Qualcomm Snapdragon 888

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888: A Review of the Flagship Processor from 2021 in the Perspective of 2025

April 2025

Introduction

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888, introduced at the end of 2020, became a symbol of the transition to 5G and artificial intelligence in mobile devices. Despite almost five years since its release, smartphones powered by this SoC (System-on-Chip) remain popular due to their balance of performance and energy efficiency. In this article, we will explore what makes the Snapdragon 888 noteworthy today, how it performs in real-world scenarios, and who should pay attention to it.

1. Architecture and Technology Process: Innovations in Miniature

CPU: Three-Cluster Structure

The Snapdragon 888 is built on an 8-core Kryo 680 architecture divided into three clusters:

- 1 Cortex-X1 core (up to 2.84 GHz) — for resource-intensive tasks: gaming, rendering, AI computations.

- 3 Cortex-A78 cores (up to 2.42 GHz) — provide high performance in multitasking.

- 4 Cortex-A55 cores (up to 1.8 GHz) — handle background processes and energy savings.

The overall amount of L2 cache is 1 MB, which speeds up access to frequently used data.

GPU: Adreno 660

The Adreno 660 graphics processor offers 35% higher performance compared to its predecessor (Adreno 650 in Snapdragon 865). It supports:

- Displays with refresh rates up to 144 Hz.

- Real-time ray tracing (relevant for gaming).

- 8K video decoding at 30 FPS and HDR10+.

Technology Process: 5 nm

The chip is manufactured using a 5-nm process (Samsung 5LPE), which has reduced power consumption by 25% compared to 7-nm processors. This is critically important for supporting 5G and ensuring long battery life.

2. Performance: From Gaming to AI

Gaming

- In 2025, the Snapdragon 888 still handles most mobile games at high settings: Genshin Impact — 50-60 FPS, Call of Duty: Mobile — 90 FPS.

- Support for Game Quick Touch technology reduces input lag to 10 ms.

- However, in advanced scenarios (such as rendering 4K graphics), noticeable heating occurs, requiring active cooling.

Multimedia

- Recording and playback of 8K video with HDR.

- Hardware acceleration for Dolby Vision and AV1 codecs.

- The Aqstic audio chip supports 32-bit sound and formats like aptX Adaptive.

Artificial Intelligence

- AI engine Hexagon 780 (6th generation) with performance up to 26 TOPS (trillions of operations per second).

- Enhanced algorithms for photography (autofocus, noise reduction) and voice assistants.

Power Consumption and Heat Dissipation

- TDP is 10W — a moderate figure, but under load (gaming, 5G modem) the chip can consume up to 12-14W.

- In smartphones with passive cooling, throttling (frequency reduction) can occur after 15-20 minutes of intensive use.

3. Built-in Modules: Future Connectivity

Snapdragon X60 Modem

- Supports 5G (mmWave and sub-6 GHz) with peak speeds up to 7.5 Gbps.

- Compatibility with 4G LTE Advanced (Cat 24/22).

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

- Wi-Fi 6E (up to 3.6 Gbps) with low latency.

- Bluetooth 5.2 supporting aptX Adaptive and LE Audio codecs.

Navigation

- Dual-frequency GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) with an accuracy of up to 1 meter.

- Support for Iridium satellite communication systems (emergency calls).

4. Comparison with Competitors

Previous Generation: Snapdragon 865

- CPU performance increase: 25%, GPU: 35%.

- More advanced AI engine (26 TOPS vs 15 TOPS).

Apple A14 Bionic

- Better results in Single-Core (1600+ in Geekbench 6), but lagging in Multi-Core (3200).

- No built-in 5G modem (an external one was used in iPhone 12).

Samsung Exynos 2100

- Similar architecture (Cortex-X1 + A78), but higher heat generation.

- Adreno 660 vs Mali-G78 MP14: Snapdragon wins in gaming optimization.

MediaTek Dimensity 1200

- Cheaper, but weaker in GPU (Mali-G77 MC9) and lacks mmWave 5G support.

5. Use Cases

Gaming

- Ideal for cloud gaming (Xbox Cloud, NVIDIA GeForce NOW) and mobile streaming.

- Devices with active cooling are recommended (for example, ASUS ROG Phone 5).

Everyday Tasks

- Instant app launches, smooth interface operation.

- Energy efficiency: up to 7-8 hours of screen time (with a battery capacity of 4500 mAh).

Photography and Videography

- Support for cameras up to 200 MP and simultaneous recording from three modules.

- AI enhancements: night mode, stabilization, scene recognition.

6. Advantages and Disadvantages

Strengths:

- High performance in gaming and multimedia.

- Full support for 5G and Wi-Fi 6E.

- Energy efficiency for its class.

Weaknesses:

- Heating under prolonged loads.

- In 2025, it lags behind new chips (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Dimensity 9300) in AI tasks.

7. Tips for Choosing a Smartphone

- Cooling: Look for models with vapor chambers or heat sinks (Xiaomi Mi 11, OnePlus 9 Pro).

- Battery: At least 4500 mAh for comfortable use.

- Price: New devices with Snapdragon 888 in 2025 range from $400 (e.g., POCO F4) to $700 (flagships from previous years).

8. Final Conclusion: Who is Snapdragon 888 Suitable For?

This processor is an optimal choice for:

- Gamers who value the balance of price and performance.

- 5G enthusiasts in need of a future-proof device.

- Users prioritizing a quality camera.

Despite its age, the Snapdragon 888 remains a worthy option in the mid-range segment, especially if you're not ready to overpay for the top new models of 2025. Its key advantages are stability, proven optimization, and availability across a wide range of devices.