Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Early Real-World Performance Benchmarks Surface

Qualcomm has recently introduced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, its latest flagship mobile system-on-chip (SoC). While initial Geekbench scores were showcased during the Snapdragon Summit, the first comprehensive real-world performance benchmarks are now emerging, thanks to early testing on the unreleased OnePlus 15. These results, shared by Geekerwan on YouTube, focus primarily on the capabilities of the new Adreno 840 GPU, which benefits from Snapdragon HPM (High Performance Memory) cache and a refreshed GPU architecture.

It is important to recognize that these early benchmarks may not fully represent the performance users will experience on other smartphones. Factors such as thermal management and device-specific optimizations play a significant role in sustained performance, particularly during gaming and intensive workloads. Additionally, the OnePlus 15 used in these tests is running pre-release firmware and drivers, so further improvements are likely as the software matures.

Benchmark Results: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs. Competitors

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 was evaluated across several popular mobile games, including Honkai: Impact 3rd, Wuthering Waves, Honor of Kings, and Delta Force. For comparison, the tests also included the Apple A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the MediaTek Dimensity 9500. The new Snapdragon chipset demonstrated impressive results, often matching the performance of Apple’s latest silicon.

  • Honkai: Impact 3rd: 59.60 FPS (1680 × 770), 36 FPS 1% lows, 5.88 W; 59.4 FPS (2160 × 991), 28.2 FPS 1% lows, 7.33 W
  • Wuthering Waves: 59.8 FPS, 29.3 FPS 1% lows, 5.13 W
  • Honor of Kings: 119.9 FPS (FPS limiter hit), 119.0 FPS 1% lows, 3.47 W
  • Delta Force: 164.9 FPS, 148.8 FPS 1% lows, 4.7 W

In addition to gaming benchmarks, Geekbench 6 scores were also recorded. The OnePlus 15 achieved 12,352 points in the multicore test and 3,836 points in the single-core test, closely aligning with the results Qualcomm presented at the Snapdragon Summit. This consistency suggests that the performance seen in early test devices is likely to carry over to retail units.

Efficiency and Sustained Performance

One of the standout aspects of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is its efficiency. The chipset maintained strong sustained performance and competitive 1% lows, all while operating more efficiently than most other devices tested. In scenarios where the Apple A19 Pro was included, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 was the only SoC to match Apple’s power efficiency, highlighting Qualcomm’s advancements in both performance and energy management.

As more devices launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and software optimizations continue, further improvements in real-world performance are expected. For now, these early benchmarks indicate that Qualcomm’s latest flagship SoC is a strong contender in the high-end mobile market, offering both impressive speed and efficiency.