For years, Qualcomm has been a dominant force in the high-end smartphone processor market. However, with competition heating up from Apple and MediaTek, they’ve had to push the boundaries of innovation to stay ahead. This year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 showcased their efforts, but it seems Qualcomm isn’t done yet. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 leaks suggest a major leap in performance and efficiency.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 4

 

3NM TSMC Fabrication Process

The 8 Gen 4 will be built on TSMC’s N3E fabrication process, which promises significant improvements in performance and power efficiency. This is a departure from the initial rumors of a dual-sourced approach involving both TSMC and Samsung. Analysts believe this decision was made due to N3E’s superior affordability and longevity compared to the alternative.

Qualcomm Oryon CPU Cores

One of the most intriguing aspects of the leak is the potential use of  the Oryon CPU cores, previously seen in the Snapdragon X Elite. These cores offer exceptional performance, but their power efficiency has been a concern. However, the leak mentions that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 achieving a stunning 10,000 points in Geekbench 6, indicating remarkable efficiency despite the powerful cores.

See: What is a Benchmark?

Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 Power Efficiency

Despite valid concerns that the use of the Qualcomm Oryon cores may lead to increased heating and battery consumption, the leaks actually suggest otherwise.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 purportedly hits 10,000 points on GeekBench 6 whilst running at 7W. For comparison, both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Apple A17 Pro score around 7,000 points at 8W. This suggests the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could deliver significantly a better performance while consuming less power. Such a leap in efficiency would be a game-changer for mobile gaming and demanding applications.

Adreno 830 GPU Performance

The leak also claims a 10% performance boost for the Adreno 830 GPU compared to the Apple M2. This is significant, considering the M2 currently sits at the top of the performance ladder.

Here’s a breakdown of benchmark scores from 3Dmark Wild Life Extreme:

This translates to a 33% increase in GPU performance compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and even matches the Snapdragon X Elite, despite being a mobile-focused SoC. In just two years, we’ve witnessed a remarkable 2x jump in GPU performance, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a smartphone.

More impressive still, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4’s 7200 points in Wild Life Extreme brings it close to the power of an Nvidia RTX 3050 GPU. This is a staggering achievement, considering the latter is a dedicated graphics card for laptops.

Phoenix-L and Phoenix-M Cores

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the leak is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4’s rumored “2P + 6E” configuration with Phoenix-L and Phoenix-M cores. It would seem that Qualcomm are dumping DynamIQ for big.LITTLE. These cores are believed to handle high-performance and efficient tasks, respectively. However, the nature of the Phoenix-M core remains unclear. Is it a ground-up design like Apple’s E-cores, or a derivative of the Phoenix-L core?

Developing a dedicated E-core would be beneficial for Qualcomm, considering their diverse range of products, including low-end smartphones and smartwatches. A well-designed E-core could significantly improve their performance and efficiency in these segments.

Release Date

If past patterns are any indication, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is expected to be unveiled at the next Snapdragon Summit, likely held in October 2024. This means we have less than a year to wait before this powerhouse processor arrives on the scene.

Conclusion

The leaked details about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 paint a picture of a revolutionary mobile processor. With its advanced fabrication process, powerful CPU cores, and exceptional GPU performance, it has the potential to redefine what’s possible in a smartphone. The next generation of mobile devices could see unprecedented performance and efficiency, pushing the boundaries of gaming, multimedia, and demanding applications. We eagerly await the official announcement and the chance to experience the 8 Gen 4 firsthand.

Caveat Emptor:

While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 leaks are exciting, it’s important to remember:

  • These are just leaks and may not be accurate: The information presented is based on unconfirmed sources and could change between now and the official release.
  • Performance benchmarks are preliminary: Benchmarks mentioned may not reflect real-world performance and could vary depending on specific applications and usage scenarios.
  • Release date is an estimation: The anticipated release date of October 2024 is based on previous patterns and could be subject to change.

It’s crucial to wait for official confirmation and independent testing before drawing definitive conclusions about the 8 Gen 4’s capabilities. Be wary of hyping the product to an unrealistic degree based solely on leaked information.

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