Snapdragon 8s Gen 3: Specs, Pros & Cons, Alternatives

KACBU

Should I buy it?

Snapdragon 8s Gen 3

CONSIDER

Great choice if these matter:

Gaming
Daily Use
Value for Money

Watch out for:

Roughly 20-30% behind the full Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in GPU throughput.
The 's' naming invites confusion — this is not the flagship 8 Gen 3.

Regret riskLOWlimited data

Main risks

Roughly 20-30% behind the full Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in GPU throughput.
The 's' naming invites confusion — this is not the flagship 8 Gen 3.
Qualcomm does not publish detailed cache or TDP figures.

The risk level is computed from the release date and verified weaknesses. The confidence score appears only once enough owner reports exist.

Alternatives

Dimensity 8500 Ultra

Google Tensor G6

This box relies only on verified specs, the release date and editorial assessment; owner reports join them as they come in. We do not predict prices.

Core Structure

How many cores does the processor have?

Manufacturer's official core and architecture information.

CORE STRUCTURE

The structure decisive in multi-core tasks.

8 Core

8-core — Total Cores · 8 Thread — Concurrent Threads · 1 Performance — High-performance core · 3 Efficiency — Low-power core · Cortex-X4 / A720 / A520 — Core architecture

8-core8 Thread1 Performance3 EfficiencyCortex-X4 / A720 / A520

8-coreTotal Cores

8 ThreadConcurrent Threads

1 PerformanceHigh-performance core

3 EfficiencyLow-power core

Cortex-X4 / A720 / A520Core architecture

Frequency

How fast does it work?

Manufacturer's official frequency values.

FREQUENCY

Value that determines single-core performance.

3 GHz Boost

3 GHz — Maximum boost frequency · 2.8 GHz — Efficiency core frequency

3 GHz2.8 GHz

3 GHzMaximum boost frequency

2.8 GHzEfficiency core frequency

Power and Cooling

How much power does it draw?

Official power values that determine cooling needs.

POWER AND COOLING

These values determine the cooling budget.

—

Device dependent — Cooling solution

Device dependent

Device dependentCooling solution

Who Is It For?

Where does it stand out?

A usage guide built from the specs and the editors' tags; not a test result.

Gaming

For gaming; tagged from the display's refresh rate and the chip's class. We have not measured frame rates or heat ourselves.

Good fit

Daily Use

A balanced spec set for everyday use: display, battery and camera figures together.

Good fit

Value for Money

An editor's tag for hardware that is well priced for what it offers. We do not track current prices; check the price before you buy.

Good fit

Editorial Analysis

Strengths and points to consider

The Kacbu editors' assessment of the specifications the maker publishes. We do not test devices ourselves, so nothing here is a measured result. Anything taken from an independent review is shown with its publication and date in the Press section.

Strengths based on the specs

A genuine Cortex-X4 prime core, the same architecture the full 8 Gen 3 leads with.

Adreno 735 keeps hardware ray tracing, unusual below the flagship tier.

Runs on TSMC's proven 4nm process with LPDDR5X memory.

Supports the flagship generation's camera and on-device AI features.

Became the go-to chip for value flagships like the Nord and Poco F series.

Things to consider

Roughly 20-30% behind the full Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in GPU throughput.

The 's' naming invites confusion — this is not the flagship 8 Gen 3.

Qualcomm does not publish detailed cache or TDP figures.

Historical Product Info

Official launch details

Instead of tracking today's retail price, Kacbu keeps the product's official launch information as a reference.

AnnouncedMarch 18, 2024

The manufacturer's official announcement date.

Design🇺🇸 United States

Manufacturing🇹🇼 Taiwan

Qualcomm is headquartered in the US and designs the chip there; it does not fabricate it itself — the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is produced on TSMC's 4nm process at its plants in Taiwan.

This is not the current retail price — it shows the product's historical, official launch information.

Specifications

Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 specifications

Click a linked value to see other products that share that same spec, and leave a comment on that spec.

General

Family

Snapdragon 8s

Segment

Mobile upper-midrange SoC

Release Year

2024

Manufacturer

Qualcomm

Core Structure

Cores

Threads

Core Architecture

Cortex-X4 / A720 / A520

Efficiency Core

Performance Core

Frequency

Boost Clock

3 GHz

Efficiency-Core Clock

2.8 GHz

Cache

Cache Note

Qualcomm does not publish cache sizes in detail

Memory

Memory Type

LPDDR5X

Graphics Unit

Ray Tracing

Yes

Integrated Graphics

Adreno 735

Power

Cooling Solution

Device dependent

Platform

Socket

BGA (SoC)

Manufacturing Process

TSMC 4nm

Lithography

4 nm

FAQ

The most common questions about this product

What the numbers on the spec sheet actually mean in day-to-day use.

How is it different from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3?

It keeps the same core architectures but trims the configuration: one X4 at 3.0 GHz instead of 3.3, fewer big cores, and the smaller Adreno 735 GPU. Everyday speed should land close; sustained gaming and camera throughput show the gap.

Is it better than the Snapdragon 7 series?

Clearly. The 8s Gen 3 carries a real Cortex-X4 prime core and flagship features like ray tracing that the 7-series chips of its generation lack — it sits between the 7 Gen 3 and the true flagship 8 Gen 3.

Which phones use the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3?

2024-2025 value flagships. Every phone in this catalogue that carries it is listed on this page, so you can compare them directly.

Shared Hardware