Recent Geekbench leaks point to Qualcomm offering an exclusive quad-cluster configuration for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. While the regular 8 Gen 3 uses a 1+5+2 tri-cluster configuration, the 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy features a 1+3+2+2 quad-cluster with increased boost clocks. This Samsung-exclusive SoC is expected to feature in 2024 Samsung flagships such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra and will likely be made available to other OEMs later that year.
It is no secret that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S24 flagships would feature a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Samsung is currently using a custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC with the Galaxy S23 Series, Z Flip5, Z Fold5, and the Tab S9 Series.
The 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy isn’t that different from the regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 except for boosted clocks, and we recently reported that the once-exclusive chip for Galaxy can be considered to be the 8+ Gen 2 for all intents and purposes.
Now, both the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy have found their way to Geekbench. We recently spotted the 8 Gen 3 in a RedMagic 9 Pro on the benchmarking site and also previously reported about the 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy running in a purported Galaxy S24+.
If the information shown by Geekbench is true, Qualcomm could be going beyond mere clock speed increases for Samsung this time. Samsung flagships in 2024 could feature the 8 Gen 3 with an exclusive quad-cluster configuration and boosted clocks.
The regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is purported to sport a tri-cluster 1+5+2 configuration with a base clock of 2.26 GHz. This tri-cluster includes a Prime core at 3.19 GHz, five cores at 2.96 GHz, and two cores at 2.27 GHz.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, on the other hand, seems to show a quad-cluster 1+3+2+2 configuration with a 2.26 GHz base frequency. This Samsung-exclusive SoC is comprised of a Prime core clocked higher at 3.39 GHz, three cores at 3.15 GHz, two cores at 2.36 GHz, and two cores at 2.27 GHz.
The quad-cluster configuration does seem to scream performance, but it remains to seen what kind of real-world benefits this quad-cluster configuration would confer for Samsung flagships in 2024. It is also possible that Qualcomm would release the Galaxy-exclusive SoC to other OEMs in the latter half of 2024.
The Geekbench entries for the 8 Gen 3 and the 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy are linked below. Note that the scores themselves are not directly comparable as they are from different benchmark versions.
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Though a cell and molecular biologist by training, I have been drawn towards computers from a very young age ever since I got my first PC in 1998. My passion for technology grew quite exponentially with the times, and it has been an incredible experience from being a much solicited source for tech advice and troubleshooting among family and friends to joining Notebookcheck in 2017 as a professional tech journalist. Now, I am a Lead Editor at Notebookcheck covering news and reviews encompassing a wide gamut of the technology landscape for Indian and global audiences. When I am not hunting for the next big story or taking complex measurements for reviews, you can find me unwinding to a nice read, listening to some soulful music, or trying out a new game.
Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 2023-08-28 (Update: 2023-08-28)
