It’s 2025, and the chip wars are heating up again. On one side, we’ve got Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite—a 10 custom-core monster built for maximum firepower. On the other, Samsung’s Exynos 2500 is quietly trying to claw its way back into relevance, mainly through foldables. This is the Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Exynos 2500.
This faceoff isn’t just about raw specs—it’s about two companies with two very different approaches to flagship performance. So let’s break this down properly and see who’s really leading the pack.
Snapdragon 8 Elite: Qualcomm’s New Direction
The Snapdragon 8 Elite was announced in October 2024 and is Qualcomm’s first SoC to fully ditch ARM Cortex cores in favour of its custom Oryon cores. Built on TSMC’s 3nm process, this is as flagship as it gets.
It powers premium devices like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, Realme GT 7 Pro, RedMagic 9S Pro, OnePlus 13 etc.
Exynos 2500: Samsung Sticks with ARM
The Exynos 2500 is Samsung’s in-house flagship chip, built on Samsung’s own 3nm node. While it still sticks with ARM Cortex cores, it brings some much-needed upgrades. This chip is expected to appear in foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7, at least in select markets.
Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Exynos 2500 – Specs Comparison Table
| Specs | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Exynos 2500 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2x Oryon – Phoenix L (4.32GHz)
6x Oryon – Phoenix M (3.53GHz) |
1x Cortex X925 (3.3GHz)
2x X725 (2.75GHz) 3x X725 (2.36GHz) 4x A520 (1.8GHz) |
The 8 Elite is better and faster |
| GPU | Adreno 830 | Xclipse 950 (1300MHz) | Adreno 830 is better |
| Process | 3nm TSMC | 3nm Samsung | TSMC is more efficient |
| ISA | ARMv9.2A | ARMv9.2-A | Draw |
| RAM Support | LPDDR5X (5333MHz) | LPDDR5X (4800MHz) | 8 Elite wins |
| Storage | UFS 4.1 | UFS 4.0/4.1 | Draw |
| Display Support | 3840×2540p | 3840×2160p | 8 Elite wins |
| Camera Support | Up to 320MP | Up to 200MP | 8 Elite |
| Video | 8K@60fps, 4K@120fps | 8K@30fps, 4K@120fps | 8 Elite |
| Modem | Snapdragon X80 – 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G | 5G (Sub-6 + mmWave), LTE Cat 24 | 8 Elite |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 | 5.4 | 8 Elite |
| WiFi | WiFi 7 | WiFi 7 | Draw |
| AnTuTu 10 | 2,750,000 | 2,213,797 | 8 Elite |
| Geek Bench | 3155 / 9723 | 2012 / 7563 | 8 Elite |
CPU cores
The Snapdragon 8 Elite ditches ARM’s cores for its own Oryon architecture, and it shows. With higher clocks and better efficiency, it absolutely slaps the Exynos 2500 in both single-core and multi-core tasks. Samsung’s poor use of the Cortex X925 and X725s just isn’t enough to keep up.
GPU
Samsung’s Xclipse 950 is clocked at 1300MHz and built with AMD RDNA elements, but it still can’t match the raw power and sustained performance of Qualcomm’s Adreno 830. Adreno continues to dominate both synthetic benchmarks and real-world gaming.
Benchmarks
This one isn’t close. The Snapdragon 8 Elite on AnTuTu 10 hits around 2,750,000 points and also leads the way on Geekbench 6 with a single core score of 3155 and a multi core score of 9723. The Exynos 2500 on the other hand is someway behind with a score of 2,213,797 on AnTuTu 10 and a Geekbench 6: 2012 (single core)/ 7563 (multi-core).
As a result, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is clearly ahead across the board.
RAM and Storage
Both support LPDDR5X and UFS 4.1, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite supports faster RAM speeds (5333MHz vs 4800MHz), giving it a slight edge in memory-intensive tasks.
Display
The Snapdragon 8 Elite supports a wider resolution of 3840 x 2540p versus 3840 x 2160p on the Exynos 2500. It’s a small difference, but it offers manufacturers more flexibility, especially with taller or unique aspect ratios.
Camera and Video
Snapdragon supports up to 320MP sensors and can shoot 8K at 60FPS, while the Exynos maxes out at 200MP and 8K at 30FPS. Qualcomm’s Spectra ISP is considered to be the more capable ISP.
Connectivity and Comms
Snapdragon X80 on the Snapdragon 8 Elite brings better modem support across 5G and legacy networks. If we continue further, the Bluetooth 6.0 on the 8 Elite also beats out the Bluetooth 5.4 on the Exynos 2500. Both SoCs support WiFi 7 however, so it’s a draw there.
Overall, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is better here.
Conclusion
Let’s not sugar-coat it—Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite is simply better than the Exynos 2500 in almost every single department. The move to custom Oryon cores has given it a major leap in CPU performance, while the Adreno GPU continues to lead in graphics.
The Exynos 2500 isn’t terrible—it’s just not competitive in this fight. It’s likely to do well in foldables and mid-premium devices, but it’s nowhere near challenging Snapdragon’s flagship throne.
If you’re choosing a phone based on performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is the chip to look for. No contest.
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