Snapdragon 8 Gen 4: 4.0 GHz Speed, Phoenix Cores, Can It Compete with Apple?

There have been multiple rumors suggesting that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will abandon ARM's CPU designs, with Qualcomm switching to its custom Oryon or Phoenix cores. The upcoming SoC is expected to be mass-produced using TSMC's 3 nm process. As a result, the processor may offer better energy efficiency compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

These efficiency improvements could allow the Phoenix performance cores to run at higher clock speeds. According to a leaker, reaching a clock speed of 4.00 GHz is no longer just a dream.

Previous rumors have indicated that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 may eliminate high-performance cores, as Qualcomm seems to be adopting an approach similar to MediaTek's Dimensity 9300. This change would allow the upcoming processor to achieve higher multi-core performance at a lower cost.

Additionally, power consumption is expected to be lower thanks to the improved 3 nm manufacturing process, which addresses this drawback.

The chip will feature a 2+6 CPU cluster, but since Digital Chat Station didn't specify which core was tested at 4.00 GHz, it's likely the high-performance core. If Qualcomm can maintain this clock speed in the final product, it would represent a significant step forward from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, whose Cortex-X4 core tops out at 3.30 GHz.

The increased clock frequency of the Phoenix cores in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will also improve single-thread performance, with the dual-core setup contributing to multi-threaded workload handling.

The source has yet to compare the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 with Apple's A-series or M-series chips, but previous reports have mentioned that Qualcomm is testing the Adreno 830 GPU, which, based on earlier tests, is expected to outperform Apple's M2 chip.

These improvements certainly sound promising, but only if Qualcomm can maintain these specifications when their flagship processors officially launch. For now, these are just rumors, and we can expect more interesting information about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in the future.

What are your thoughts on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4?