Snapdragon 8 Elite vs 8 Gen 3: What’s Really New & Should You Care?
Qualcomm’s flagship chips power the world’s most premium Android phones — and in 2025, two heavyweights are stealing the spotlight: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the newer, more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite.
But how different are they really? Is the Elite version just another marketing move, or is it worth the upgrade? If you're eyeing a flagship phone this year — Galaxy S25 Ultra, Xiaomi 15, OnePlus 13 — this deep dive will help you make the smart call.
🔍 What’s New with Snapdragon 8 Elite?
Let’s start with the basics: the Snapdragon 8 Elite isn’t just a Gen 3 refresh — it’s a major architectural leap. Qualcomm ditched ARM's stock cores and brought in its custom Oryon CPUs (yes, the same ones hyped in Snapdragon X Elite laptops). This means it’s not just faster — it’s built differently at the core.
⚙️ Performance Breakdown
🧠 CPU: Powerhouse vs Performer
| Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 2x Prime @ 4.32GHz (up to 4.47GHz Galaxy) 6x Performance @ 3.53GHz | 1x Cortex-X4 @ 3.3GHz 3+2 Cortex-A720 + 2 Cortex-A520 |
| Process | 3nm (TSMC) | 4nm (TSMC) |
| Geekbench | ~3,213 single / ~10,093 multi | ~2,213 single / ~6,652 multi |
| CPU Gain | 🔼 ~45% faster | ➖ Still fast |
✅ Takeaway: The Elite crushes Gen 3 in both single-core and multi-core performance. You’ll notice the difference in app load times, multitasking, and especially AI-heavy tasks.
🎮 GPU: Smoother, Smarter Gaming
| Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| GPU | Adreno 830 (sliced, 1536 ALUs) | Adreno 750 (1536 ALUs) |
| Ray Tracing | 35% improved | Good, but older gen |
| Power Efficiency | 40% better than Gen 3 | Solid for 2024 |
✅ Takeaway: The 8 Elite is a gamer’s dream — more stable frame rates, better ray tracing, and cooler running if your device has good thermal management.
🔋 Battery Life vs Performance Tradeoff
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Snapdragon 8 Elite: Better power efficiency on paper — thanks to 3nm. But under heavy load (like gaming or video editing), it draws more power (up to 7.5W vs. 6.5W on Gen 3).
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Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: More stable in thermally-limited devices or smaller batteries (think 5000mAh vs 6000mAh).
✅ Takeaway: If you’re a casual user, Gen 3 is plenty efficient. If you push your phone to the edge (gaming, editing, AI), Elite gives you the muscle — but make sure your phone’s cooling system can handle it.
🤖 AI & On-Device Intelligence
AI is becoming the battleground, and Qualcomm knows it.
| Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| NPU | Hexagon upgraded | Hexagon (older gen) |
| AI Speed | 45% faster | Great, but lags behind |
| Token Limits | Higher, supports bigger models | Lower, less multimodal support |
✅ Takeaway: Expect better live translation, AI photo editing, and even on-device ChatGPT-style responses on Elite. Gen 3 is still solid, but not future-proof on the AI front.
📷 Camera & Imaging Power
| Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Max Camera Support | 320MP | 200MP |
| 8K Video | Up to 60fps | Up to 30fps |
| Real-Time Segmentation | Limitless | Up to 12 layers |
✅ Takeaway: The 8 Elite enables more advanced computational photography — great for pro-level camera phones.
📡 Connectivity: Tie Game
Both chips support:
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Wi-Fi 7
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Bluetooth 5.4
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10Gbps 5G speeds
But the Elite packs the newer Snapdragon X80 modem (vs X75 on Gen 3), which may help with efficiency and signal handling in congested areas.
🌡️ Thermals: Is It Hot or Not?
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8 Elite: Can hit 50°C under sustained loads — but good cooling in phones like Realme GT7 Pro keeps things in check.
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8 Gen 3: Runs cooler by default, making it better for thin, passively-cooled phones.
✅ Takeaway: Thermals depend heavily on device design. In a well-cooled phone? Go Elite. If you’re worried about overheating or battery drain? Stick with Gen 3.
📊 Benchmarks at a Glance
| Benchmark | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu | ~2.75 million | ~2.02 million |
| Geekbench 6 | 3,033 / 9,271 | 2,213 / 6,652 |
| 3DMark (Wild Life Extreme) | 6,311 (best) / 83.3% stability | Lower & less stable |
🔎 Who Should Buy What?
| You Are... | Go With... |
|---|---|
| A Gamer | Snapdragon 8 Elite — better FPS, less lag, more future-proof |
| Power User or Creator | Snapdragon 8 Elite — for AI tools, editing, multitasking |
| Battery-Conscious or Casual User | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 — great balance of power & efficiency |
| Looking for Value | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 — solid performance, likely cheaper phones |
🏁 Final Verdict: Elite vs Gen 3
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Snapdragon 8 Elite: A massive leap in performance and AI. Built for the next-gen Android experience. But you’ll need a flagship phone with great cooling and battery optimization to really enjoy it.
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Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Still incredibly capable. Perfect for users who want high-end power without pushing the limits (or the budget).
💬 Thinking of upgrading your phone? Drop your use case (gaming, productivity, photography), and I’ll help you pick the best phone powered by either of these chips.
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