppo Find X10 Ultra, Vivo X500 Ultra, and so on. This chip may hit 5GHz or 6GHz of max processing speed.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6

The leak also mentions that several prototype devices currently being tested are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chipset as a middle-tier flagship option, while there remains a small possibility that some models may shift to an N-1 generation chip identified as SM8850, which is nothing but last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This indicates that manufacturers may adopt a flexible approach depending on pricing and positioning.

In response to queries in the comments section of his Weibo post, the tipster added that sub-brand flagship devices are likely to receive the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro processor, hinting that premium offerings within subsidiary brands could adopt the highest-tier chipset. While the tipster did not specify the names of the phones, he could be talking about the likes of the Redmi K100 Pro Max, iQOO 16, Realme GT 9 Pro, and OnePlus 16.

Additionally, MediaTek is reportedly developing a single 2nm-based Dimensity 9600, internally expected to outperform Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6,valthough real-world testing will ultimately determine its standing.

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Announced in September 2025, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the company’s most powerful smartphone chipset until its successor arrives later this year. This flagship SoC already dominates some of the most popular benchmarks among all smartphone chipsets, and has been a strong choice for top-tier performance and excellent power efficiency.

Here, we’ll look at the benchmark scores of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 from some popular and reliable platforms, including AnTuTu, Geekbench, and 3DMark.

Note: To obtain the benchmark scores, the tests have been performed on the iQOO 15, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 AnTuTu score

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5-powered iQOO 15 achieves a total score of over 3.7 million on the AnTuTu benchmark (v11). The major contribution comes from the GPU, with a score of 1.4 million, while the CPU gets a little over a million. The memory and UX scores are also impressive at 435K and 827K, respectively.

While the iQOO 15 can’t reach the 4 million AnTuTu mark, the RedMagic 11 Pro, powered by the same chipset, does. This gaming smartphone unlocks the maximum performance of the device at the cost of high battery consumption, achieving an impressive 4,002,199 AnTuTu points.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Geekbench score

On Geekbench, the iQOO 15 (powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5) gets 3,649 points in the single-core test and 10,682 points in the multi-core test. These are solid Geekbench scores, which outperform MediaTek’s most powerful Dimensity 9500 chipset and, obviously, older Snapdragon chips with a big margin.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 3DMark score

The 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test shows results that are rather different from those of AnTuTu and Geekbench. Here, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5-powered iQOO 15 reaches a high score of 7,240 and a low score of 3,219. Surprisingly, the Vivo X300 Pro, powered by Dimensity 9500, gets better scores.

The OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 15R, which are powered by older Snapdragon 8-series chipsets, also obtains higher low-score than the iQOO 15. What surprises me the most is that the iQOO 15 has the lowest stability of 44.5% of among all the devices the list.

Note that a chipset alone isn’t entirely responsible for the performance, as other aspects like OEM’s implementation, software optimizations, and cooling mechanism also play important roles. The result would be different on a different device powered by the same Qualcomm/MediaTek chipset.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 spec sheet

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The Dimensity 9400 is a true flagship chipset from MediaTek, featuring an all-big-core CPU design that aims to deliver high peak and sustained performance. It’s powerful enough to rival Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, even if it trails in a few areas, as noted in our detailed comparison. That makes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 an interesting opponent.

Announced in November 2025, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 sits just below the Snapdragon 8 Elite and therefore is an exciting matchup against the Dimensity 9400. The big question is: can Qualcomm’s sub-Elite flagship hold its ground against MediaTek’s all-big-core powerhouse?

Let’s begin with the spec sheet:

Dimensity 9400 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Benchmark score

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the Vivo X200 Pro (powered by Dimensity 9400) and the OnePlus 15R (powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 5).

Geekbench score

The single-core scores are pretty close, but Qualcomm holds a slight 4.5% lead. The gap widens in multi-core performance, where the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 posts a 9% higher score than the Dimensity 9400.

Geekbench scores suggest higher peak performance for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. In everyday tasks like browsing the internet, scrolling through your social app feeds, and watching movies, you’d hardly be able to spot a difference.

AnTuTu score

On the AnTuTu benchmark, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 scores nearly 3 million, while the Dimensity 9400 reaches 2.7 million. That’s about a 9% higher score for the Snapdragon chip.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 consistently outperforms the Dimensity 9400 across every AnTuTu test, though the difference is not significant. The CPU score is 7% higher, and the GPU score is 5% higher. The memory and UX scores also favor the Snapdragon chip.

The benchmarks favor Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 over the Dimensity 9400 in terms of performance, but they don’t provide insights into the capabilities of connectivity, camera, and other important aspects of the chips. So, let’s dig further to uncover the real-world differences between the two high-end chips.

Dimensity 9400 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Key differences

Both Dimensity 9400 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 are manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process, but the latter uses the N3P node, which offers slightly better performance and power efficiency over the N3E node used for the Dimensity 9400.

Furthermore, the chips differ greatly in terms of CPU architecture. The Dimensity 9400 has a 1+3+4 layout, featuring one Cortex-X925 prime core, three Cortex-X4 performance cores, and four Cortex-A720 performance cores. In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features a 2+6 CPU layout with two Oryon prime cores and six Oryon performance cores.

Notably, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features third-generation Oryon cores, the same CPU cores from the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. They offer better performance and power efficiency than those inside the Dimensity 9400. Plus, they run at higher speeds, offering an additional performance boost.

For graphics rendering, the Dimensity 9400 relies on the Mali-G925 Immortalis MP12 GPU, while the Snapdragon chip uses the Adreno 829 GPU with the new Sliced architecture. Both chips offer ray tracing capabilities, along with their own set of gaming features: Snapdragon Elite Gaming on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and MediaTek HyperEngine Gaming Technology on the Dimensity 9400.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 also maintains an edge in imaging capabilities, as it borrows the triple 20-bit ISP from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with strong “always-sensing” camera support. The Dimensity 9400 features an Imagiq 1090 ISP with emphasis on HDR video across the zoom range and AI-assisted zoom features.

Both chipsets offer robust connectivity features, although the Snapdragon chip may have some advantage here, thanks to mature modem and better carrier-integration in some regions. Furthermore, the chip supports mmWave, UWB, and dual-way satellite connectivity, which are not mentioned on the official Dimensity 9400 page.

Dimensity 9400 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Conclusion

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 holds an upper hand in almost every aspect over the Dimensity 9400. It offers better CPU and GPU performance, a more powerful ISP with greater capabilities, and advanced connectivity features.

That said, the Dimensity 9400 is still a capable high-end chipset with strong performance and robust connectivity. Plus, you’ll likely get a device powered by this chip at a lower price than one powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. That makes it a sweet deal for those looking for a high-performance device at an affordable price. For the absolute best of the two, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is clearly the better choice.

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The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is a fairly new SoC positioned as an upper-mid-range chipset compared to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, which is an affordable-flagship chip announced in early 2024. Despite different market positioning, the phones powered by these two chips fall within a similar price range. In fact, some 7 Gen 4 phones cost much more.

So, the real question is: does it make sense to go for the newer Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 or a slightly older but still powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3? We’ll be looking at the spec sheet, benchmark scores, and other important aspects of this comparison to find out the answer.

Let’s begin with a spec sheet:

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs 8s Gen 3: Benchmark scores

[Note: For the benchmark results, the tests were performed on the Vivo T4 Pro (powered by Snapdragon 7 Gen 4) and Poco F6 (powered by Snapdragon 8s Gen 3).]

Geekbench score

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 comfortably outclasses the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 in the CPU test on Geekbench. It achieves a 54% higher score in the single-core performance test and about a 38% higher score in the multi-core performance test.

This should result in higher peak performance on a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3-powered device than on one powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. However, everyday tasks like browsing the internet, scrolling through social media apps, and watching videos perform smoothly on both chips. 

AnTuTu score

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 also dominates AnTuTu with a total score above 1.5 million, while the 7 Gen 4 achieves just about 1 million. That’s a 50% uplift for the 8s Gen 3.

The individual scores paint a better picture: a 27% higher CPU score and a 60% higher score for the 8s Gen 3. The memory and UX scores also favor Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 over the 7 Gen 4.

Benchmark scores alone don’t tell the complete story. They do not discuss other important aspects, such as the camera and connectivity. So, we’ll uncover the key differences in the following section.

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs 8s Gen 3: Key differences

The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 and 8s Gen 3 feature the same 1+4+3 core configuration, but their core selection differs. The 7 Gen 4 features one Cortex-A720 large core, four Cortex-A720 mid cores, and three Cortex-A520 small cores. In contrast, the 8s Gen 3 has a more powerful Cortex-X4 large core, four Cortex-A720 mid cores, and three Cortex-A520 small cores.

Not only does the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 feature higher-performance cores, but they also run at higher speeds. That’s the main reason it’s able to beat the 7 Gen 4 in benchmarks by a big margin.

The 8s Gen 3 also features a more powerful Adreno 735 GPU with more pipelines and higher compute throughput than the Adreno 722 GPU on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. Additionally, the 8s Gen 3 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which enhances the gaming experience with more accurate lighting, reflections, and shadows.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 also excels in imaging, featuring an 18-bit ISP compared to the 12-bit ISP on the other chip. Furthermore, the 8s Gen 3 supports semantic segmentation (up to 12 layers) and zero shutter lag at higher resolutions. Both chips support up to 4K video recording at 60fps, but when it comes to slow-motion recording, the differences become apparent. The 8s Gen 3 supports 1080p slow-motion recording at 240fps, while the 7 Gen 4 peaks at 120fps.

Both chipsets feature robust connectivity, though some differences remain. The 7 Gen 4 features a newer Bluetooth standard, while the 8s Gen 3 excels in peak download speed over a 5G connection. The peak Wi-Fi speed, however, remains unchanged.

Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 vs 7 Gen 4: Which is a better choice?

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is a no-brainer pick over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, featuring faster CPU and GPU with support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing. It also features a robust ISP with better slow-motion video recording and semantic segmentation support.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 also features robust connectivity, with a higher peak download speed over 5G. The 7 Gen 4 offers a newer Bluetooth standard, but that alone can’t make up for everything. Hence, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 remains a solid pick over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4.

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A report earlier this month suggested that Qualcomm is looking to work with Samsung Foundry for its next Snapdragon mobile processors. 

The speculation was largely tied to the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, with claims that some of Qualcomm’s next flagship chips could use Samsung’s manufacturing facilities.

However, a new report from Smart Chip Insider on Weibo says that Qualcomm will rely exclusively on TSMC for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 will be exclusively made by TSMC

For those unfamiliar, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is expected to come in two variants: a standard version and a Pro model. According to the tipster, both versions will be manufactured using TSMC’s N2P process, as is expected all along.

To back up the claim, the tipster points to a basic reality of chip development: designing and manufacturing an advanced mobile processor is not something companies can change on short notice.

The full development cycle—from IP design to a finished system-on-chip—typically takes around two years. As a result, it would be nearly impossible for a chip expected to be commercially available as early as the third quarter of this year to switch manufacturing processes or foundry partners at short notice. The reasoning makes sense if we think through it.

Still, this doesn’t mean Samsung is completely out of Qualcomm’s plans. During CES 2026, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon confirmed that discussions between Qualcomm and Samsung are ongoing. While he didn’t point to any specific product, his comments suggest that a collaboration could still happen down the line.

As always with early chip rumors, the full picture will not be clear until Qualcomm makes things official.

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Qualcomm is rumored to be preparing two versions of its next flagship smartphone chip. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 could include a standard and a higher-end Pro variant, with a new rumor now claiming the latter will have clock speeds close to a desktop processor. 

A post on Weibo from well-known tipster Fixed Focus Digital claims that early testing of Qualcomm’s upcoming chip has already hit clock speeds of 5GHz. The tipster goes further, suggesting the absolute ceiling could land somewhere between 5.5GHz and 6.0GHz, though they note that 5.5GHz is the more realistic target.

The jump in core speed is said to be made possible by the use of HBP (Heat Pass Block) technology, a thermal solution developed by Samsung for its Exynos 2600 chip. HBP integrates a heatsink directly into the chip package, allowing heat to dissipate more efficiently.

While the post doesn’t explicitly name the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, the details closely match what’s expected from Qualcomm’s next-generation flagship processor.

2nm fabrication also contributes to higher clock speed

For comparison, the current Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 tops out at around 4.61GHz on its performance cores, with slightly higher clocks rumored for select Galaxy-exclusive variants. Crossing the 5GHz threshold would be a notable milestone for mobile chips, even if those speeds are difficult to sustain in everyday use.

Another factor working in Qualcomm’s favor could be a move to TSMC’s newer 2nm N2P manufacturing process. It should naturally deliver improved efficiency alongside higher peak frequencies.

It’s also worth noting that Qualcomm is already comfortable marketing 5GHz-class silicon on the PC side, with chips like the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme. Bringing similar numbers to smartphones seems like the next logical step, even if the thermal realities of phones continue to keep those speeds in check.

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The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is a powerful high-end chipset from Qualcomm, featuring third-generation Oryon CPU, the same CPU from the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, but at a lower price. The chipset also integrates a capable Adreno GPU, advanced camera ISP, and robust connectivity, making it a well-rounded option.

On the other hand, the Dimensity 9500 is MediaTek’s most premium smartphone chip, featuring newer-gen C1-series cores. This chip offers serious performance and power efficiency. It would be exciting to see how the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 performs against the Dimensity 9500. So, let’s dive in.

Here’s the spec sheet to begin with:

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9500: Benchmark score

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the OnePlus 15R (powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) and the Vivo X300 Pro (powered by Dimensity 9500).

Geekbench score

The Dimensity 9500 comfortably outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 on Geekbench, with a 21% higher single-core score and an 8% higher multi-core score. This should result in better peak performance on Dimensity 9500-powered devices across tasks that require either a single CPU core or multiple cores.

AnTuTu score

AnTuTu scores tell a similar story, with the Dimensity 9500 getting about 22% higher score than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. The Dimensity chip continues to lead the CPU score, but the GPU makes a bigger impact here, with a massive 40% higher score. The memory score is more than twice that of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, while the user experience (UX) score just beats the Snapdragon chip.

Benchmark scores suggest a clear performance advantage for the Dimensity 9500 over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. However, that’s not the complete picture. They do not cover every aspect, such as connectivity, on-device AI, ISP, and more. So, let’s dig further to find out which one is actually the better chipset overall.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9500: Key differences that matter

CPU, GPU, & NPU

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 uses a 2+6 CPU configuration, featuring two Oryon prime cores and six Oryon performance cores. In contrast, the Dimensity 9500 features a 1+3+4 CPU configuration, with one Cortex C1-Ultra prime core, three Cortex C1-Premium performance cores, and four Cortex C1-Pro lower-power cores. The Dimensity chip has a higher peak speed, allowing it to achieve higher peak performance. We just saw that in benchmark scores.

For rendering graphics, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 primarily relies on the Adreno 829, leveraging the Qualcomm Sliced architecture and a full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features to deliver smooth gaming performance with lower latency and stable frame rates. In contrast, the Dimensity 9500s uses Mali-G1 Ultra MP12 GPU with support for MediaTek HyperEngine Gaming Technology and 120fps ray-traced mobile gaming.

Both chipsets feature capable NPUs (the Hexagon NPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and the MediaTek NPU 990 on the Dimensity 9500) with multimodal and agentic AI capabilities. The AI also helps optimize camera output, the gaming experience, and connectivity.

Camera, ISP, & connectivity

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 uses a 20-bit Spectra triple AI-ISP, while the Dimensity 9500 relies on the Imagiq 1190 ISP to convert raw data into usable photos and videos. Additionally, there are numerous features to improve the output quality. Furthermore, there are additional optimizations from the smartphone brand that could make a significant difference.

Both chipsets deliver robust connectivity features, including 5G support, Bluetooth 6.0 standard, and impressive peak download and upload speeds. However, Qualcomm may have an edge in some markets, such as North America, due to stronger carrier aggregation and more mature modem capabilities.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9500: Which is a better choice?

The Dimensity 9500 is the better choice overall. Its newer C1-series CPU cores, higher clock speeds, and stronger GPU output translate into superior benchmark scores and better peak performance, especially in demanding tasks and high-end gaming. The chip should also deliver better power efficiency.

However, if peak performance and longer gaming sessions are not your thing, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is actually a more sensible choice. It delivers robust connectivity, a mature ISP, and better computational photography. On top of everything, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 phones tend to be cheaper than phones powered by Dimensity 9500.

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The Dimensity 9500s is a powerful high-end smartphone chipset, promising strong performance and solid power efficiency. That, paired with an upgraded NPU supporting agentic AI and a fully modern connectivity stack, positions it as a flagship-tier contender, directly competing with powerful Qualcomm chips.

The Dimensity 9500s go head-to-head with some powerful Snapdragon 8-series chips, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 8 Elite. We’ve already compared it with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 (more about it here), and now it’s time for another high-end chip battle. In this comparison, we’ll see how the Dimensity 9500s stack up against the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with its Oryon CPU,  Adreno 840 GPU, and advanced imaging capabilities.

Here’s the spec sheet to begin with:

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Benchmark scores

There’s no Dimensity 9500s-powered smartphone on the market right now. However, the upcoming Redmi Turbo 5 Max, which would carry the same chipset, was recently spotted in AnTuTu and Geekbench listings.

According to leaked benchmark listings, the upcoming Redmi phone powered by the Dimensity 9500s achieves 2,862 points in the single-core test and 9,130 points in the multi-core test. In contrast, the OnePlus 13 (powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite) bags higher scores: 3,026 (single-core) and 9,306 (multi-core).

The leaked AnTuTu listing for the Redmi Turbo 5 Max shows rather surprising results. The Dimensity 9500s-powered device achieves a total score close to 3.3 million, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered OnePlus 13 scores a little under 3 million. The breakdown of the AnTuTu score shows that the Dimensity 9500s achieves higher scores across all tests, including CPU, GPU, memory, and user experience.

Please note that benchmark scores for the Dimensity 9500s are based on leaks, not on real testing. We’ll update the score once we’ve reviewed a device powered by the same MediaTek chipset.

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Key differences you should know

CPU

Starting with the CPU, the Dimensity 9500s opts for a 1+3+4 configuration, featuring one Cortex-X925 prime core, three Cortex-X4 performance cores, and four Cortex-A720 efficiency cores. In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Elite uses a 2+6 configuration, with two Oryon prime cores and four Oryon performance cores.

The second-gen Oryon core generally outperforms Cortex-X925 in peak performance. The Snapdragon 8 Elite also benefits from a higher CPU clock speed. In terms of peak CPU performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has the edge. However, in day-to-day tasks like browsing the internet, scrolling through social media apps, and video streaming, there shouldn’t be a performance gap.

GPU

For graphics rendering, the Dimensity 9500s integrates Immortalis‑G925 GPU with up to 12 cores. MediaTek claims ray tracing support with console-grade lighting and reflections. MediaTek Adaptive Gaming Technology 3.0 (MAGT 3.0) and MediaTek Frame Rate Converter 3.0 (MRFC 3.0) further enhance the gameplay and power efficiency.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite features Adreno 830 GPU with Qualcomm’s sliced GPU architecture for better power efficiency and higher sustained performance. The chip also supports real-time hardware ray tracing and includes a full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features to achieve higher frame rates, improved power efficiency, and lower latency.

AI and on-device capabilities

Both chipsets have capable NPUs with multimodal GenAI capabilities and support for modern LLMs. Additionally, MediaTek claims Agentic AI support for the Dimensity 9500s, whereas Qualcomm has made no such claims.

Camera

The Dimensity 9500s and Snapdragon 8 Elite feature 18-bit ISPs with support for up to 320MP resolution. One key advantage of the Qualcomm chip here is that it allows three 48MP cameras at 30fps, while the Dimensity chip limits them to 36MP. The Dimensity 9500s, however, supports 8K video recording at 60fps, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite can do 8K/30fps recording.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite supports limitless real-time semantic segmentation up to 250 layers. MediaTek hasn’t mentioned semantic segmentation on its official page, but it’s safe to say the Dimensity 9500s support it based on the chip’s capabilities. Furthermore, both chips bring numerous features to improve photos and videos.

Connectivity

The Snapdragon 8 Elite and Dimensity 9500s feature flagship-class connectivity platforms, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite is specced more aggressively for cellular peak speeds, Bluetooth standard, and integrated UWB, while Dimensity 9500s emphasizes higher Wi-Fi speed and long-range Bluetooth.

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Conclusion

The Dimensity 9500s prove that MediaTek is no longer playing in the shadows of Qualcomm’s flagship lineup. It offers strong benchmark scores, modern CPU and GPU architectures, advanced AI capabilities, and robust connectivity, positioning itself as a true competitor to Snapdragon 8-series chips.

That said, the Snapdragon 8 Elite may still hold advantages in peak CPU performance, a mature ISP, and modem features, backed by Qualcomm’s mature software ecosystem and long-standing OEM trust.

Please note that there’s no Dimensity 9500s-powered smartphone on the market as of writing this post. So, this comparison may not give you the complete picture. We’ll update it after thoroughly testing a device powered by this new Dimensity chip.

The post Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Which offers superior performance? appeared first on Gizmochina.

While MediaTek continues to dominate the global smartphone chipset market, according to Counterpoint Research, the company’s grip on the high-end remains relatively weak. Qualcomm and Apple have long dominated this segment, but MediaTek is closing the gap fast by offering competitively-specced and better-priced chipsets — and its latest Dimensity flagships, such as Dimensity 9500 and 9500s, now pose a serious challenge to the best from the other two.

So, the real question is: can MediaTek’s newest silicon overtake Qualcomm and Apple in the high-end segment — or at least meaningfully shift its position in it?

The term “high-end chipsets” may be confusing in itself. Many refer to mid-range chips as high-end and top-tier as flagship, while high-end chips generally refer to flagship-tier processors, designed to deliver peak CPU and GPU performance, advanced on-device AI capabilities, and top-tier power efficiency. In 2026, that elite group is led by Apple’s A-series chips, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series flagships, and MediaTek’s Dimensity 9000 series processors.

MediaTek’s flagship push: From an affordable alternative to a competitive flagship

Not long ago, MediaTek was primarily associated with entry-level and mid-range chipsets, valued for affordability rather than raw performance. That perception began to shift with the arrival of the Dimensity lineup, but the dramatic shift came with the Dimensity 9000 series in late 2021. MediaTek framed it as a flagship chip “for next-generation flagship smartphones,” with broad OEM endorsements, including Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor.

With the latest Dimensity 9500, MediaTek is no longer positioning itself as a value alternative but competes directly with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Apple A19 Pro. In fact, the Dimensity 9500 beats the other two chips on several key benchmarks.

CPU and GPU performance battle

Qualcomm and Apple held a consistent lead in both CPU and GPU performance for a long time, but the newest silicon from MediaTek, particularly the Dimensity 9500, operates in the same performance class.

The Dimensity 9500 features a newer generation of ARM cores, including C1-Ultra, C1-Premium, and C1-Pro, with a cutting-edge CPU architecture to deliver strong CPU performance. Day-to-day tasks, heavy multitasking, and demanding workloads on a Dimensity 9500-powered device feel just as smooth as high-end chips from Qualcomm and Apple.

GPU performance tells a similar story — an area where Qualcomm has had no real competition in Android, now faces a legitimate challenge from MediaTek. Recent MediaTek high-end chips have significantly closed the gap in GPU performance, signaling that MediaTek is no longer playing catch-up in graphics performance.

Here are the benchmark numbers that offer more clarity:

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the Vivo X300 Pro (Dimensity 9500), OnePlus 15 (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5), and iPhone 17 Pro (Apple A19 Pro).

Geekbench score

Apple continues to lead the single-core performance chart on Geekbench, but interestingly, the Dimensity 9500 almost matches the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. The multi-core performance, however, tells a different story. The Dimensity chip scores higher than the A19 Pro but slightly lower than the Snapdragon chip.

3DMark score

Wild Life Extreme Stress Test

Solar Bay Test

In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 achieves the highest score, but the Dimensity 9500 is just behind it, with a difference of only 1.27%. Meanwhile, the A19 Pro sits at the bottom, and the gap is also pretty significant.

In the Solay Bay test (to measure the ray tracing performance), the Dimensity 9500 actually gains the top spot with 13,973 points, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Apple A19 Pro achieve 13,108 and 11,829 points, respectively.

The benchmark scores also verify that MediaTek’s newest chips aren’t just competing with the greatest from Qualcomm and Apple, but also outperforming them in some ways.

AI and on-device intelligence

The demand for on-device AI intelligence is stronger than ever, and therefore, modern chips are expected to handle increasingly complex AI workloads without relying on the cloud. This is an area where Qualcomm and Apple have invested heavily for years, but MediaTek is now pushing just as aggressively.

The newer high-end Dimensity chips feature significantly upgraded AI engines, which enable advanced on-device generative features, improved camera computation, and machine learning tasks. Tasks like real-time translation, background removal in video, AI-assisted photo editing, and contextual voice processing are now handled faster and more efficiently than on previous MediaTek generations.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8-series chips still hold an advantage in terms of software ecosystem maturity, while Apple continues to benefit from deep integration between its Neural Engine and iOS. However, MediaTek’s aggressive focus on AI performance is sharply closing the gap.

Modem, connectivity, and ISP capabilities

Qualcomm has long been regarded as the industry leader in mobile connectivity, thanks to its in-house modem technology. Its latest Snapdragon 8-series chips deliver top-tier 5G performance and strong carrier integration support. Apple also uses Snapdragon modems and further optimizes its connectivity stack through deep hardware-software integration to provide fast, reliable connectivity.

MediaTek’s Dimensity flagships have made substantial progress in this department. The latest chips integrate advanced 5G modems, modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth standards, and improved power efficiency. Connectivity performance on recent Dimensity-powered flagships, in most cases, is now largely on par with that of Snapdragon-powered devices.

Final verdict: The flagship race just got serious

MediaTek is no longer a flagship-alternative, but is clearly positioning itself as a genuine performance contender. The Dimensity 9500 demonstrates that MediaTek can now match Qualcomm and Apple in CPU performance, challenge them in GPU workloads, and deliver competitive AI and connectivity capabilities — everything at an aggressive pricing. The benchmark numbers also make it clear that MediaTek isn’t playing a catch-up game anymore.

That said, Qualcomm still benefits from deep relationships with Android OEMs, mature software optimizations, and a long-standing reputation in the premium space. Apple, meanwhile, continues to leverage hardware-software integration and ecosystem lock-in that silicon performance alone can’t disrupt.

So, can MediaTek finally overtake them? Not entirely — at least not yet. But it has undeniably changed perceptions among brands and people, treating it as a real flagship rival rather than a budget-focused alternative. Now, there’s a real competition to Qualcomm in the high-end Android segment.

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Reliable tipster Digital Chat Station has shared fresh insights into the roadmap of next-generation flagship smartphones, building on an earlier post that discussed launch timelines for upcoming Dimensity-powered devices. In that earlier update, he suggested that at least either Oppo or Vivo could launch an iterative flagship as early as September. He also hinted that delaying ultra-premium models until April may not align well with faster chipset refresh cycles, especially for so-called “Ultra” variants.

The tipster contrasted this with Xiaomi’s established rhythm, where standard and Pro models typically arrive around September, followed by Ultra models towards the end of the year. He suggested that other brands may benefit from adopting a similar staggered launch strategy to better match chipset evolution.

Rumored chipsets for Pro Max and Ultra flagships

In his newer Weibo posts, DCS claims that if Oppo and Vivo move forward with Pro Max-branded models, these devices are likely to feature MediaTek’s upcoming Dimensity 9600 series chip built on TSMC’s N2P (2nm) process. He describes this as a full-performance flagship platform, indicating that Pro Max models may prioritize sustained performance and scale.

At the same time, he suggests that Qualcomm’s next Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, identified internally as SM8975, may be reserved exclusively for Ultra-branded premium, imaging-focused flagships rather than mainstream Pro or Pro Max devices. In replies, DCS further notes that both the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and its Pro variant are expected to be manufactured on a 2nm process by TSMC, but with clear segmentation between standard iterative flagships and top-tier models.

He also reiterates that multiple brands under the OV and “H” umbrella are planning Pro Max variants for their next flagship cycles, adding that one brand, abbreviated as “MH” has already introduced such a model in the current generation. Here, “H” appears to be Honor and “MH” seems to be Huawei, which has already launched the Huawei Mate 80 Pro Max.

While none of this has been officially confirmed, the posts collectively point towards tighter launch schedules, clearer flagship tiering, and more aggressive adoption of next-generation silicon across major Chinese smartphone brands.

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In September, MediaTek announced Dimensity 9500 as its most powerful smartphone chipset, and now we’ve an affordable version of it, dubbed Dimensity 9500s. This is still a flagship-grade chipset, promising excellent performance, power efficiency, and competitive AI capabilities.

The Dimensity 9500s would directly compete with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, which was announced in November. Both high-end chipsets target the same user segment, so it’s exciting to see how they stack up against each other.

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Who has the edge?

Both Snapdragon 9500s and Snapdragon 8s Gen 5 use TSMC’s 3nm process node, though there are some differences. The Dimensity chip uses N3E process technology, while the Snapdragon chip uses a more refined N3P node, offering slight improvements to performance and efficiency.

CPU performance

The Dimensity 9500s features an all-big-core CPU design, led by a Cortex-X925 prime core. The octa-core CPU also includes three Cortex-X4 performance cores and four Cortex-A720 power efficiency cores.

• 1 x Cortex-X925 at 3.73 GHz
• 3 x Cortex-X4 at 3.30 GHz
• 4 x Cortex-A720 at 2.0 GHz

In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features a 2+6 CPU configuration with all third-generation custom-designed Oryon cores.

• 2 x Oryon cores (3rd-gen) at 3.8 GHz
• 6 x Oryon cores (3rd-gen) at 3.32 GHz

From the spec sheet alone, it’s difficult to say which chipset has a faster CPU. And unfortunately, we don’t have benchmark data for the Dimensity 9500s yet. It will take a while for the brand to launch devices with this new Dimensity chipset.

However, if I had to take a calculated guess, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 should offer faster CPU performance. That’s because this chip has the same CPU configuration as the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but with a slightly lower clock speed. That gap in clock speeds shouldn’t matter as much as the Dimensity 9500s using CPU cores a generation older than the Dimensity 9500.

GPU performance

For graphics rendering, the Dimensity 9500s uses Immortalis-G925 MP12 GPU. MediaTek hasn’t provided more details about the GPU, such as frequency, binning, etc. So, for now, it’s inaccurate to say it’s the same Immortalis-G925 GPU that’s been used inside the Dimensity 9400 and 9400+ chips.

We’ll have to wait for benchmark data or third-party teardowns for better clarification. However, I’m pretty sure the Dimensity 9500s would bring some GPU improvements, if not major upgrades.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, on the other hand, ships with an Adreno 829 GPU with ray tracing support and a full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features. We’ll run benchmark tests and update the data here to provide clearer insight into GPU performance.

AI capabilities

The demand for on-device AI capabilities, such as AI assistants, AI image/video editing, and generative AI, is stronger than ever. Both MediaTek and Qualcomm understand this, and therefore most of their new chips come with powerful NPUs.

The Dimensity 9500s has a MediaTek NPU with support for multimodal models and agentic AI. The NPU also helps with AI photo editing, AI summarization, and a wide range of tools for cameras, creativity, and productivity.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5’s Hexagon NPU also supports agentic AI, which can learn and adapt to your preferences over time for highly personalised recommendations. The AI also helps improve camera output and connectivity.

Camera & imaging

The Dimensity 9500s integrates an 18-bit Imagiq ISP. It’s a content-aware ISP, which uses advanced Super Resolution techniques to improve clarity, even at high zoom levels. The chip supports up to 320MP single camera and up to 8K video recording at 60fps.

In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features a 20-bit triple AI ISP, with up to 320MP single camera and 4K/120fps video recording. The chip also supports up to 8K video recording, but at lower frame rates. Additionally, the 8 Gen 5 offers numerous photo and video features, including Truepic photo capture, Bokeh Engine, and Video super resolution.

Connectivity

Both chipsets offer excellent connectivity features, although there are several notable differences. For example, the Dimensity 9500s supports the 3GPP Release 17 standard, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 supports the newer Release 18 standard with additional enhancements.

Over a 5G connection, the Dimensity chip’s download speed can go up to 7 Gbps, while the Snapdragon chip can reach even higher, up to 10 Gbps. The Dimensity 9500s makes a comeback with a higher peak Wi-Fi speed (6.5 Gbps vs 5.8 Gbps).

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Conclusion

From the spec sheet, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 appears to have an edge over the Dimensity 9500s. However, note that specs alone do not give the complete picture. We’ll update this post once we’ve tested a device powered by a Dimensity 9500s for better clarity.

The Redmi Turbo 5 Max will be among the very first phones to feature the Dimensity 9500s chip. It’s expected to launch later this month. Meanwhile, click here to see how the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 stacks up against the competition.

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The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, announced in May, has quietly become a popular choice among mid-range phones, powering many devices from top brands, including the Oppo Reno 15, Vivo T4 Pro, Realme 16 Pro+ 5G, and more.

On the other hand, we have the Dimensity 8350 from MediaTek, which was announced in late 2024. From the spec sheet, it appears the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 has a powerful CPU, but the Dimensity 8350’s higher CPU clock speed makes a more significant difference. Let’s dive deeper into the benchmark scores and real-world differences to find out who has the edge.

Let’s begin with the spec sheet:

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs Dimensity 8350: Benchmark score

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the Vivo T4 Pro (powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4) and the Oppo Reno 14 (powered by the Dimensity 8350).

Geekbench score

Even though the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 has newer CPU cores, the higher clock speeds in Dimensity 8350 achieve more on the Geekbench benchmark. The single-core speed is up by 5%, while the multi-core gap widens to about 10%.

While the differences aren’t significant, the Dimensity chip should perform better during higher workloads. For day-to-day tasks like browsing the internet, scrolling through social media apps, or watching videos, both should achieve a similar performance.

AnTuTu score

AnTuTu shows a rather significant performance gap between the two chips, with the Dimensity 8350 delivering a total score that’s 39% higher than the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. The biggest difference comes from the GPU performance. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 scores 323,797 points in the graphics test, while the Dimensity 8350 crosses the 500K mark, a massive 72% lead.

The Snapdragon chip does score slightly higher in CPU tests, but the margin is too small to consider. Meanwhile, the Dimensity 8350 also pulls ahead in memory and UX scores.

The benchmarks show a clear advantage for the Dimensity 8350 chipset, especially in terms of GPU performance. That said, there are still some important aspects that benchmarks don’t cover, such as connectivity and the camera, which we’ll discuss in the following section.

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs Dimensity 8350: Here are the key differences

Both octa-core chips have been fabbed using TSMC’s 4nm process node, although their core configurations differ. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 has a 1+4+3 core configuration, featuring one Cortex-A720 big core, four Cortex-A720 mid cores, and three Cortex-A520 small cores.

In contrast, the Dimensity 8350 features a 1+3+4 CPU configuration, with one Cortex-A715 big core, three Cortex-A715 mid cores, and four Cortex-A510 small cores. While the Snapdragon chip features newer cores, the Dimensity 8350 cores benefit from higher clock speed.

For graphics rendering, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 features Adreno 722, while the Dimensity 8350 has a Mali-G615 MP6 GPU. The latter features higher frequency, more pipelines, and higher computational power (FLOPS). These are among the reasons why the Dimensity 8250 achieved a much higher GPU score on AnTuTu.

Furthermore, the Dimensity chip features a higher-bit camera and supports higher camera resolution. The output, however, largely depends on the camera sensor and OEM optimizations. The Snapdragon chip may have an edge in connectivity, thanks to newer standard Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 technologies. The Dimensity chip benefits from a higher peak download speed over a 5G connection (5.17Gbps vs 4.2Gbps).

Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs Dimensity 8350: Which one should you choose?

The Dimensity 8350 is a well-rounded choice over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. It offers higher peak performance, an advanced camera ISP, and a higher peak download speed over a 5G connection.

If peak performance isn’t your concern, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 can be a more reliable choice, while ensuring future-proof connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth v6.0.

Best Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 phones:

• Oppo Reno 15
• Realme 16 Pro+ 5G
• Vivo V60 5G (review)
• Vivo T4 Pro 5G
• Motorola Edge 70 5G

Best Dimensity 8350 phones:

• OnePlus Nord CE 5 (review)
• Motorola Edge 60 Pro
• Oppo Reno 14 (review)
• Realme P3 Ultra

The post Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 vs Dimensity 8350: Which offers superior performance? appeared first on Gizmochina.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was one of the most powerful flagship mobile chipsets when it debuted in late 2023, powering Android flagships like Galaxy S24 Ultra, OnePlus 12, ROG Phone 8 Pro, and many others. Fast-forward to 2026, and newer SoCs are available on the market, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. So, the question is: whether the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 still holds up as a compelling choice in 2026?

We’ll dive deep into performance, benchmark numbers, real-world usage, and value perspective to find out the answer.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Performance in 2026 — still fast enough?

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is Qualcomm’s last flagship chip from the Snapdragon 8-series to feature ARM cores. The chip maker then switched to in-house Oryon cores for the future flagship smartphone chips, such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite, 8 Elite Gen 5, and 8 Gen 5.

Oryon cores are generally faster than the ARM cores used inside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. On top of that, the newer cores run at a higher CPU frequency, further enhancing performance. The difference is clearly visible on the benchmarks as well.

Geekbench (v6) score:

AnTuTu (v11) score:

Both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and 8 Elite Gen 5 have significantly higher benchmark scores compared to the 8 Gen 3. But these are peak performance scores. In day-to-day usage like browsing the web, scrolling through social media apps, or streaming videos, you’d hardly notice any performance gap.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is also capable of high-end gaming, thanks to the Adreno 750 GPU with ray tracing support and a full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features. However, the newer chips offer sustained performance in extended gaming sessions, better thermal efficiency, and improved battery efficiency.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: AI and battery efficiency

The demand for on-device AI capabilities, including AI voice assistants and AI image/video editing tools, has grown rapidly in recent years. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 doesn’t compromise on this, as it features a Hexagon NPU that still offers competent AI processing. It supports generative AI models with up to 10 billion parameters.

That said, the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and 8 Elite Gen 5 offer extended AI capabilities with improved power efficiency and support for Agentic AI.

The overall power efficiency still remains a significant strength of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in 2026, thanks to the chip’s architecture and mature 4nm process. The chip delivers respectable battery efficiency even under sustained workloads.

However, the newer chips, such as the 8 Gen 5 and 8 Elite Gen 5, are built using the more advanced 3nm process, delivering equal or slightly better performance at similar power usage.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Software support

You wouldn’t want to miss out on the latest security patches and new features. Hence, software support becomes a key factor to consider. Fortunately, that’s not a concern, as a couple of phones were released last year with a promise of up to four years of OS and security updates.

Many flagship phones from 2024, such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Xiaomi 14 Ultra, are still within their major Android update windows, with additional years of security patches.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Is it still a compelling choice in 2026?

The answer is Yes. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 still remains a solid choice in 2026. It still delivers robust performance, capable gaming performance, and a solid battery efficiency, all at a lower cost than current flagship chipsets.

That said, if you want the absolute peak performance, AI capabilities, and top-tier benchmarks, newer silicon like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are better choices. But for most users, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 still remains a practical choice and delivers strong value for the money.

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The Snapdragon X2 Plus, announced at CES 2026, joins the X2 family of SoCs, which already has two more powerful members: the Snapdragon X2 Elite and Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, which were announced at last year’s Snapdragon Summit. The newer X2 Plus chip will power more affordable Windows notebooks and take on Apple Silicon. But it turns out, Qualcomm’s met with another defeat here, as the X2 Plus lags far behind Apple M4 in key CPU and GPU benchmarks.

On paper, the Snapdragon X2 Plus looks rather impressive. It’s got higher cache memory, bandwidth, and a much higher on-chip TOPS than Apple M4, but it’s the overall package that matters, where Apple Silicon maintains a strong lead.

A series of synthetic benchmark tests run by PCMAG reveals that Apple’s previous-generation silicon can comfortably outperform the latest rivals from Qualcomm. The chips were tested across key benchmarks, including Geekbench 6, 3DMark Steel Nomad Light, 3DMark Solar Bay, and Cinebench 2024, with most of them showing a higher score for the Apple M4, by up to 30%.

Benchmark scores

Geekbench 6

Cinebench 2024

3DMark

While the Snapdragon X2 Plus is a strong upgrade over the original Snapdragon X Plus, it still can’t beat 2024’s Apple M4 Silicon, which only means a far worse result when compared to Apple M5. However, on the plus side, the Qualcomm X2 series SoCs show rather impressive numbers against the powerful chips from Intel and AMD.

Note that synthetic benchmarks, although useful, don’t show the complete picture. I would rather wait for more benchmarks or real-world comparisons to reach a conclusion. Unfortunately, the wait appears to be a little longer, as Snapdragon X2 Plus-powered Windows notebooks are expected to hit the market in the second quarter.

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After the performance rankings, AnTuTu has shared its latest snapshot of the Android processor landscape in China for Q4 2025. Unsurprisingly, Qualcomm is the leader with over 70% market share, but there’s a surprise new entry to the list. 

According to the data, Qualcomm-powered devices make up 71.2 percent of Android phones in use. The figure effectively means that around seven out of every ten Android smartphones currently in the Chinese market are running on a Qualcomm chip. 

Qualcomm’s share comes from its wide mobile processors for the mid-to-high end segment. The Snapdragon 8 Elite / Gen series is the default choice for many Android flagships, while the Snapdragon 7 and Snapdragon 6 series fill the mid-range segment. Then there’s the Snapdragon 4 series for affordable phones. 

MediaTek is the second biggest, followed by Samsung

MediaTek, meanwhile, enjoys 27.4% market share. While that’s still a long way behind Qualcomm, MediaTek has been on a steady rise over the past few years. The company’s Dimensity 9000 series chips have become popular among manufacturers looking to balance performance and cost.

However, the company’s biggest win comes from budget and mid-range phones, largely dominated by Helio and Dimensity 7000 and 8000 chips. For instance, AnTuTu’s mid-range smartphone ranking for December 2025 shows 9 out of 10 phones with a MediaTek chip.

Beyond those two, the field thins out quickly. Samsung ranks third with a modest 0.6 percent share, largely limited to its own Galaxy devices using Exynos processors. 

Surprisingly, Xiaomi has also made it onto the list with a 0.4% market share. Its XRING O1 processor is currently exclusive to the Xiaomi 15S Pro and Xiaomi Pad 7 Ultra. The fact that only two devices allowed it to make the list suggests that Xiaomi’s self-developed chip has already gained traction within the vast smartphone landscape.

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The Snapdragon 8-series naming scheme has become increasingly confusing, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5’s arrival has only added to the chaos. Therefore, understanding the correct order of Qualcomm’s flagship chipsets is now more important than ever, as the naming alone can easily lead buyers to the wrong conclusion.

Take the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, for example: at first glance, it may seem superior to both the original 8 Elite and 8 Gen 3, but that’s not entirely accurate. To make sense of where each 8-series chip truly stands, it’s necessary to understand Qualcomm’s recent naming decisions.

Qualcomm’s naming scheme explained

Until the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm’s naming scheme for the Snapdragon 8-series was crystal clear. The 8 Gen 1 arrived, followed by the 8 Gen 2, and then the 8 Gen 3. However, the arrival of the Snapdragon 8 Elite in October 2024 created considerable confusion.

The tech community anticipated 8 Elite’s successor to be called “Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2,” but instead, Qualcomm labelled it as “Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5,” which made it appear as though several generations were skipped. Even folks in the tech industry were surprised by Qualcomm’s naming decisions. Then came the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in November, with no 8 Gen 4 already in the lineup.

Qualcomm anticipated the confusion and explained the naming scheme in a detailed blog post before even announcing the 8 Gen 5 chipset. The short takeaway: Snapdragon 8 Elite is actually the fourth generation of the premium 8-series platforms. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the true fifth-generation chip, and just two months later, the 8 Gen 5 arrived as a slightly toned-down but still very much capable flagship-grade chipset.

With excellent performance and upgraded chip advancements, the 8 Gen 5 is almost a no-brainer upgrade for the 8 Gen 3 users, but pointless for the original Elite users. Let’s take a closer look at the benchmark scores and key differences to see how wide those gaps actually are.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Elite vs 8 Gen 3: Benchmark score

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the OnePlus 15R (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5), OnePlus 13 (Snapdragon 8 Elite), and OnePlus 13R (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3).

Geekbench score

The CPU test on Geekbench 6 yields surprising results for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, surpassing the 8 Gen 5 by a wide margin in single-core performance. The 8 Gen 5 makes a comeback in the multi-core performance, although the gap is very thin.

Unsurprisingly, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 sits at the bottom with significantly lower single-core and multi-core scores than the other two chips featuring Oryon CPU.

AnTuTu score

AnTuTu also favors the Snapdragon 8 Elite over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. The breakdown, however, shows a 6% higher CPU score for the 8 Gen 5. However, the 8 Elite comes back strongly in the GPU performance with a 12% higher score.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 sits at the bottom with a total AnTuTu score of 2.27 million, whereas the Snapdragon 8 Elite almost reaches the 3 million mark, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 achieves a total score of 2.96 million.

From the benchmarks, it’s clear that the Snapdragon 8 Elite outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in several key aspects, including CPU and graphics performance. This is the reason why Qualcomm chose to compare the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 against the 8 Gen 3, not the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Elite vs 8 Gen 3: What’s actually different?

Manufacturing:

All three Snapdragon chips have been manufactured by TSMC, but what separates them is the process node. The 8 Gen 5 uses the advanced 3nm (N3P) node, which is slightly improved over the 3nm (N3E) node used for the 8 Elite. Both offer substantially higher performance and power efficiency over the 4nm (N4P) node used for the 8 Gen 3.

CPU:

The 8 Gen 5 and 8 Elite feature the same (2 prime cores + 6 performance cores) CPU configuration, but the 8 Gen 3 uses third-generation Oryon cores, while the 8 Elite uses a generation older CPU cores. Despite that, the 8 Elite offers higher CPU performance, thanks to higher clock speeds across all eight cores.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 features ARM cores (1 x Cortex-X4, 5 x Cortex-A720, and 2 x Cortex-A520), with a peak CPU frequency capped at 3.3GHz.

GPU:

As for the graphics performance, the 8 Gen 5 features Adreno 829, which is effectively a binned version of 8 Elite Gen 5’s Adreno 840. The 8 Elite with Adreno 830 achieves a higher GPU performance with better power efficiency. That’s because of higher processing cores in the sliced architecture and higher frequency. The 8 Elite also benefits from the presence of Adreno high-performance memory (HPM), which is absent on the other two chips.

Camera:

The chips also feature different ISPs, resulting in different capabilities. For instance, the 8 Gen 5 uses a triple 20-bit AI ISP with enhanced color depth and processing capability. The 8 Elite also features an AI-integrated ISP but uses 18-bit processing. The 8 Gen 3 also features an 18-bit ISP but doesn’t bear an AI branding.

Both newer chips feature limitless semantic segmentation at 4K resolution, but not the 8 Gen 3.  The latter supports this feature but can’t perform pixel-level semantic segmentation. The 8 Gen 3 also lacks advanced HDR features like the other two chips.

Connectivity:

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and 8 Elite use the same Snapdragon X80 5G modem, whereas the 8 Gen 3 uses a generation older X75 5G modem. However, the maximum download and upload speeds over cellular and Wi-Fi connections remain unchanged.

The newer modems on the 8 Gen 5 and 8 Elite offer better power efficiency and reduced latency. They also get the latest Bluetooth 6.0, Snapdragon Audio Sense technology, satellite connectivity, and High Band Simultaneous (HBS) Multi-Link for simultaneous 5 GHz and 6 GHz connections. The 8 Gen 3, though still very capable, lacks these connectivity features.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Elite vs 8 Gen 3: Which is the right upgrade?

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 makes the most sense for buyers upgrading from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, offering a better ISP, improved connectivity features, and a clear performance uplift without stepping into Elite-tier territory. However, if you already own a Snapdragon 8 Elite device, the 8 Gen 5 doesn’t bring enough to the table to justify an upgrade.

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Qualcomm may be preparing to bring some of its most important Snapdragon chips back to Samsung’s foundry.

For the past few years, Samsung’s chip manufacturing arm has struggled to convince major clients to trust it with fab designs. This was largely because of yield problems and performance concerns, which pushed companies like Qualcomm toward TSMC. The latter, as a result, became the default choice for manufacturing smartphone processors for almost all big giants, including Apple, Qualcomm, and Google. 

But Samsung’s success in the 2-nanometer process is shifting that narrative. According to reports from South Korea, Qualcomm is now in active talks with Samsung to manufacture a future Snapdragon chipset using Samsung’s second-generation 2nm process, known as SF2P. 

Qualcomm confirms talks with Samsung for 2nm SoC

In fact, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon confirmed during CES 2026 that discussions between the two companies are moving forward.

Amon said, “Among various foundry companies, we started discussions with Samsung Electronics first on contract manufacturing using the latest 2nm process.”

While Qualcomm hasn’t publicly named the chip involved, we can guess that the business might involve next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 processors. 

Qualcomm has relied heavily on TSMC for its high-end Snapdragon chips in recent years, largely due to concerns around Samsung’s consistency at smaller process nodes. 

If Qualcomm is now willing to bet on Samsung for 2nm production, it suggests Samsung has achieved maturity, power efficiency, and yields in its chip manufacturing. 

Samsung has already announced that it will mass-produce 2nm chips ahead of its rivals, starting with its own Exynos 2600 processor, which is expected to power the Galaxy S26 lineup. 

Beyond internal use, the company has reportedly attracted interest from several high-profile customers. Tesla has signed on, and AMD and Google are rumored to be exploring similar paths.

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Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 is the company’s second-generation ARM chip designed to power Windows PCs. The main X2 SKUs include the X2 Plus, X2 Elite, and X2 Elite Extreme, each of which comes in its own different flavors. 

According to Qualcomm, the X2 Plus delivers up to 35 percent faster single-core CPU performance than the previous Snapdragon X Plus while using 43 percent less power. The Elite models, on the other hand, are 31 percent faster CPU performance at the same power level, or 43 percent lower power consumption at the same performance, compared to last year’s Snapdragon X Elite chips.

Those are, of course, official claims. But now we have some early real-world numbers to look at.

Snapdragon X2 Elite real benchmarks 

YouTuber Alex Ziskind was recently invited to tour a Qualcomm facility, where he was allowed to run Geekbench on the company’s Compute Reference Design (CRD) machines. That gave us our first look at benchmark results for the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme.

Ziskind tested the Snapdragon X2 Elite in both 12-core and 18-core configurations, along with the 18-core X2 Elite Extreme.

The 12-core Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-80-100), paired with 32GB of memory and 1TB of storage, scored 3,850 in single-core and 16,171 in multi-core Geekbench tests. For comparison, Apple’s 10-core M4 MacBook Air scores around 3,839 single-core and 14,861 multi-core.

The 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-88-100) posted a 3,838 single-core score and a much higher 20,320 in multi-core. These figures put it in the same neighborhood as Apple’s M4 Pro chips.

The biggest numbers, of course, come from the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-96-100). It hits 4,072 in single-core and 23,611 in multi-core. That’s squarely in M4 Max territory.

In fact, Ziskind’s testing shows the X2 Elite Extreme edging past the M4 Max in single-core performance (Apple scores around 3,913), while Apple still holds a clear lead in multi-core workloads, where the M4 Max reaches roughly 25,669 points.

As always, benchmarks don’t tell the full story. But Windows on ARM is no longer a science experiment. App compatibility has improved, performance is catching up fast, and with Snapdragon X2, Qualcomm is making it clear that it doesn’t want to be playing catch-up in the PC silicon race anymore.

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(Source)

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Qualcomm is once again turning up the pressure on traditional laptop processors. At CES 2026, the company introduced the Snapdragon X2 Plus lineup, aimed squarely at thin-and-light Windows laptops.

The new chips sit below the previously announced Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme, which debuted in September 2025. This time, Qualcomm is targeting more mainstream designs while keeping most of the core tech intact.

Two variants have been announced. There’s a 6-core Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-42-100 and a higher-end 10-core X2P-64-100. Both use Qualcomm’s third-generation Oryon CPU architecture and pair it with an Adreno X2-45 integrated GPU.

The 10-core model combines six Prime cores with four Performance cores, while the 6-core version relies entirely on Prime cores. Clock speeds top out at just over 4GHz. Cache sizes differ, but both chips are clearly tuned for sustained performance rather than brief bursts.

Graphics support is solid for the class. The Adreno X2-45 supports DirectX 12.2 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, with higher GPU clocks reserved for the 10-core chip. Qualcomm is clearly balancing power and efficiency here, especially for slimmer laptops.

Memory and I/O are also competitive. The X2 Plus supports up to 128GB of LPDDR5x RAM, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, multiple USB-C ports, and up to three external 4K displays.

Based on Geekbench 6.5 results shared by the company, the 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-64-100 delivers around 35% better single-core and 17% faster multi-core performance than the first-generation Snapdragon X Plus. On the graphics side, Qualcomm says the Adreno X2-45 iGPU is roughly 29% faster in the 3DMark Steel Nomad Light benchmark, while the upgraded NPU sees a claimed 78% generational jump in AI performance.

The 6-core Snapdragon X2 Plus reportedly matches the single-core uplift of the 10-core variant, while offering about a 10% multi-core gain and a more substantial 39% improvement in GPU performance over its predecessor.

Qualcomm also highlights efficiency advantages versus x86 rivals. According to the company, the 10-core X2 Plus is around 3.5 times faster than Intel’s Core Ultra 7 265U in Geekbench 6.5 at iso-power, alongside a 28% lead in peak single-core scores. Qualcomm adds that Intel’s chip needs up to 4.6 times more power to reach its peak performance, underscoring the ARM platform’s efficiency push.

As always, real-world testing will matter more than slides. Laptops powered by Snapdragon X2 Plus are expected in the first half of 2026.

(Source)

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The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, announced in November, features powerful and power-efficient Oryon cores for the first time in a non-Elite chipset. It borrows more features from the flagship 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, including the Adreno 840 GPU with sliced architecture, agentic AI, and a 20-bit triple ISP. It’s indeed a powerful smartphone chipset with flagship capabilities.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was announced two years ago, but it’s still a capable chipset that offers smooth performance and flagship-grade specs. From the name itself, it’s clear that the 8 Gen 5 has better capabilities, but the real question is: how significant an upgrade is the 8 Gen 5 over the 8 Gen 3? Let’s dive into benchmarks and real-world differences to find out.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Gen 3: Benchmark score

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the OnePlus 15R (powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) and the OnePlus 13R (powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3).

Geekbench score

Thanks to powerful third-gen Oryon cores, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is able to pull off much higher Geekbench scores than the 8 Gen 5. In the single-core test, it achieves 2,837 points, whereas the 8 Gen 3 touches 2,243. That’s a 26% uplift for the newer chip. The difference only widens in multi-core performance.

The 8 Gen 5 achieves 9,352 multi-core points, while the 8 Gen 3 gets 6,591 points, resulting in a 42% performance boost for the former chip in tasks that require multiple cores to work together, such as multitasking, video editing, and other demanding workloads.

AnTuTu score

On the AnTuTu v11 platform, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 achieves nearly 3 million points, whereas the 8 Gen 3 only reaches 2.27 million points. That’s a 30% boost for the newer chip.

The breakdown reveals a 50% higher CPU score and a 22% increase in the GPU score for the 8 Gen 5. It also gains higher scores in memory and UX tests.

In short, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 strongly outperforms the 8 Gen 3 on benchmarks. However, there’s more to consider than just benchmark scores to get the complete picture, such as connectivity and camera quality. (more on that below)

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Gen 3: Major differences

The 8 Gen 5 uses an advanced TSMC’s 4nm (N3P) process node, which offers better performance and power efficiency over the 8 Gen 3’s 4nm (N4P) node. Furthermore, the chip benefits from Qualcomm’s latest Oryon cores (third-generation), the same cores found in the flagship 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

On the other hand, the 8 Gen 3 features ARM cores: 1 x Cortex-X4, five Cortex-A720, and two Cortex-A520. Qualcomm claims a 36% performance boost for the 8 Gen 5 compared to 8 Gen 3. Further, the 8 Gen 5 features an upgraded Hexagon NPU that delivers 46% faster performance.

The 8 Gen 5 features an Adreno 840 GPU (with sliced architecture) that offers greater capabilities than the Adreno 750 inside the 8 Gen 3. It uses the new GPU architecture with dedicated memory per slice. The 8 Gen 5’s Adreno 840 GPU promises 11% faster graphics rendering and a 13% improvement in power efficiency. Additionally, it also offers improved ray tracing and Snapdragon Elite Gaming features.

The camera also receives notable upgrades. The Gen 5 chip uses a 20-bit Spectra Triple ISP with AI capabilities. It offers features like real-time tone control and Night Vision 3.0. Additionally, it features Snapdragon Audio Sense, which can record HDR audio while eliminating background wind noise.

Both chips offer the same peak download/upload speed over 5G and Wi-Fi connections, but the underlying hardware has been upgraded. The newer X80 5G modem, part of the 8 Gen 5 upgrades, enhances the Sub-6GHz configuration to 4×6 MIMO, improving speed and reliability compared to the 4×4 MIMO in the Gen 3’s X75 modem.

The newer chip also offers AI-assisted beam management, Bluetooth 6.0 (vs 5.4), and a newer FastConnect 7900 connectivity suite (vs FastConnect 7800).

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8 Gen 3: Which one should you choose?

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 offers clear advantages over the 8 Gen 3 in almost every aspect. It’s got a faster CPU, a reliable GPU with higher rendering and battery efficiency, an improved ISP with AI-assisted features, and enhanced connectivity features.

Between the two, the choice isn’t difficult: the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 does everything better, and therefore is an easy pick. But the 8 Gen 3 still delivers excellent performance and power efficiency. You’ll hardly notice any performance difference in day-to-day usage. It also offers excellent gaming performance, but for longer sessions, you may want a more powerful chip. If you can find a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phone that’s significantly cheaper than the 8 Gen 5 phone, the deal would be hard to ignore.

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Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series is expected to adopt a dual-chip strategy for the 2026 flagship smartphone cycle. According to a report by Wccftech, the company will launch a standard version and a Pro variant. The Pro model is tipped to cost over $300, making it the most expensive mobile chip Qualcomm has ever produced.

The Pro variant will likely support LPDDR6 memory and feature the new Oryon CPU architecture. It is also expected to become Qualcomm’s first mass-produced chip built on TSMC’s 2nm process. Industry data indicates that each 2nm wafer could cost as much as $30,000, significantly raising the production cost of the chip. For smartphone brands, the chip alone could account for nearly one-third of a premium phone’s total manufacturing budget.

Although tipster Smart Chip Insider on Weibo disagrees with the $300 pricing narrative, he points out that Wccftech estimates the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 at around $280 per chip, a figure he believes is overstated by more than $80. Based on this assessment, early claims that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 could surpass $300 next year should be treated with caution.

Anyway, due to the high cost, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro might only appear in Ultra flagships. Mainstream flagship devices are expected to adopt the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 instead. This version will feature a 2+3+3 CPU cluster, retain support for LPDDR5X RAM, and offer a more power-efficient GPU. It will not support LPDDR6 memory but is expected to deliver stable high-end performance.

The ongoing DRAM pricing crisis is also influencing chipset choices. Rising memory costs are increasing the overall bill of materials for smartphones. To keep retail prices in check, many manufacturers may avoid the Pro chip and opt for the standard version to maintain a better balance between performance and cost.

High-end chips have faced criticism for overheating and poor battery efficiency. The standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 may provide better sustained performance and thermal management, making it a more practical solution for mass-market flagship phones in 2026.

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(Via)

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For a while, Qualcomm‘s Snapdragon series was the de-facto choice for flagship Android smartphones. But in recent years, the landscape has shifted with chips from its rival, MediaTek, posing a direct channel on every segment. While the Snapdragon was often found in flagship smartphones, recent premium models even carry the latest Dimensity SoCs. So if you’re eyeing a flagship Android phone without Snapdragon, here’s what you can expect and what trade-offs you might need to consider.

Snapdragon vs Dimensity: Performance

Historically, Snapdragon chips have excelled in sustained single-thread performance and optimized multi-core throughput. This basically translated to faster app launches, snappy multitasking, and stable performance under heavy loads. So even Qualcomm’s top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 continues this tradition with strong single-core and multi-core scores in benchmarks.

Yet MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500 isn’t far behind, and in some tests even edges out Snapdragon in certain metrics. For example, early Geekbench 6 scores show the Dimensity can slightly outperform the Snapdragon chip in single-core tasks, while multi-core results are tightly matched. Meaning, both chips are capable of delivering flagship level performance. So, regardless of which side you pick, everyday use or intense workloads isn’t a compromise on either side.

Gaming & Graphics

Gaming is where the chipset battle gets interesting. Snapdragon’s Adreno GPU traditionally excels at raw graphical throughput and stable framerates, backed by Qualcomm’s “Elite Gaming” suite and optimizations tailored to top Android titles. This can mean slightly better peak performance in games, especially at higher resolutions or demanding settings.

On the other hand, the Dimensity 9500’s Mali-G1 Ultra GPU delivers very strong performance for most gaming scenarios and has shown impressive gains in GPU scores in benchmarks. Some real-world tests even highlight smoother sustained performance during long gaming sessions, thanks to better thermal behavior and power distribution.

However, certain aspects like thermal throttling are also related to the brand’s optimization and cooling solutions. If your priority is maxing out graphics, Snapdragon phones could still have an edge. But the difference in minimal and the Dimensity powered devices are holding their own with balanced performance and efficiency.

Power Efficiency & Thermals

Efficiency isn’t just about benchmarks, it’s about how long your phone can last during everyday use. Dimensity 9500’s architecture emphasizes a mix of high-performance and efficiency cores, often resulting in cooler operation and lower power draw during sustained tasks like gaming or video editing. This can translate to better real-world battery life, especially over extended use.

Meanwhile, Qualcomm designed its flagship Snapdragon chips with higher clock speeds and custom Oryon cores, which deliver slightly better burst performance. But this can come with increased heat under load that can trigger thermal throttling in some scenarios. Some users have even reported that Snapdragon-equipped phones run warmer during extended gaming or benchmarking sessions compared to Dimensity-powered counterparts.

AI, Camera, & Connectivity Features

AI performance and camera processing are increasingly important in flagship devices. Both Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Dimensity 9500 support advanced NPUs and modern ISP pipelines capable of AI-driven photography and on-device intelligence. Qualcomm typically edges ahead with its Hexagon NPU and camera ISP tuning, which can benefit high-end videography and computational photography workflows.

However, Dimensity’s NPU also shows strong results and, in some benchmarks, uses lower power for similar tasks. In terms of connectivity, Snapdragon often leads with slightly faster 5G modem speeds and mature signal handling, but Dimensity isn’t far behind with robust 5G support and Wi-Fi advancements.

Verdict: More Choices, Not Compromises

High-end Android phones without Snapdragon aren’t second-class anymore. They are competitive flagship choices that reflect how far Android chip competition has come. With Samsung also revitalizing its Exynos lineup of chips, the competition is getting stiffer. So if you need top tier performance, excellent battery life, and great gaming experience, a Dimenity powered device is absolutely worth considering and offers no real trade offs when compared to Snapdragon equipped flagships.

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The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 was announced in November, and the major highlights were the Oryon cores, which were previously exclusive to “Elite” chips. It’s a slightly toned-down version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, but still a flagship SoC with plenty of power and capabilities.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, on the other hand, is also a flagship-grade chipset and the last Snapdragon 8-series chipset to feature ARM cores, at least at the time of writing this post. From the name itself, it’s clear that the 8s Gen 4 sits under 8 Gen 5, but we’re more interested in learning about the performance gap and other major differences. So, let’s dig further to find out.

Let’s begin with the spec sheet:

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8s Gen 4: Benchmark score

Note: The benchmark tests were performed on the OnePlus 15R (powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) and the iQOO Neo 10 (powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4) 

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8s Gen 4: Geekbench score

Thanks to powerful Oryon cores, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 achieves significantly higher scores on Geekbench than the 8s Gen 4. The single-core score is 2,837, which is 31% higher than the 8s Gen 4’s 2,164 points.

The gap widens further in multi-core performance, with the 8 Gen 5 achieving 9,352 points, while the 8s Gen 4 only manages 6,931 points. That’s an impressive 34% boost for the Gen 5 chipset.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8s Gen 4: AnTuTu score

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 on AnTuTu almost reaches the 3 million mark, whereas the 8s Gen 4 couldn’t surpass 2.4 million in total AnTuTu score. That gives the 8 Gen 5 a 25% boost in the overall score.

The breakdown reveals that the 8 Gen 5’s CPU achieves a 32% higher score (914,878 vs. 688,724) and the GPU performance receives a 22% uplift (799,818 vs. 974,402). The memory and user experience performance also favor the newer chip.

So, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 easily outperforms the 8s Gen 4 on synthetic benchmarks. In the real world, the results are mostly the same.

Beyond performance, these benchmarks do not reveal many details. So, let’s look at the major differences to get a better picture.

Related: Snapdragon or MediaTek: which chip should you really choose for your next upgrade?

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8s Gen 4: Major differences

The newer 8 Gen 5 uses the advanced 3nm (N3P) process node from TSMC, which offers better performance and power efficiency compared to TSMC’s 4nm (N4P) node used for 8s Gen 4. The chip also benefits from powerful third-gen Oryon cores, the same cores from the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 flagship.

The 8 Gen 5’s octa-core CPU has two prime cores clocked at 3.8 GHz and six performance cores at 3.32 GHz. In contrast, the 8s Gen 4 features one prime Cortex-X4 core at 3.21 GHz, five performance Cortex-A720 cores (three at 3.0 GHz and two at 2.8 GHz), and two power-efficient Cortex-A720 cores at 2.02 GHz. The 8 Gen 5 not only benefits from higher CPU speed, but the Oryon cores are also more powerful and power-efficient than 8s Gen 4 cores, which also reflects in the benchmark score.

The two Snapdragon chips also differ in terms of GPU capabilities. For instance, the 8 Gen 5 rocks an Adreno 840 GPU, offering smoother gaming performance and better power efficiency compared to the Adreno 825 GPU on the 8s Gen 4. Furthermore, the chip offers newer versions of the gaming features as part of Snapdragon Elite Gaming suite.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and 8s Gen 4 feature dedicated Qualcomm Hexagon NPUs and Qualcomm AI Engine for advanced AI capabilities. The 8 Gen 5 also offers agentic AI capabilities and integrates hardware matrix acceleration.

The newer Snapdragon chip also excels in network and connectivity, as it features a newer modem with higher download and upload speeds. It also leads the camera aspect with advanced video recording capabilities and limitless semantic segmentation.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs 8s Gen 4: Which chip should you choose?

Whether big or small the differences are, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 outperforms the 8s Gen 4 in almost every aspect. So, if you’re a power user with gaming being a primary concern, the 8 Gen 5 is a no-brainer pick. That said, the 8s Gen 4 isn’t bad for gaming, but the newer chip offers better performance.

If extensive gaming sessions aren’t your thing, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 won’t disappoint you. In fact, most users wouldn’t even notice a performance gap on day-to-day tasks like browsing the internet, scrolling through social media apps, and playing videos.

Popular SoC comparisons:
1. Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite
2. Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
3. Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3

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Qualcomm and MediaTek were earlier supposed to be among the first brands to push 2nm smartphone chips into the market, but Samsung has quietly taken the crown by announcing Exynos 2600 — the world’s first smartphone chip built using 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) manufacturing process.

The Exynos 2600 sits above the Exynos 2500, promising notable improvements in performance, thermal efficiency, and AI capabilities. Although not officially confirmed, this chip is likely to power some of the upcoming Galaxy S26 series phones in many regions.

The latest Exynos chip features a 10-core CPU based on Arm’s latest v9.3 architecture, which includes C1-Ultra and C1-Pro cores. Samsung didn’t include any low-power little cores, as the CPU only comprises big and high-performance cores.

The Exynos 2600’s CPU comprises one prime C1-Ultra core clocked at 3.8GHz, three high-performance C1-Pro cores at 3.25GHz, and six efficiency-tuned C1-Pro cores at 2.75GHz. This new structure is claimed to have improved the CPU performance by up to 39%.

Gamers should also notice some improvements, as the new Xclipse 960 GPU is claimed to offer twice the compute performance of its predecessor and up to 50% better ray tracing performance. The chip also introduces Exynos Neural Super Sampling (ENSS) technology, which further improves gaming performance by leveraging AI-based resolution upscaling and frame generation technologies.

The South Korean giant has taken a step forward towards fixing the heating issues associated with Exynos chips by introducing the new Heat Path Block (HPB) technology. It improves heat transfer using High-k EMC materials, which are said to be as effective as a heat sink, and lowers thermal resistance by up to 16%.

The Exynos 2600 chip features an AI engine with a 32K MAC NPU and brings support for ARM’s Scalable Matrix Extension 2 (SME 2), which can accelerate AI and ML-based applications and provide enhanced support for matrix operations. Samsung claims the upgraded NPU delivers a 113% increase in AI performance over its predecessor, Exynos 2500.

The chip supports up to 320MP single-camera or 64MP + 32MP dual-camera configurations. Additionally, it enables zero shutter lag for 108MP shots. The chip can do 8K/30fps and 4K/120fps HDR video recording, with support for Samsung’s APV codec for higher-quality videos. Samsung claims the improved ISP is also up to 50% more efficient.

Other specs include LPDDR5x RAM, UFS 4.1 storage, 4K displays at a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, and HDR10+ playback.

Qualcomm and MediaTek will join in next year

From the specs sheet and brand claims, the Exynos 2600 appears to offer solid gains across CPU, GPU performance, and API capabilities. Particularly, the latest measures to fix heating issues could build more confidence in potential buyers. However, Qualcomm and MediaTek aren’t sleeping either.

The two chip giants are working towards announcing their 2nm smartphone chips. According to reports, those could be called: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Dimensity 9600. Both will reportedly use TSMC’s 2nm (N2P) manufacturing process.

MediaTek and Qualcomm usually release their latest flagship chips around September. That’s when you can expect them to unveil their 2nm flagship chips. That’s still months away, but in the meantime, we’re likely to hear more about these chips through various leaks.

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The post Samsung beats Qualcomm and MediaTek with world’s first 2nm smartphone chip appeared first on Gizmochina.

The chipset has always been a crucial part of a smartphone, but today it matters more than ever. From gaming performance and connectivity to battery life, camera processing, and AI features, the processor plays a central role in determining how a phone performs day-to-day — making the right choice increasingly important.

For years, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips were the go-to choice for most users. But MediaTek has dramatically closed the gap in recent years, and in some cases, it even pulled ahead. So, which one should you actually pick for your next upgrade? Let’s break it down.

Snapdragon and MediaTek: A quick background

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips have dominated the Android flagship market for over a decade. Major brands, including Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, have heavily relied on Qualcomm to power their high-end smartphones. Over time, Snapdragon has also earned a strong reputation for strong performance and reliable connectivity.

MediaTek, on the other hand, was primarily known for entry-level and mid-range chips. That perception has changed significantly with the rise of the Dimensity series. Today, MediaTek offers flagship-grade processors with modern CPU designs, powerful GPUs, and impressive power efficiency — often at a lower cost to smartphone manufacturers.

As a result, the two chipmakers now compete head-to-head across nearly every price segment.

Performance and gaming: where Snapdragon still holds an edge

Snapdragon chips have long been dominating smartphone gaming, and that’s still true. That said, MediaTek has aggressively filled the gap in recent years.

Modern Dimensity chips feature powerful GPUs that can match, or even outperform, Snapdragon chips on benchmarks. However, during longer gaming sessions, Snapdragon-powered phones generally deliver more consistent frame rates. MediaTek-powered phones exhibit relatively higher thermal throttling during extended gaming, but newer flagships have significantly improved in this regard.

This makes Snapdragon the safer choice for sustained gaming performance, although MediaTek chips still offer more than enough power for casual and even moderate gamers.

In CPU benchmarks, Snapdragon chips tend to have a slight edge in single-core performance, resulting in marginally faster app launches and smoother UI interactions. MediaTek’s recent Dimensity chips often perform better in multi-core workloads. In real-world use, however, these differences are subtle, and most users won’t notice a meaningful gap during everyday tasks like browsing, social media, or video streaming.

Battery life and efficiency: MediaTek’s quiet strength

MediaTek chips have consistently received praise for their excellent power efficiency, particularly in mid-range and upper mid-range segments. Dimensity chips are often optimized for sustained efficiency, resulting in longer screen-on time and reduced heat buildup.

Snapdragon chips are still efficient, especially recent generations, but MediaTek-powered phones deliver comparable or even better battery life at similar price points.

Camera and imaging: Snapdragon has a slight edge

Camera performance isn’t just about the sensor or megapixel count; the chipset also plays an important role. The image signal processor (ISP) on a chip processes the raw data (captured by the sensor) into usable image data, after which the OEM applies its own processing and tuning.

Snapdragon still holds a slight reliability edge due to years of ISP optimization and broader software support, particularly for video recording. MediaTek’s flagship chips have made major strides, but camera results still depend heavily on how well OEMs tune the imaging pipeline.

Connectivity and network reliability

Both Snapdragon and MediaTek offer modern connectivity features, including advanced 5G support, Wi-Fi standards, and Bluetooth enhancements.

In the US, however, the Snapdragon may have an edge due to carrier-specific optimizations. This is because of Snapdragon’s dominance in the region. That said, modern MediaTek flagships also perform reliably in most regions, including the US.

For the majority of users, connectivity differences between the two are unlikely to be a deciding factor, as both integrate modern connectivity features.

Pricing and value: where MediaTek shines

Pricing is one of MediaTek’s biggest advantages. Smartphones powered by MediaTek chips are typically more affordable than comparable Snapdragon-powered devices — that’s also true for flagship phones.

MediaTek chipsets often offer better specifications on paper for the same price, and this advantage is especially noticeable in the mid-range segment. Snapdragon-powered phones tend to cost more, reflecting brand perception, premium modem technology, and the long-standing maturity of their ecosystem.

Snapdragon vs MediaTek: which one should you choose?

• Choose Snapdragon if you prioritize sustained gaming performance, consistent camera results, and reliable connectivity.
• Choose MediaTek if you want excellent performance and battery efficiency at a lower price, and you’re comfortable trading a bit of ecosystem maturity for better value.

Both Snapdragon and MediaTek make capable chips. The choice ultimately depends less on the brand name and more on how the phone is optimized and how you plan to use it.

Keep reading further:
1. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9500 vs Apple A19 Pro
2. Dimensity 9500 vs Dimensity 9400
3. Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite

The post Snapdragon vs MediaTek: Which chip should you really choose? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Tablets are faster than ever before, and at the heart of this improvement is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite. Borrowing the powerful chipset from flagship smartphones, the 8 Elite powers premium tablets from various brands, promising not just faster performance but smarter efficiency and next-gen AI capabilities. But does this chip truly move the needle for tablets? From productivity to gaming, here’s a quick breakdown of what makes the Snapdragon 8 Elite special and why it could be a defining platform for high end tablets.

What’s Under the Hood: A Performance and Efficiency Beast

At its core, the Snapdragon 8 Elite brings a substantial evolution over its predecessors. Built on TSMC’s 3nm process with Qualcomm’s custom Oryon CPU architecture, it offers a significant uplift in raw processing power. Compared to its predecessor, it offers up to a 45 percent jump in CPU performance, while also cutting power consumption.

This all-new architecture isn’t just about peak performance. It’s designed so that tablets can sustain heavier workloads like editing and gaming. For tablet users, that means apps and services feel snappier and more responsive across the board.

Gaming and Graphics

One of the most striking advancements of the Elite platform is its Adreno GPU. With roughly 40 % faster graphical performance and enhanced efficiency, it brings console-like visuals to mobile devices. Games that once struggled on tablets can now run at higher fidelity, smoother frame rates, and with improved hardware accelerated ray-tracing support. This marks a real level-up for tablets that double as portable gaming rigs.

For Android tablets, this isn’t just about benchmarks. It’s about delivering deeper, richer experiences in high fidelity titles. Fans of esports titles like COD Mobile can now hit triple digit frame rate, which translates to a more smoother gameplay experience that gives a competitive edge.

Smarter Tablets Through On-Device AI

Apart from just raw speed, the Snapdragon 8 Elite flexes its AI prowess. The Hexagon Neural Processing Unit (NPU) is dramatically more capable, offering up to 45 percent faster AI performance per watt than previous generations. What does this mean in practice? Expect more responsive voice assistants, enhanced real-time language translation, smarter photography, and on-device generative AI that doesn’t require the cloud. Tablet makers can leverage this for everything from adaptive UI features to smarter multitasking.

Real-World Impact

Tablets like the OnePlus Pad 3 show how the Snapdragon 8 Elite translates in the real world. Beyond benchmarks, users benefit from fast app switching, lightning-quick rendering of complex spreadsheets, and creative workflows that don’t bog down under load.

The chipset also plays nicely with larger RAM configurations and UFS 4.0 storage, ensuring fast loading and efficient caching of big files. Combined with big batteries on modern tablets, this means sustained performance over hours of use.

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The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 was announced in September, and Qualcomm quickly followed it up with another chip release — the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. The newer chip also features Oryon cores, but doesn’t bear the “Elite” moniker for some reason.

Besides the weird naming scheme, Qualcomm weirdly compared the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 to a two-year-old 8 Gen 3 chip rather than the Snapdragon 8 Elite at the chip announcement. So, where does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 settle into the Snapdragon 8-series? Can it beat the Snapdragon 8 Elite? Let’s dig deeper into the benchmark scores and key differences to figure it out.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Benchmark score

We are yet to see a smartphone with the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip in the global market. However, the unreleased OnePlus 15R was recently spotted on Geekbench with a single-core score of 2,784 and a multi-core score of 9,329.

The Realme GT 7 Pro, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, pulls higher scores: 3122 in the single-core test and 9507 in the multi-core test. That’s about a 12% increase in the single-core score, but a modest 2% gain in multi-core performance.

So, the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 can’t match the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s performance despite featuring the latest Oryon cores. The reason is lower CPU speed and the lack of high-bandwidth memory. We’ll learn about more key differences below.

Note: We’ll update the section with benchmark scores from additional platforms, including 3DMark and AnTuTu, once we have tested a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 smartphone.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Key differences that matter

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is fabbed using TSMC’s 3nm (N3P) process, which offers slightly better performance compared to TSMC’s 3nm (N3E) process used for the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

The CPUs also bring several important differentiations. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 has third-gen Oryon cores, while the 8 Elite features second-gen Oryon cores. The (2 prime + 6 performance) core setup is there on both chips, but the Elite chip benefits from much higher clock speeds.

The GPU differences aren’t very clear. Qualcomm hasn’t announced which Adreno GPU is inside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. However, according to recent leaks, it’s Adreno 840, the same GPU inside the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but with a lower peak frequency and a trimmed-down version of the sliced GPU architecture.

In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Elite features an Adreno 830 GPU. It’s difficult to say which chip has the more powerful GPU without testing the device or reviewing the benchmarks. We’ll run gaming-specific benchmarks once we get the device and update the article.

The connectivity aspect doesn’t bring any differences, as both feature the same X80 5G modem with up to 10Gbps download speeds, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0. The cameras bring several differences, though. The 8 Gen 5 features a 20-bit AI ISP, which offers a more usable dynamic range and smoother gradients compared to the 18-bit ISP used in the 8 Elite chip.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite allows up to 8K/30fps video recording, the newer 8 Gen 5 chip peaks at 4K/120fps. While this may seem a downgrade, it isn’t. The 4K/120fps is more practical for users than 8K. The latter is more of a marketing spec. Even the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 supports up to 4K/120fps recording, not pushing to 8K.

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Qualcomm has announced two new chipsets aimed at strengthening the mid-range and entry-level smartphone space. The Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 and Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 mark the company’s next wave of affordable mobile platforms focusing on faster performance, improved imaging support and upgraded efficiency. With both processors expected to appear in 2026 devices, they signal Qualcomm’s ongoing push to remain competitive in the budget segment.

Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2

The Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 2 is positioned as a dependable option for low-cost phones while still offering noticeable improvements over its predecessor. It comes with a Kryo CPU clocked at up to 2.9GHz and an enhanced Adreno GPU that delivers smoother visuals and gains in graphical output. The chipset supports 120fps playback on Full HD Plus displays, helping reduce lag in gaming and multimedia.

Imaging is also a key focus, with support for cameras up to 108-megapixel and the ability to capture photos and videos through multiple lenses at the same time. Qualcomm has strengthened AI-related functions as well, improving voice assistance and ensuring clearer audio through better microphone and echo management. These upgrades are intended to help budget phones deliver more reliable everyday performance.

Snapdragon 4 Gen 4

The Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 continues the same philosophy but leans more towards efficiency. It features a Kryo CPU capped at 2.3GHz along with an Adreno GPU that can handle 120fps output on compatible displays. Like the 6s 4G Gen 2, it supports 108-megapixel cameras, but adds hardware-level multi frame noise reduction for cleaner low light shots.

Battery life is another highlight, as the chip supports Quick Charge 4 Plus which can bring a phone from zero to fifty percent in about fifteen minutes. With 5G and Wi-Fi enhancements included, the chipset aims to power upcoming entry-level smartphones with a more balanced performance profile.

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