Snapdragon 8 Gen1 Review: Unveiling the Truth

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Architecture Overview
3. CPU Core Upgrades
4. GPU Improvements
5. L3 Cache Upgrade
6. Power Consumption Analysis
7. Geekbench 5 Performance Metrics
8. GFXBench 5.0 Benchmark Results
9. Stress Testing with Nimian Legends: Bright Ridge
10. Mid-load Gaming Performance
11. Genshin Impact Testing
12. Conclusion

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: A Review of Qualcomm's Latest Mobile Platform

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is the successor of Qualcomm's previous flagship mobile platform, Snapdragon 888. In this article, we will dive deep into the features and performance of this new SOC, analyzing its architecture, enhancements in CPU and GPU, power consumption, and gaming performance. We will also conduct benchmark tests and stress testing to provide You with a comprehensive review of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

1. Introduction

The continually evolving world of smartphones demands advancements in mobile processors, and Qualcomm aims to meet those demands with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Despite the unusual product naming scheme change, the focus lies on the platform's performance and power efficiency. This article aims to explore whether Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 addresses the thermal issues experienced in the previous generation and offers significant improvements. Join us as we Delve into the architecture, CPU core upgrades, GPU enhancements, power consumption analysis, and gaming performance of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

2. Architecture Overview

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is the first mobile SOC to support the ARMv9 instruction set, bringing improvements in security and scalability. With the inclusion of Scalable Vector Extension 2 (SVE2), ARM chips running on smartphones, desktop PCs, and data centers can run software designed for different platforms without compatibility issues. The new CPU core design consists of the upgraded Cortex-X2, Cortex-A710, and Cortex-A510, replacing the old A55. The inclusion of ARMv9 and new CPU cores Hints at Qualcomm's ambitions to compete with x86 in the desktop and data center markets.

3. CPU Core Upgrades

The Cortex-X2, Cortex-A710, and Cortex-A510 CPU cores bring some improvements in performance compared to their predecessors. While the new X2 core shares similarities with its predecessor, it features a reduced pipeline length, larger out-of-order window, improved branch prediction, and no support for 32-bit apps. The A710 core, designed by ARM's French team, promises significant improvements in the next generation. The efficient A510 core, designed in Arm's headquarters in Cambridge, boasts a 35% to 50% improvement in IPC. However, the increase in power consumption may offset the performance gains.

4. GPU Improvements

Qualcomm has introduced the Adreno 730 GPU in Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, which shows promising performance improvements compared to the previous 600 series GPUs. This new GPU has the potential to compete with Apple's A14 and even reach the level of Apple's A15 when running on the Vulkan API. The GPU's performance is a notable improvement compared to the Snapdragon 888, but it still draws a significant amount of power. The power consumption of the GPU needs to be considered in the overall performance analysis.

5. L3 Cache Upgrade

In Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, Qualcomm has increased the L3 cache from 4MB to 6MB. While this upgrade is not groundbreaking, it contributes to improving CPU performance. However, it falls short compared to MediaTek's 8MB L3 cache in their chip. The impact of cache size on CPU performance will be explored in Detail in benchmark tests.

6. Power Consumption Analysis

Power consumption is a crucial aspect to consider when evaluating the performance of a mobile platform. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 exhibits higher power consumption than its predecessor in benchmark tests. During Geekbench 5 tests, the power consumption averages around 4.2 watts on a single core and 11.1 watts on multi-core, with peak values reaching 14 watts. These high power consumption figures indicate a potential for thermal issues and may impact the overall performance and user experience.

7. Geekbench 5 Performance Metrics

Geekbench 5 benchmark tests provide insights into the CPU performance of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The results Show a marginal improvement in multi-core performance, with only a 1.5% increase compared to the Snapdragon 888. Single-core performance is also not significantly better, falling behind Apple's A13, which was released three years ago. These results Raise concerns regarding the effectiveness of the new ARMv9 architecture and suggest that Qualcomm may not have achieved substantial IPC improvements.

8. GFXBench 5.0 Benchmark Results

GFXBench 5.0 benchmark tests analyze the graphic performance of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1's Adreno 730 GPU. The results are promising, with the GPU already surpassing Apple's A14 when running on OpenGL. The Vulkan API brings even better performance, indicating a significant improvement of almost 60% compared to the Snapdragon 888. However, power consumption remains a concern, with an average of 11.2 watts recorded during the tests.

9. Stress Testing with Nimian Legends: Bright Ridge

To assess the performance and thermal stability of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 under stress, we employed Nimian Legends: Bright Ridge as a benchmarking tool. Stress tests were conducted for 10 minutes to observe the frame rate drops. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 demonstrates competitive performance, it experiences throttling similar to Apple chips. However, further stress tests indicate that the performance stability of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 decreases after 20 cycles, revealing a suboptimal performance compared to other platforms.

10. Mid-load Gaming Performance

In addition to stress tests, we examined the everyday gaming Scenario by testing Snapdragon 8 Gen 1's performance under mid-level load using Bright Ridge at 1080p resolution and a locked frame rate of 30 fps. The results showed that the GPU of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 draws significant power even under mid-level load, with a performance per watt that falls short of the Snapdragon 865 released in 2019.

11. Genshin Impact Testing

Genshin Impact, a popular and demanding game, was selected to evaluate Snapdragon 8 Gen 1's gaming performance. Comparative tests using identical settings across different platforms revealed that the rendering resolution on Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is lower than on other Android flagships. While Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 performs impressively in the high pressure test, maintaining a stable frame rate for a limited time, it experiences throttling and increased power consumption over extended periods.

12. Conclusion

In conclusion, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 offers improvements in GPU performance and some enhancements in CPU architecture. While the GPU competes with Apple's A15, it draws significant power, potentially leading to thermal issues. The CPU performance does not exhibit significant improvements compared to the Snapdragon 888, despite the introduction of a new ARMv9 architecture. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 demonstrates a mixed performance and power consumption profile, indicating a need for improvements in future iterations.