Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a refreshed version of the original 8 Gen 1 chipset. It is better than the original 8 Gen 1 by rectifying some important issues the 8 Gen 1 was known for. According to Qualcomm, problems such as overheating and battery percentage falling have been solved by the new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.
So in this article, we are going to be comparing the newly released Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Let’s find out if Qualcomm has indeed fixed the thermal and throttling issues.
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Process Technology
Both chips are built on a 4nm node by different companies. Unlike the original version that was built on Samsung’s 4nm process node, here, Qualcomm has shifted its hand to TSMC. Qualcomm had to make this move to fix previous heating issues, originating from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.
CPU
The cluster architecture of these two chipsets stays the same. Both have a 1+3+4 octa-core design. And while the cores remain but the frequency has changed to enable a faster operation. The Prime Cortex-X2 core can now reach 3.2GHz, the Gold cores at 2.75Ghz and the Silver cores at 2.0GHz. This is up from 3.0GHz, 2.5GHz and 1.8GHz found in the original chip.
Real-time performance tests have shown the 10% CPU improvements that Qualcomm promised. To be precise below is the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1’s performance benchmark favouring the 8+ Gen 1:
| Geekbench | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Multi-core | 4199 | 3658 |
| Single-core | 1316 | 1244 |
| AnTuTu | Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Scores | 1,120,235 | 985,115 |
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GPU
The GPU of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 operates at a 10% higher frequency while reducing power consumption by 30%. For example, a phone powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 can stream video for 1 hour 30 minutes longer than one using the old chip (8 Gen 1). Voice calls, a light load, can now be more than 5 hours longer. Additionally, playing games shouldn’t consume battery as before.
ISP, AI & Machine Learning and Wireless Connectivity
You know what they say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Thus Qualcomm maintains a lot of the features in this segment. After all, The original Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has always been excellent when it comes to connectivity and image processing. The only notable difference here is that Qualcomm has enhanced the AI engine on the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 to offer 20% better performance per watt in comparison to its predecessor.
Thus the rest features remain the same. The chipset houses the same triple 18-bit Spectra ISP that can handle up to 200MP sensors and 8K video capture at 30fps (4K at 120fps). Also, it maintains the 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM (3,200MHz) support, along with UFS 3.1 storage. The display supports QHD+ at up to 144Hz or 4K at 60Hz, complete with 10-bit rendering (Rec. 2020) and HDR10+ support.
And oh! One more addition is that the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 now supports the latest Bluetooth 5.3 version along with LE Audio and Qualcomm aptX Lossless tech.
Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 1: Verdict
First, the original Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 that was released last year in December 2021, wasn’t totally bad. But it needed fixing in specific areas like battery consumption and heating issues. And the fixing is what Qualcomm has done with the release of the refresh Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. Hopefully, by July 2022, we should start seeing flagship smartphones being powered by this latest chip.
