Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: How Significant is the Gap Between Sub-Flagship and Flagship

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 has received a flagship name and nearly a full set of modern technologies, but in terms of performance, it does not match the younger Snapdragon 8 Elite. The gap in processor benchmarks is about 40%, and the differences touch not only on speed but also on graphics, cameras, modems, and headroom for future games.

In everyday applications, both chips perform quickly. Messenger apps, browsers, cameras, and interfaces do not reveal the scale of the difference. It becomes noticeable in games with high frame rates, emulation, video editing, and other heavy tasks.

Two Platforms of Different Classes

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is manufactured using a 4nm process and uses Qualcomm Kryo cores. Its configuration includes eight performance cores with a maximum frequency of around 3.2 GHz.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is built on a 3nm process and features its own Qualcomm Oryon cores. The standard version operates at frequencies up to 4.32 GHz, while some modifications can reach up to 4.47 GHz.

The difference goes beyond just frequencies. Oryon executes instructions faster per cycle, has larger caches, and is better suited for prolonged workloads. It is mainly the processor aspect that most strongly separates the Elite from the 8s Gen 4.

How Much Faster is the Snapdragon 8 Elite

Smartphones with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 typically score around 1900-2100 points in single-threaded mode and 6000-6500 points in multi-threaded mode on Geekbench 6. Models with the Snapdragon 8 Elite often show scores around 2800-3000 and 8500-9500 points respectively.

The Elite’s advantage in processor tasks is about 40-45%. In graphical tests, the gap usually falls within 25-35%.

The exact result depends on cooling, firmware, and power limits. However, the general hierarchy of power remains unchanged: the Elite is faster both in short tests and under prolonged loads.

In everyday applications, noticing this gap is challenging. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is already fast enough that the interface, browser, and camera do not suffer from being bottlenecked by the processor.

The Elite's advantage reveals itself in heavier scenarios:

• Emulating gaming consoles;
• Video editing and exporting;
• Processing large photographs;
• Unpacking archives;
• Local AI models;
• Prolonged gaming sessions.

Here, the additional 40% performance not only leads to higher test scores but also offers real-time time savings.

Gaming: 60 FPS vs. Maximum Settings

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 features Adreno 825 graphics with hardware ray tracing and supports modern gaming technologies from Qualcomm. For most mobile games, this is sufficient.

Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and other heavy projects can run at high settings at around 60 frames per second, provided the manufacturer hasn't skimped on cooling.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is equipped with more powerful Adreno 830 graphics. It is better suited for screens with refresh rates of 120 or 144 Hz, high internal resolution, and heavy graphical effects.

The difference is particularly noticeable in three scenarios.

Firstly, in games with high frame rates. The Adreno 830 maintains 90 or 120 FPS longer without a drop in frame rates.

Secondly, at maximum settings and with ray tracing. The Elite has to reduce resolution and effect quality less frequently.

Thirdly, in emulation. It places a load on both the CPU and GPU simultaneously, so the fast Oryon cores give the Elite a significant advantage.

For mobile games at 60 FPS, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is already sufficient. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is necessary for those who want maximum settings, increased frame rates, and headroom for future projects.

Heating and Stability

The 3nm process gives the Snapdragon 8 Elite an advantage in energy efficiency. At equal performance levels, it can consume less energy than the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.

However, the temperature of a smartphone depends not only on the chip. The manufacturer may raise power limits, install a small vapor chamber, or create a thin case. As a result, the model with the Elite isn’t necessarily cooler.

Well-cooled Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 can sometimes maintain stable performance longer than an aggressively tuned Elite in a compact case.

Therefore, while Elite has higher potential, actual heating needs to be assessed based on the specific smartphone.

Cameras and Video

Both platforms feature a triple 18-bit ISP and support cameras with a resolution of up to 320 MP. The quality of regular photos depends more on the sensor, optics, and the manufacturer's algorithms.

The main advantage of the Snapdragon 8 Elite is related to video.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 supports recording 4K HDR at 60 fps and 4K night video at 30 fps. The Snapdragon 8 Elite can record 4K at 120 fps and 4K night video at 60 fps.

The more powerful ISP also gives manufacturers more leeway for:

• Simultaneous operation of several cameras;
• Smooth switching between lenses;
• Enhanced stabilization;
• Background blur in video;
• Real-time HDR processing.

Having the Elite does not guarantee a better camera by itself. But the platform's limits are significantly higher.

Artificial Intelligence

Both chips support local generative models, speech recognition, translation, photo processing, and other AI features.

For removing objects, transcribing recordings, and simple local models, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is already sufficient. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is faster in prolonged computations and better suited for larger models.

However, the availability of features primarily depends on the manufacturer’s software. A smartphone with the Elite might have fewer AI tools than a well-supported model with the 8s Gen 4.

Connectivity and Wireless Technologies

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 supports 5G Sub-6 with download speeds of up to 4.2 Gbps. This is more than sufficient for most networks.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite comes with the Snapdragon X80 modem with speeds of up to 10 Gbps, support for Sub-6 and mmWave, and a more advanced antenna management system.

The difference in peak speeds is unlikely to be noticeable on real networks. What's more important is the broader range of bands, mmWave support, and potentially better connectivity in challenging conditions.

Both platforms support Wi-Fi 7. The Elite additionally offers UWB, which is used in digital car keys, tags, and precise positioning devices.

For most users, the lack of UWB and mmWave in the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 will not be critical. But in terms of connectivity capabilities, the Elite remains a more complete flagship platform.

Which Chip to Choose

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is more rational when the smartphone is significantly cheaper than the Elite model. It is already fast enough for everyday tasks, modern gaming, photo processing, and 4K video recording.

Upgrading to the Elite will not speed up messengers and browsers by 40%. However, a more affordable model might offer a larger battery, a good display, or developed cooling.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite justifies the extra cost in the following cases:

• Need for gaming at 90-120 FPS;
• Use of emulation;
• The smartphone is used for video editing;
• Importance of 4K recording at 120 FPS;
• Device is purchased for several years;
• Need for maximum performance headroom.

With a small price difference, the Elite is preferable. When there is a significant markup, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 often proves to be a more balanced choice.

Conclusion

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 brings most modern flagship technologies to a more affordable segment, but it does not reduce the gap with the Snapdragon 8 Elite to a symbolic level.

In everyday applications, both chips are fast. However, the Elite is about 40-45% stronger in processor tasks, noticeably faster in graphics, supports more complex video recording, and is equipped with an advanced modem.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is suitable for most users who find 60 FPS, a fast interface, and a good performance margin adequate. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is necessary for those who truly utilize maximum settings, emulation, editing, and heavy local computations.