Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 vs A17 Pro: Battle of the Flagship Processors

HIGHLIGHTS

• We have compared the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and A17 Pro in this article.
• Both are the latest flagship processors from Qualcomm and Apple respectively.
• The article compares their basic specifications, performance, and benchmark scores.

Apple and Qualcomm are two highly regarded players in the processor market. Their processors have done extremely well in the past and have proved their longevity in the long run market with their performance. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and A17 Pro which are two of their latest flagship processors prove the point. In fact, the A17 Pro is the processor used in the latest iPhone 15 series.

In this article, we will contrast these two processors, compare their specifications, and determine which processor excels in which areas.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the latest flagship processor by Qualcomm, built on a refined 4-nm process technology. This 8-core processor is engineered with groundbreaking AI across the board to enable accelerated performance.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Processor Specifications

• CPU Cores: 8 cores (1x Cortex-X3, 4x Cortex-A715, 4x Cortex-A510), built on 4 nm process technology, L3 Cache size of 8 MB.
• GPU: Adreno 740, the clock speed of 970 MHz.
• Display: 4K at 60 Hz and QHD at 144 Hz.
• Camera: Up to 200 MP.
• Connectivity: Snapdragon X70 5G modem, download speed up to 10000 mbps, upload speed up to 3500 mbps, Bluetooth 5.3.
• AI Engine: Qualcomm AI Engine.
• RAM & Storage: Memory type LPDDR5X, frequency of 4200 MHz, max size of 24 GB, UFS 4.0 storage type.
• Launch Date: November 15, 2022.

Also Read: Comparisons Between Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 vs Exynos 2400

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Processor Powered Smartphones

• Samsung Galaxy S23 Series
• Xiaomi 13 Series
• OnePlus 11

Apple A17 Pro

The A17 Pro is Apple’s latest flagship processor, designed to power the latest iPhone 15 series. It is built on a 3 nm transistor. 

Apple A17 Pro Processor Specifications

• CPU Cores: 6 cores (2x high-performance cores, 4x efficiency cores), built on 3 nm process technology.
• GPU: Apple-designed 6-core GPU.
• Display: Supports up to 4K resolution at 60 Hz.
• Camera: Capable of supporting up to 200 MP.
• Connectivity: 5G modem with download speeds up to 7500 Mbps, upload speeds up to 3000 mbps, Bluetooth 5.3.
• AI capacity: 16-core Neural Engine.
• RAM & Storage: LPDDR5 memory, up to 8 GB RAM.
• Launch Date: September 12, 2023.

Apple A17 Pro Processor Powered Smartphones

• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max

Performance Comparison: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 vs A17 Pro

CPU Performance

A17 Pro completely outperforms Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 when it comes to single core and multi core performances.

Single-core performance

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: 1991
• Apple A17 Pro: 2953

Multi-core performance

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: 5299
• Apple A17 Pro: 7441

GPU Performance

The A17 Pro’s Apple-designed GPU outperforms the Adreno 740 in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, particularly in terms of graphic rendering and efficiency, making it ideal for intensive gaming and AR applications. However, on average, gaming performance is the only region where Snapdragon manages to catch up with the A17 Pro.

Also Read: Snapdragon 8 gen 2 vs Google Tensor G2

Gaming Benchmarks (Avg FPS)

Battery Time Comparison

The A17 Pro provides slightly better battery longevity compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

Antutu Scores

Geekbench 6 Scores

Conclusion

Both processors do extremely well and have served their purpose pretty decently. As more computation-intensive opportunities arise in the processor space, both will be tested much more unbiasedly. Ultimately, the choice between these processors will depend on specific use cases and user preferences.

FAQs

Do Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and A17 Pro support 5G? 

Yes, both processors support 5G connectivity, providing high-speed internet access and improved network performance.

Can I expect better gaming performance on A17 Pro? 

Yes, the A17 Pro’s advanced GPU architecture generally provides better gaming performance, especially in graphically demanding games.

Which processor is better for battery life? 

The A17 Pro tends to offer slightly better battery life due to its more efficient 3-nm process technology, but actual battery performance will depend on overall device optimization.