At the 2024 Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm introduced its latest flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which may also be referred to as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 based on previous naming conventions. This time, Qualcomm has equipped the Snapdragon 8 Elite with Nuvia-designed second-generation Oryon CPU cores. The first-gen Oryon CPU made its debut in the Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm’s ARM-based processor for PCs.
Built on TSMC’s advanced 3nm (N3E) process, the Snapdragon 8 Elite features eight second-gen Oryon CPU cores. Two of these cores can reach an impressive 4.32GHz, surpassing even Apple’s A18 Pro, while the other six cores can go up to 3.53GHz.
Qualcomm claims that the new Oryon cores in the Snapdragon 8 Elite deliver exceptional performance, with a 45% increase in both single-core and multi-core performance compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
The next-generation Adreno 830 GPU delivers a significant 40% boost in graphics performance, along with a 35% improvement in ray tracing for gaming. Qualcomm has made notable advancements with the Adreno GPU this time, introducing GMEM (generalized memory management) to incorporate local memory directly into the GPU, enabling faster rendering.
Additionally, the Adreno 830 is built on a new Sliced architecture, featuring three GPU slices, each clocked at up to 1.1GHz. The GPU supports all major graphics APIs, including Unreal Engine, Nanite, and Chaos Engine, making it a powerhouse for next-gen gaming experiences.
The new Hexagon NPU on the Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers a 45% increase in AI performance compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It features a 6-core vector accelerator and an 8-core scalar accelerator, with access to dual-channel LPDDR5X memory running at up to 5.3GHz.
In terms of connectivity, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is equipped with the Snapdragon X80 5G modem and supports Wi-Fi 7, enhanced with AI capabilities. The upgraded ISP offers 33% faster performance, capable of capturing 4.3 gigapixels per second. Leveraging the Hexagon AI engine, the ISP enables real-time image and video enhancements, such as AI-based relighting, object removal from videos, real-time segmentation, and more.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Specifications
Overall, Qualcomm claims that the Snapdragon 8 Elite, also known as the 8 Gen 4, is 27% more power-efficient than its predecessor. While we’ll need to test the 8 Elite for a full assessment, what are your thoughts on Qualcomm’s new flagship chipset? Do you think it has the potential to outperform the Apple A18 Pro and Dimensity 9400? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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