We recently conducted a performance comparison between the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, finding that the former does not provide the same flagship-level performance as the latter. To assess their performance, we also compared the recently released Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 to the flagship processor from the previous generation, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Furthermore, the 8 Gen 3s appear to operate more similarly to the SD 8 Gen 2 and SD 7+ Gen 3 when seen objectively. Consequently, a benchmark comparison featuring Geekbench, AnTuTu, the CPU throttling test, and more is provided below between the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
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Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 8 Specifications Comparison
Look at the specifications for the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 before moving forward. To grasp the new terminology, you can also refer to our explainer on the Snapdragon chipset naming system.
| Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | |
| Release Data | March 2024 | November 2022 |
| Process Node | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 4nm |
| CPU | Octa-core Kryo CPU 1x 3.0GHz (Cortex-X4) 4x 2.8GHz (Cortex-A720) 3x 2.0GHz (Cortex-A520) | Octa-core Kryo CPU 1x 3.2GHz (Cortex-X3) 2x 2.8GHz (Cortex-A715) 2x 2.8GHz (Cortex-A710) 3x 2.0GHz (Cortex-A510) |
| GPU | Adreno 735 Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing AFME 2.0 | Adreno 740 GPU Hardware-accelerated Ray Tracing Unreal Engine 5 Game Post Processing Accelerator |
| NPU | Hexagon NPU Run AI models up to 10B parameters | Hexagon NPU |
| Camera Support | Cognitive ISP, Triple 18-bit ISPs Up to 200MP photo capture 108MP ZSL, 64+36 ZSL, 36+36+36 ZSL 4K HDR video capture at 60 FPS | 18-Bit Spectra ISP Cognitive ISP Snapdragon Sight |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, LE | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, LE |
| Modem | Snapdragon X70 5G Modem Peak Download Speed 6.5 Gbps Peak Upload Speed 3.5 Gbps | Snapdragon X70 5G Modem Peak Download Speed 10 Gbps Peak Upload Speed 3.5 Gbps |
| Storage / RAM Support | UFS 4.0 LPDDR5X memory up to 4200MHz | UFS 4.0 LPDDR5X memory up to 4200MHz |
| AV1 Codec Support | HW-accelerated AV1 Decode only | HW-accelerated AV1 Decode only |
| NavIC Support | Yes | Yes |
CPU Score on Geekbench 6
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 performs similarly to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, as the Geekbench 6 CPU test makes clear. The recently released Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 scores 1,999 points in the single-core test and 5,273 points in the multi-core exam.
However, in the single-core test, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 scored 1,934 and in the multi-core test, 5,367. Because the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 has newer cores than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, it can outperform the latter’s CPU even though its cores are clocked at a lower frequency.
| Geekbench 6 CPU | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Single-core | 1,999 | 1,934 |
| Multi-core | 5,273 | 5,367 |
Benchmark Score for AnTuTu
Subsequently, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 performs comparably to Qualcomm’s 2022 flagship, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, in the AnTuTu benchmark test. AnTuTu gave the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 a score of 1,523,930, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 received 1,535,770 points.
Indeed, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 outperformed the SD 8 Gen 2 in the CPU test. Nevertheless, the 8 Gen 2’s GPU is somewhat superior.
| AnTuTu Benchmark | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| AnTuTu Score | 1,523,930 | 1,535,770 |
| CPU | 391,196 | 388,627 |
| GPU | 520,531 | 605,405 |
| Memory | 344,714 | 256,269 |
| UX | 267,489 | 285,469 |
CPU Throttling Test
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 outperformed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the CPU Throttling test. The 8s Gen 3 can handle a heavy workload on its CPU without compromising performance because it has newer, more efficient cores.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 throttled to 94% of its full performance during the 15-minute test, whereas the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 throttled to 75% of its maximum performance. That being said, a lot also hinges on how well OEMs have integrated their cooling system.
GPU Test on Geekbench
We conducted the Geekbench GPU test to determine the performance difference between the two Adreno GPUs because 3DMark kept crashing on the Xiaomi Civi 4 Pro. In the OpenCL test, the Adreno 735 GPU on the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 scored 8,838; in the Vulkan test, it scored 10,154.
By contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC’s Adreno 740 GPU received a slightly higher score of 9,133 points in the OpenCL test. Nonetheless, the 8 Gen 2 received 9,109 points in the Vulkan test. With support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing, I’d say both GPUs are fairly capable and comparable.
| Geekbench 6 GPU | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| OpenCL | 8,838 | 9,133 |
| Vulkan | 10,154 | 9,109 |
AI Performance Test
We used the Geekbench ML program to assess the NPU performance of both chipsets in preparation for the final AI performance test. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 received 383 points, while the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 scored 612. The fact that Qualcomm chipsets do not presently support the NNAPI backend adequately may be the reason for both chipsets’ low scores. The Xiaomi Civi 4 Pro would not launch other AI benchmarking apps, despite our best efforts.
The Verdict: Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
In almost every aspect, the performance of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is comparable to that of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is unquestionably the chipset I would use if I had to choose between the two. Why? It has newer, slightly slower ARM cores, which should extend the chipset’s battery life and enhance its thermal performance.
In conclusion, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
In almost every aspect, the performance of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is comparable to that of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is unquestionably the chipset I would use if I had to choose between the two. Why? It has newer, slightly slower ARM cores, which should extend the chipset’s battery life and enhance its thermal performance.
Also Read: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – The Performance Booster.
