Snapdragon 8 Elite Gains a 7-Core Variant for Cost-Conscious Flagship Smartphones

Qualcomm officially unveiled the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC in October 2024. The high-performance chipset featured two performance cores clocked at 4.32GHz and six efficiency cores running at 3.53GHz. There were indications that with sufficient cooling, the performance cores could push clock speeds to 4.57GHz. Despite these capabilities, Qualcomm has now quietly introduced a new version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite with one less core, likely to provide OEMs with a cost-effective option for flagship devices.

Snapdragon 8 Elite With 7 Cores: What’s New?

The 7-core variant, identified as the SM8750-3-AB, retains the same clock speeds for its performance and efficiency cores as its 8-core counterpart. Qualcomm has opted for chip-binning, a common industry practice where slightly lower-performing chips from production batches are repurposed to create a less powerful variant. Apple followed a similar strategy with the A17 Pro chipset, introducing a version with one fewer GPU core for the iPad Mini 7.

By leveraging chip-binning, Qualcomm avoids discarding entire production batches and offers a way for smartphone manufacturers to reduce costs while still benefiting from high-performance hardware. This version maintains competitive single-core performance but sacrifices some multi-core power compared to the original 8-core Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Implications for Consumers and OEMs

For manufacturers, this move allows the introduction of slightly less expensive flagship devices. However, it adds complexity for consumers, who must scrutinize the specifications of Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered smartphones. A 7-core version could retail at a lower price, but it may not match the multi-core performance of its 8-core sibling. This difference might only be noticeable in benchmarks or under heavy workloads, but it’s an essential consideration for those seeking peak performance.

As premium SoCs become increasingly expensive to produce, this kind of strategic segmentation is likely to become more common. The Snapdragon 8 Elite's 7-core configuration provides a middle ground between affordability and flagship-level performance, giving Qualcomm's partners more flexibility in pricing.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite's 7-core variant represents a practical solution for balancing performance and cost. While the differences between the two versions might not matter to most users, performance enthusiasts and gamers will want to examine the specs closely when choosing a device.

What do you think about Qualcomm's approach to chip-binning? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!