When Qualcomm unveils a new mobile chipset, it usually sets the tone for the next wave of Android smartphones. This year, we’ve got two very different contenders bearing the Snapdragon 8 name: the Snapdragon 8 Elite and the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. At first glance, the names suggest they belong to the same family—and they do—but each serves a different purpose in Qualcomm’s broader strategy.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is designed for the bleeding edge. It’s the ultimate SoC (System-on-Chip) for those who want nothing less than the best. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 delivers a flagship-like experience at a more accessible price point. Let’s dive deeper into what sets them apart and which one might be right for your next smartphone.
The biggest leap comes from the CPU cores. Qualcomm made a bold move with the 8 Elite, swapping out traditional ARM designs for its custom-built Oryon cores. These aren't your typical Kryo tweaks—they’re bespoke, high-performance units clocked up to 4.47GHz, delivering a massive 45% boost in performance and 44% better power efficiency compared to its predecessor.
In contrast, the 8s Gen 4 sticks to a more traditional configuration: Kryo cores built around ARM’s Cortex-X4 and Cortex-A720 designs. It’s a smart mix—enough muscle for demanding apps, but clearly a step behind the Elite when it comes to sheer horsepower. You’ll still see up to 31% better performance than the previous generation while consuming 39% less power, which is impressive for its class.
If your needs revolve around heavy multitasking, professional-grade productivity, or pushing a phone to its limits, the 8 Elite’s custom CPU advantage is undeniable.
Both chips are AI-ready, but their depth and complexity differ. The Snapdragon 8 Elite houses a more powerful Hexagon NPU capable of handling INT4 to FP16 operations, offering improved AI performance per watt and support for on-device personalization and multimodal generative AI tasks. It can dynamically interpret and adapt based on user behavior, which opens doors for features like real-time voice assistance, photo relighting, and personalized UI experiences.
The 8s Gen 4, while equipped with the same Hexagon NPU architecture, lacks the high-precision data handling and broader Gen AI capabilities. It does, however, include a 2x boost in memory bandwidth, which improves responsiveness and energy efficiency—particularly noticeable during real-time translations, camera effects, and offline AI tasks.
In short, if AI is central to your smartphone experience, from live voice assistants to creative tools, the 8 Elite offers more headroom for growth and innovation.
Gamers and visual creatives will feel the gap more distinctly. The Adreno 830 GPU in the 8 Elite is a serious powerhouse. With up to 40% performance gains, real-time ray tracing, and support for Unreal Engine 5.3 with Nanite, it’s practically console-grade graphics in your pocket. Qualcomm’s Adreno Frame Motion Engine 2.0 can even double the frame rate while conserving battery—a game-changer for smooth mobile gaming.
The Adreno 825 GPU in the 8s Gen 4 is no slouch and retains many core features like Game Super Resolution and ray tracing, but with fewer execution slices (2 vs 3 in the Elite), which naturally results in lower peak performance. Also, some premium features like Unreal 5.3 support and the Frame Motion Engine are absent.
If you’re a casual gamer, the 8s Gen 4 will handle modern titles with ease. But for the best graphics fidelity and future-proof gaming, the 8 Elite is the clear winner.
Connectivity is another area where the 8 Elite flexes its flagship muscles. It integrates the Snapdragon X80 5G Modem-RF System capable of up to 10Gbps download speeds, 6x carrier aggregation, UWB, Wi-Fi 7 via FastConnect 7900, and advanced 5G AI Suite optimizations to reduce power usage and improve real-time connection quality.
The 8s Gen 4, while still modern, employs a lower-tier modem topping out at 4.2Gbps, with a simpler 4×4 MIMO antenna setup. However, it still supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and Snapdragon Seamless for smooth cross-device functionality.
Unless you're in a market with cutting-edge 5G deployment or need absolute peak download speeds, the 8s Gen 4’s connectivity features will cover most real-world scenarios just fine.
Both SoCs leverage Qualcomm’s Spectra 18-bit Triple AI ISP, but the 8 Elite is optimized for pro-level photography and video. Features like AI-based relighting, semantic segmentation, ultra-low-light video, and support for Truepic’s C2PA standard make it ideal for content creators who want trustworthy, studio-grade results from their smartphone camera.
The 8s Gen 4 brings solid imaging capabilities like Night Vision 2.0, HDR video, and 8K video capture, but lacks some of the real-time AI enhancements and broader camera array support of the Elite.
If content creation is your profession or passion, the 8 Elite is built with your needs in mind.
Interestingly, both chipsets share strong support in display, audio, and charging departments. Both support Quick Charge 5, Snapdragon Sound, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. However, the 8 Elite goes further, supporting QHD+ displays at 240Hz and external 8K video output. The 8s Gen 4 caps out at WQHD+ @ 144Hz and 4K external displays, which is more than sufficient for most users.
Unless you’re driving ultra-high-refresh displays or relying on your smartphone for high-resolution output to external monitors, the difference won’t be game-breaking.
| Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Custom Oryon @ 4.47GHz | Kryo (Cortex-X4 + A720s) @ 3.2GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 830 (3-slice) | Adreno 825 (2-slice) |
| AI Engine | Hexagon NPU w/ FP16 & Gen AI | Hexagon NPU, INT8, 2x memory boost |
| 5G Modem | Snapdragon X80 (10Gbps) | Standard 5G (4.2Gbps) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, BT 6.0, UWB | Wi-Fi 7, BT 6.0 |
| Display Support | QHD+ @ 240Hz, 8K external | WQHD+ @ 144Hz, 4K external |
| Camera Max | 320MP, 48+48+48 MP triple ZSL | 320MP, 36MP triple ZSL |
| Charging | Quick Charge 5 | Quick Charge 5 |
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is the chip for those who want it all—bleeding-edge performance, top-tier gaming, premium imaging, and AI wizardry. It’s the go-to choice for flagship devices that aim to leave no box unchecked.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, however, brings flagship features within reach for mid-premium smartphones. It’s a thoughtful mix of performance and efficiency, delivering 90% of what most users need without breaking the bank.
Choose the 8 Elite if: You’re a power user, gamer, or creator who wants the best smartphone experience possible.
Go with the 8s Gen 4 if: You want great performance, strong AI, and premium features—but don’t want to pay flagship prices.
In the end, it’s not just about the specs. It’s about matching your chip to your lifestyle.
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