Qualcomm and Samsung explained the difference between the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy in the Galaxy S25 and the regular processor

The new Samsung Galaxy S25 series of smartphones uses a special Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor developed by Qualcomm. In a conversation with Android Authority, a Qualcomm representative explained how this chip differs from the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Firstly, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy has an optional factory overclock. The processor’s peak clock speed is 4.47 GHz, which is about 150 MHz higher than the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite. In real operating conditions, this difference is unlikely to be noticeable, but the chip will provide some increase in single-core performance in various synthetic benchmarks.

According to Samsung, compared to last year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy delivers a 37 percent increase in CPU performance and a 30 percent increase in GPU performance. Moreover, its NPU (AI accelerator) is 40% faster than the one used in the previous generation processor. In comparison, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy offered a 20 percent increase in CPU speed, a 26 percent increase in GPU performance, and a 42 percent increase in NPU speed compared to the special edition Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.

Samsung and Qualcomm have also teamed up to optimize the display capabilities of the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. Qualcomm told Android Authority that the two companies were working on a ProScaler image scaling solution for the S25 line of smartphones, as well as mDNIe technology to improve display efficiency.

The result of the joint work was also the integration of support for Spatio-Temporal Filter (STF) technology into the signal processor of Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. This technology provides clearer video recording in low light in modes up to 8K/30FPS. However, Qualcomm clarified that this technology is not exclusive to the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor.