Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 5: CPU Gains a Bit, but GPU Accelerates by a Quarter

It's easy to overestimate the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 just by its name. The new chip doesn't quite reach the higher Snapdragon 7 levels: the CPU upgrade compared to the previous generation is modest. The graphics and wireless capabilities have been more noticeably updated - Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0 are now supported, and the GPU has received a much more significant performance boost.

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 represents not a big leap in computing power, but a comprehensive upgrade for mass-market smartphones.

Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 vs. Snapdragon 6 Gen 4: What Has Changed

*Manufacturer's claims for the reference platform. In specific smartphones, the difference may vary.

Performance: CPU is Faster, but No Major Leap

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 features eight Kryo cores in a 4+4 configuration. The performance cluster runs at a frequency of up to 2.6 GHz, while the efficiency cluster goes up to 2.0 GHz. The fabrication process remains at 4 nm.

In Geekbench 6, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 scores about 1180 points in single-core and 3501 points in multi-core. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 shows around 1107 and 3073 points, respectively.

The increase is decent, especially under multi-threaded workloads, but it's not significant enough to call it a serious CPU upgrade.

Qualcomm emphasizes system responsiveness and claims up to 20% faster app launches and up to 18% less screen stuttering. These numbers heavily depend on memory, firmware, and the specific smartphone, but a reduction in interface delays will be more noticeable to the user than a few extra percentage points in Geekbench.

Graphics: Gains Much Greater than CPU

Qualcomm claims a GPU increase of up to 21%, but initial comparative tests show an even larger difference.

In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 scores around 1214 points compared to 968 for the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 - a lead of about 25%.

The difference between the best and worst passes is less than 1%, though much depends on the specific smartphone's cooling.

Tests were conducted on different devices - the Honor X80 Pro Max and Oppo K13 5G - so the cooling system and power limits also influence the result.

However, the nature of the upgrade is clear: the GPU has improved significantly more than the CPU. For gaming, this is more important than a few additional percent in single-thread performance.

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 still noticeably lags behind the Snapdragon 8 and the fast Snapdragon 7 models in demanding games. Settings will still need to be lowered, but the faster GPU allows for better quality graphics and stable FPS.

Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0: Connectivity Upgraded More Than the CPU

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 features Wi-Fi 7 with channels of up to 320 MHz, Bluetooth 6.0, LE Audio, and Bluetooth Channel Sounding.

5G operates in the Sub-6 range, with a claimed download speed of up to 2.8 Gbps. Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 also supported mmWave, so the modem part of the new generation cannot be counted as an improvement in every parameter.

Cameras: 200 MP on Paper Means Little

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 supports sensors up to 200 MP, a single camera up to 64 MP with Zero Shutter Lag, and 4K HDR recording at 30 FPS. There is multi-frame noise reduction and night shot processing algorithms.

But support for 200 MP alone says nothing about photo quality. Quality depends more on the sensor, optics, stabilization, and manufacturer's processing. Here, 200 MP is just a technical limit of the ISP.

The Main Strange Compromise - USB 2.0

Against the backdrop of Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, UFS 3.1, and 4K HDR, the support for USB 2.0 seems particularly archaic.

In transferring large volumes of photos and videos, USB 2.0 already becomes a noticeable limitation. The contrast is strange: the wireless component is already close to more expensive platforms, while the wired interface remains limited to USB 2.0.

For most buyers, this is not critical, but in a level playing field, USB 2.0 remains a clear disadvantage.

Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 Makes Sense Only at the Right Price

The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 doesn't provide a significant CPU increase. Single-thread speed has risen by about 7%, and multi-thread performance by around 14%, while in graphics tests, the advantage over the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 reaches about 25-32%.

Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and interface optimizations complement the faster GPU, so Geekbench shows only part of the changes.

The main question is the price of the specific device. If a smartphone with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 is significantly cheaper than models with the Snapdragon 7 series or fast Dimensity 7xxx/8xxx, such a choice is justified.

If a Snapdragon 7-series or fast Dimensity 7xxx/8xxx smartphone is available for the same price, choosing the Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 solely for Wi-Fi 7 and the new GPU makes little sense.