Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 821

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 821

Explore the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 821 comparison, highlighting specifications, performance, and features. Get Easy EMIs on latest phones from Bajaj Finance.

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In summary

  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 uses a 1x Cortex-X2@3.0GHz, 3x Cortex-A710@2.5GHz, and 4x Cortex-A510@1.8GHz CPU layout, while Snapdragon 821 uses 4x Kryo cores up to 2.4GHz for applications such as Chrome browsing, video calls, and social media.
  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is manufactured on a 4nm process and integrates the Adreno GPU with Vulkan 1.1 support for high-resolution gaming workloads, while Snapdragon 821 uses a 14nm process with Adreno 530 graphics for titles designed around 2016-era smartphone hardware.
  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 includes the Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System with up to 10Gbps download capability, while Snapdragon 821 uses the X12 LTE modem with up to 600Mbps download speeds for 4G connectivity.
  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports advanced camera processing through an 18-bit ISP with up to 200MP photo capture capability, while Snapdragon 821 uses the Spectra 14-bit ISP supporting up to 28MP camera capture.

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Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 821 - Overview

Choosing a smartphone processor shapes daily activities such as app switching, gaming, photography, and connectivity. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 uses a 4nm manufacturing process with a Cortex-X2-based CPU, Adreno GPU, Snapdragon X65 5G modem, and 18-bit ISP for flagship smartphones. Snapdragon 821 uses a 14nm process with a quad-core Kryo CPU, Adreno 530 GPU, X12 LTE modem, and Spectra ISP for 4G smartphones. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports features such as 8K HDR video capture, Wi-Fi 6E, and 5G connectivity, while Snapdragon 821 supports 4K video recording, Wi-Fi 5, and LTE networks.


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Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 821 - Technical specifications

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 821 are Qualcomm mobile platforms developed for different generations of flagship smartphones. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, announced in 2021, is built on a 4nm process and introduces Armv9 CPU cores, an advanced Qualcomm Adreno GPU, an 18-bit Spectra ISP, and integrated 5G connectivity. Snapdragon 821, launched in 2016, is manufactured on a 14nm FinFET process and combines Qualcomm's custom Kryo CPU, Adreno 530 GPU, Spectra ISP, and Snapdragon X12 LTE modem for premium 4G smartphones.


General

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 821 target different smartphone generations and performance requirements. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is Qualcomm's flagship 5G mobile platform designed for modern premium devices, while Snapdragon 821 was introduced as a premium-tier 4G platform with improved CPU and GPU performance over Snapdragon 820.

SpecificationSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
Launch dateNovember 2021July 2016
BrandQualcommQualcomm
ModelSnapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile PlatformSnapdragon 821 Mobile Platform
Target segmentFlagship smartphonesPremium smartphones
Network support5G, 4G LTE4G LTE
Process node4nm14nm FinFET
FoundrySamsungSamsung

CPU

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 features Qualcomm Kryo CPU architecture based on Armv9 technology, combining one Cortex-X2 core, three Cortex-A710 cores, and four Cortex-A510 cores for balanced performance and efficiency. Snapdragon 821 uses Qualcomm's custom Kryo quad-core CPU with two performance and two efficiency cores, delivering responsive performance for flagship smartphones of its generation.

SpecificationSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
CPU architecture1× Cortex-X2 + 3× Cortex-A710 + 4× Cortex-A510Qualcomm Kryo
CPU core countOcta-coreQuad-core
Performance cores1× Cortex-X2@3.0GHz + 3× Cortex-A710@2.5GHz2× Kryo@2.4GHz
Efficiency cores4× Cortex-A510@1.8GHz2× Kryo@1.6GHz
Maximum clock speed3.0GHz2.4GHz
Instruction setARMv9-AARMv8-A
64-bit supportYesYes

Graphics

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 integrates the Qualcomm Adreno GPU with Snapdragon Elite Gaming technologies and support for modern graphics APIs. Snapdragon 821 includes the Adreno 530 GPU, offering hardware acceleration and graphics capabilities suitable for premium smartphones released during its generation.

SpecificationSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
GPUQualcomm Adreno GPUAdreno 530
Vulkan supportVulkan 1.1Vulkan 1.0
OpenGL ESOpenGL ES 3.2OpenGL ES 3.2
OpenCLOpenCL 2.0 FPOpenCL 2.0 Full Profile
Snapdragon Elite GamingYesNo
Hardware video accelerationYesYes
HDR gaming supportYesNo

Memory

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports LPDDR5 memory with higher bandwidth for demanding workloads such as gaming, AI processing, and multitasking. Snapdragon 821 supports LPDDR4 memory, providing sufficient bandwidth for flagship smartphones introduced in 2016.

SpecificationSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
Memory typeLPDDR5LPDDR4
Maximum memory frequency3200MHz1866MHz
Memory bus width64-bit64-bit
Memory bandwidth51.2GB/s29.8GB/s
Maximum RAM support16GB8GB
ECC supportNoNo

Multimedia (ISP)

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 features Qualcomm's 18-bit Spectra ISP capable of processing significantly more image data for high-resolution photography and 8K HDR video recording. Snapdragon 821 integrates the Qualcomm Spectra ISP designed for premium smartphone cameras with support for Ultra HD video recording and dual-camera systems.

SpecificationSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
ISPQualcomm Spectra 18-bit ISPQualcomm Spectra ISP
Maximum camera resolution200MP28MP
Multi-camera supportTriple cameraDual camera
Video capture8K HDR at 30fps, 4K HDR at 60fps4K Ultra HD at 30fps
Video playback8K HDR4K Ultra HD
HEVC (H.265)YesYes
VP9YesYes

Connectivity and network

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 integrates the Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System with support for high-speed 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2. Snapdragon 821 includes the Snapdragon X12 LTE modem with Category 12 LTE connectivity, 802.11ac Wave 2 Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.2 for premium smartphones from its launch period.

SpecificationSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
5G modemSnapdragon X65 Modem-RF SystemNo
LTE modemIntegrated LTE modemSnapdragon X12 LTE
Maximum download speedUp to 10GbpsUp to 600Mbps
Maximum upload speedUp to 3GbpsUp to 150Mbps
Wi-FiWi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)802.11ac Wave 2
Bluetooth5.24.2
NavigationGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavICGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
USBUSB 3.1USB 3.0

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 vs Snapdragon 821 - Benchmarking

Benchmark scores compare Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 821 across processor, graphics, memory, and overall system performance. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 benefits from its newer Armv9 CPU architecture, Adreno GPU, LPDDR5 memory, and 4nm manufacturing process, while Snapdragon 821 represents Qualcomm's flagship platform from 2016 with custom Kryo CPU cores and Adreno 530 graphics. Benchmark results are average values collected from multiple smartphones and may vary depending on device configuration, software version, and thermal management.

BenchmarkSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
AnTuTu v101,046,000344,000
Geekbench 6 Single-core1,695403
Geekbench 6 Multi-core3,520913
3DMark Wild Life5,8871,053

AnTuTu

AnTuTu evaluates CPU, GPU, memory, and user experience performance through a series of synthetic workloads. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 achieves significantly higher scores due to its newer CPU architecture, faster GPU, and improved memory subsystem. Snapdragon 821 continues to deliver performance suitable for older flagship smartphones but produces considerably lower benchmark results.

ComponentSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
CPU261,00083,000
GPU430,000106,000
Memory178,00071,000
UX177,00084,000
Total score (AnTuTu v10)1,046,000344,000

Geekbench

Geekbench measures single-core and multi-core CPU performance using workloads that simulate application launching, image processing, web browsing, and productivity tasks. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 records substantially higher results through its Cortex-X2 and Cortex-A710 cores, while Snapdragon 821 relies on Qualcomm's custom Kryo architecture introduced in 2016.

Benchmark (Geekbench 6)Snapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
Single-core1,695403
Multi-core3,520913

3DMark

3DMark measures graphics performance and gaming capability using modern rendering workloads. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 delivers considerably higher graphics performance through its latest-generation Qualcomm Adreno GPU, while Snapdragon 821's Adreno 530 remains capable of running older mobile games but achieves lower scores in current graphics benchmarks.

Benchmark parameterSnapdragon 8 Gen 1Snapdragon 821
3DMark Wild Life score5,8871,053
3DMark Wild Life Unlimited score5,9341,062
3DMark Sling Shot Extreme (OpenGL ES 3.1)6,9882,618

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