Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite is making waves with the introduction of a new 7-core version, which offers an alternative to the flagship 8-core overclocked variant. Benchmarks run recently show that the 7-core variant is up to 14 percent slower in multi thread performance than the 8 core variant. Some may complain about this as a negative but Qualcomm seems to be guiding this new design toward specific use cases with a cheaper option for manufacturers.
The 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite variant was recently spotted powering the OPPO Find N5, one of the thinnest foldable smartphones to date. While the chipset has fewer cores, it still maintains the same performance/efficiency core clock speeds so that it still provides solid single core performance. And we’ll take a look deeper in the experience of the 8 core version and how this new version fits in.
A New 7-Core Design for Snapdragon 8 Elite
The Snapdragon 8 Elite 7-core version introduces a slightly different architecture compared to the standard 8-core model. While removing one core has helped Qualcomm bring down the manufacturing costs, while not losing much competitiveness. The 8 cores run at 4.32GHz and the efficiency cores at 3.53GHz just like 8 core versions.
This seems to be a targeted goal towards devices, such as OPPO’s Find N5, where a thinner and more compact build is a matter of concern. Reduced core count should aid thermal management and power efficiency in ultra slimmer devices. However, the trade-off is evident in benchmarks, where the 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite scored 8,865 in Geekbench 6’s multi-core test, falling behind the overclocked 8-core variant.
How Does the Overclocked Version Compare?
The overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite variant takes performance up a notch with its 8-core design. Its clocked ever so slightly higher at 4.47GHz puts it ahead of its counterparts in multi-threaded tasks. That’s about 14% better performance in benchmarks compared to the 7 core one.
Compared to the unboosted model, this performance bump puts the overclocked model in our recommended bracket for flagship smartphones where the end of the line is raw power. This variant will be available in devices that are supposed to handle quite intensive tasks like gaming, video editing and do many things all at the same time. But, that will be offset with higher clock speeds and additional core, coming at the price of higher power consumption and heat output.
Why a 7-Core Snapdragon 8 Elite?
The introduction of a 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite raises an important question: why sacrifice one core? Cost and device design is the answer. Qualcomm’s offering this variant means that manufacturers have a more affordable option to offer that still delivers great performance on mid-range and thin-flagship devices.
The OPPO Find N5 uses the 7 core variant to balance performance and design as well. It’s likely its ultra thin profile gains from the reduced core count to allow it to manage heat and power consumption without too much of a hit on single core performance. This makes the 7-core Snapdragon 8 Elite a practical solution for foldable and compact smartphones.
Real-World Impact of the Performance Gap
In real-world usage, the performance difference between the two Snapdragon 8 Elite variants may not be as noticeable as the benchmarks suggest. Even with the 7 core version, tasks like browsing, streaming, and even casual gaming are unlikely to really push the chipset to its limit, so in fact most users won’t really see much of a slowdown.
But power users who make heavy use of their devices for advanced multitasking or heavy apps will likely find the gap. For those individuals, the overclocked 8-core Snapdragon 8 Elite provides the extra performance headroom needed for seamless operation.
