Qualcomm has confirmed that its upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 processor will debut in October. Previously, its performance details were known only through leaks and reports, but this is changing now.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 has finally appeared on the Geekbench platform. Although the listing is likely not from the final production version of the chip—indicated as a “Manufacturer Model”—the scores point to impressive single-core and multi-core performance.
Benchmark Scores
In the Geekbench test, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 achieved a score of 2884 points in the single-core test, nearly matching Apple’s A17 Pro, which averages around 2915 points.
However, its multi-core performance is where it truly excels. The SoC scored 8840 points in the multi-core test, significantly surpassing the A17 Pro’s average score of about 7,300 points. [Note: The average single and multi-core scores of A17 Pro are sourced from NoteBookCheck.]
New Architecture
Qualcomm is shifting to a new architecture for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. Instead of the standard Arm cores, the chip will feature a custom Oryon CPU design, similar to what Qualcomm employed in the Snapdragon X-series for PCs.
This change in core design is anticipated to bring a substantial performance boost, and early Geekbench results are already reflecting this improvement.
The benchmark also provides insights into the core architecture of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. The SoC has an octa-core layout with six base cores and two high-performance cores. The base cores are clocked at 2.78GHz, while the performance cores run at an impressive 4.09GHz.
Cost Implications
While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is poised to be the leading Android SoC in 2025, these advancements will come at a higher cost. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will be 25-30% more expensive compared to the current flagship, the 8 Gen 3. This increased chip cost will likely result in higher prices for flagship smartphones in 2025.
