Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy vs. Standard 8 Elite: Is Samsung’s Custom Chip Really Better?

Think all Snapdragon 8 Elite chips are the same? Think again. When it first launched, the Snapdragon 8 Elite made waves with its 45% performance boost over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Now, it’s back in the spotlight—this time as the custom-tuned ‘Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy,’ powering Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series. For the last few years, Samsung and Qualcomm have teamed up to create exclusive, optimized Snapdragon chips for Galaxy devices. These ‘for Galaxy’ variants are usually souped-up versions of the regular chip.

In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy and the standard version found in other phones—like the OnePlus 13—to see if Samsung’s custom chip truly gives the Galaxy S25 a competitive edge.

What is Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy?

As mentioned earlier, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is a variant of the chipset exclusively designed for the Galaxy S25 series, which includes the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra. This processor features a higher clock speed compared to the standard 8 Elite.

The ‘for Galaxy’ processor has a maximum clock speed of 4.47GHz, offering approximately a 150MHz increase over the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is clocked at up to 4.32GHz. While this represents only about a 3.5% boost in clock speed, there are notable improvements in how this chip handles single-core performance.

Samsung claims the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip delivers a 37% faster CPU, 30% faster GPU, and 40% faster NPU compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy.

For context, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy featured a 20% CPU boost, 26% faster graphics, and 42% improved NPU capabilities over the previous Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.

Fundamentally, the Snapdragon 8 Elite is built on a 3nm process and comes with new Oryon CPU cores. It overall offers a 45% improvement in CPU performance and 44% in CPU efficiency over the older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.

What Makes Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Different?

The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy delivers more than just performance upgrades over the standard 8 Elite. Qualcomm confirmed to Android Authority that they collaborated with Samsung to optimize the processor for the Galaxy S25 devices. Here are the key differences:

1. Display Enhancements

• ProScaler: Samsung and Qualcomm collaborated on ProScaler, an advanced image scaling solution that makes content look sharper and more detailed on the Galaxy S25’s display. This results in a more enjoyable viewing experience, especially for high-resolution content.
  
• mDNIe: Samsung’s mDNIe technology has been integrated into the chip to optimize display power efficiency. This contributes to longer battery life without compromising display quality.

2. Improved Low-Light Video

The Galaxy S25 series boasts significantly improved low-light video recording capabilities. This is thanks to the integration of Spatio-Temporal Filter (STF) support into Qualcomm’s Spectra image signal processor. STF allows the phone to capture sharper low-light videos with less noise, even at high resolutions like 8K/30fps.

3. Enhanced Battery Life

Qualcomm fine-tuned the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy to consume less power during everyday tasks. This optimization results in noticeable improvements in battery life, allowing users to enjoy their Galaxy S25 for longer periods without needing to recharge.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Benchmarks: Galaxy S25 Ultra vs. OnePlus 13

We ran the Galaxy S25 Ultra (12GB/512GB) with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy through our usual set of benchmarks, and here are the results. For comparison, we ran benchmarks on the OnePlus 13 (16GB/512GB) having the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite.

In AnTuTu benchmarks, the S25 Ultra surprisingly scored lower than the OnePlus 13, despite having the ‘for Galaxy’ version of the chip. It scored around 2.3 million, while the OnePlus 13 surpassed 2.7 million. This might be due to how the S25 Ultra manages thermals, prioritizing sustained performance over peak benchmark scores.

AnTuTu Benchmark (left: S25 Ultra, right: OnePlus 13)

In Geekbench, however, the S25 Ultra scored 3097 points in the single-core test and 9738 points in the multi-core test. In contrast, the OnePlus 13 scored 2894 in single-core and 9211 in multi-core. This is where the 8 Elite for Galaxy truly shines, showing about 6% better performance in both tests.

Geekbench Scores (left: S25 Ultra, right: OnePlus 13)

What’s impressive is that the processor barely throttles. We ran a 15-minute CPU throttling test, and it mostly stayed in the green zone, with only minor dips into the yellow/orange zones before recovering. The processor throttled to just 79% of its maximum performance, while also reaching higher peak GFLOPS than the OnePlus 13, which is excellent. In contrast, the OnePlus 13 throttled a bit more, reaching 74% of its peak performance, dipping into the yellow zone but ultimately recovering to green.

This could also be credited to the large vapor cooling chamber on the S25 Ultra, which is, in fact, 40% larger than last year’s S24 Ultra.

CPU Throttling Test (left: S25 Ultra, right: OnePlus 13)

Why Samsung is Betting Big on Custom Snapdragon

Samsung currently utilizes two different approaches for its flagship phones: its own in-house Exynos chips and Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. The company’s partnership with Qualcomm for custom “for Galaxy” chips began with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy in the Galaxy S23 series. This trend continued with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy in the S24 series and now the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy in the S25 series.

However, Exynos chips have faced challenges in matching the performance and efficiency of their Snapdragon counterparts, and Samsung has also encountered production issues and mixed market reception for its Exynos line on premium phones. As a result, while Exynos 2500 may debut with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, the mainstream S25 series and the upcoming Galaxy Fold 7 will be on the Qualcomm side.

This strategic shift towards customized Snapdragon chips allows Samsung to leverage Qualcomm’s technology while still achieving a level of optimization comparable to what they might have accomplished with Exynos, without the associated risks and challenges.

Will we see more custom Snapdragon chips in future Galaxy phones? Only time will tell. But for now, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy in the S25 series shows Samsung’s focus on top performance. What do you think of this approach? Tell us in the comments!

Ritik Singh

With over 7 years of experience in tech, Ritik currently heads content at Techwiser.com. His journey began by sharing his knowledge and helping other people in online communities. This passion led him to a career in tech journalism, fueled by a formal education in Electronic Media. He then went on to roles at GadgetsToUse and PC-Tablet, where he honed his skills as an editor. He's also contributed to popular publications like HowToGeek and TheWindowsClub. With a portfolio of over 2,000 how-tos, reviews, and in-depth guides, Ritik has helped millions of readers navigate their tech, from smartphones to smart homes.