# No, You Don’t Have to Spend on a Galaxy S25 to Access the Top Chip
This year’s leading Android smartphones signify a key achievement for Qualcomm. The firm has adeptly brought its high-efficiency Snapdragon X Elite laptop and desktop chips to the mobile domain with the Snapdragon 8 Elite platform. Yet, Samsung and Qualcomm have added an interesting element: a tailored **Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy** chip, available exclusively for the **Samsung Galaxy S25 series**.
This prompts a crucial inquiry: **Is the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy substantially superior to the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite?** Or can you achieve similar (or even superior) performance from other flagship Android devices?
## Snapdragon 8 Elite vs. Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
The **Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy** is a slightly enhanced version of the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite, boasting a **maximum clock speed of 4.47 GHz** compared to **4.32 GHz** in the standard variant. Samsung and Qualcomm assert that this exclusive chip improves **image processing, gaming, AI functionalities, and connectivity**.
To assess whether the chip exclusive to Galaxy presents a genuine benefit, **Android Central** executed benchmark evaluations comparing the **Galaxy S25 and S25 Ultra** against other devices powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite, such as:
– **Honor Magic 7 Pro**
– **iQOO 13**
– **RedMagic 10 Pro**
– **Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro**
## Benchmark Findings: The Reality of Performance
The benchmark findings were unexpected. While the **Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy** is undeniably robust, it **seldom surpassed** other Snapdragon 8 Elite-equipped smartphones.
### **PCMark Work 3.0 (Overall Performance)**
– **Galaxy S25 Ultra**: **20,129**
– **Galaxy S25**: **19,816**
– **Honor Magic 7 Pro**: **21,008**
– **RedMagic 10 Pro**: **25,320**
– **Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro**: **25,733**
### **Geekbench 6 (Single-Core & Multi-Core)**
– **Galaxy S25 Ultra**: **3,001 (single-core), 9,381 (multi-core)**
– **Honor Magic 7 Pro**: **2,965 (single-core), 6,342 (multi-core)**
– **RedMagic 10 Pro**: **3,136 (single-core), 9,842 (multi-core)**
– **Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro**: **3,137 (single-core), 9,936 (multi-core)**
### **3DMark Wild Life Extreme (Gaming Performance)**
– **Galaxy S25 Ultra**: **4,855 (29.08 FPS)**
– **Honor Magic 7 Pro**: **6,391 (38.27 FPS)**
– **RedMagic 10 Pro**: **5,817 (34.84 FPS)**
– **Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro**: **5,935 (35.54 FPS)**
### **Essential Insights from the Benchmarks**
1. **The Galaxy S25 Ultra did not achieve first place in any benchmark evaluation**.
2. **The Honor Magic 7 Pro, RedMagic 10 Pro, and Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro consistently exceeded the performance of the Galaxy S25 series**.
3. **While Samsung’s custom chip is overclocked, it fails to yield superior real-life performance**.
## Why Doesn’t the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy Excel?
Despite being overclocked, the **Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy** seems to have its performance **constrained by Samsung**—possibly to preserve **battery life, manage thermal limits, or enhance power efficiency**.
For instance, the **iQOO 13** utilizes the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip as the **Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro**, yet it scores **10,000 points lower in some benchmark tests**. This indicates that **manufacturer optimizations may have a more significant impact than the chip alone**.
## Is the Galaxy S25 Your Best Bet for Performance?
The **Galaxy S25 series is not the sole option for outstanding performance**. Other Snapdragon 8 Elite-equipped smartphones, such as the **RedMagic 10 Pro and Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro**, indeed **outshine** Samsung’s flagship models across multiple benchmarks.
### **Who Should Invest in the Galaxy S25?**
– If you seek **Samsung’s unique AI functionalities**
– If you favor **One UI and Samsung’s ecosystem**
– If you value **camera optimization and ongoing software updates**
### **Who Should Explore Other Snapdragon 8 Elite Options?**
