The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 are flagship mobile platforms introduced for different smartphone generations. Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 was announced in 2021 and is built on a 4nm process with an integrated Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System, Armv9 CPU architecture, LPDDR5 memory support, and advanced AI capabilities. Snapdragon 855 was announced in 2018 on a 7nm process with the integrated Snapdragon X24 LTE modem and optional Snapdragon X50 modem for 5G smartphones.
General
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is Qualcomm's flagship mobile platform announced in November 2021, offering integrated 5G connectivity, a 4nm manufacturing process, and premium smartphone features. Snapdragon 855 was announced in December 2018 as Qualcomm's flagship mobile platform, featuring a 7nm process, Gigabit LTE connectivity, and optional support for external 5G deployment.
| Specification | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 855 |
|---|
| Announcement | November 2021 | December 2018 |
| Brand | Qualcomm | Qualcomm |
| Official name | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform | Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform |
| Target segment | Flagship smartphones | Flagship smartphones |
| Process node | 4nm | 7nm |
| Foundry | Samsung Foundry (4LPE) | TSMC |
| Integrated modem | Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System | Snapdragon X24 LTE Modem |
| Network support | 5G, 4G LTE | 4G LTE (optional Snapdragon X50 modem for 5G) |
CPU
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 uses Qualcomm Kryo CPU technology based on the Armv9 architecture with Cortex-X2, Cortex-A710, and Cortex-A510 cores. Snapdragon 855 uses the Kryo 485 CPU based on Arm Cortex-A76 and Cortex-A55 cores, delivering flagship smartphone performance for its generation.
| Specification | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 855 |
|---|
| CPU architecture | Armv9 | Armv8-A |
| CPU configuration | 1x Cortex-X2 + 3x Cortex-A710 + 4x Cortex-A510 | 1x Kryo 485 Prime + 3x Kryo 485 Gold + 4x Kryo 485 Silver |
| Prime core | 1x Cortex-X2@3.0GHz | 1x Kryo 485 Prime@2.84GHz |
| Performance cores | 3x Cortex-A710@2.5GHz | 3x Kryo 485 Gold@2.42GHz |
| Efficiency cores | 4x Cortex-A510@1.8GHz | 4x Kryo 485 Silver@1.8GHz |
| Maximum clock speed | 3.0GHz | 2.84GHz |
| 64-bit support | Yes | Yes |
Graphics
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 integrates Qualcomm's latest Adreno GPU with Snapdragon Elite Gaming technologies, hardware-accelerated graphics, and Vulkan support. Snapdragon 855 features the Adreno 640 GPU with support for Vulkan, OpenGL ES, and modern mobile gaming workloads.
| Specification | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 855 |
|---|
| GPU | Qualcomm Adreno GPU | Qualcomm Adreno 640 |
| Vulkan | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| OpenGL ES | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| OpenCL | 2.0 FP | 2.0 FP |
| Hardware video acceleration | Yes | Yes |
| Snapdragon Elite Gaming | Yes | Yes |
Memory
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports LPDDR5 and LPDDR4X memory with higher bandwidth for demanding workloads. Snapdragon 855 supports LPDDR4X memory for flagship smartphones launched during its generation. Both platforms support up to 16GB RAM depending on the device manufacturer.
| Specification | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 855 |
|---|
| Memory type | LPDDR5, LPDDR4X | LPDDR4X |
| Maximum memory frequency | 3200MHz | 2133MHz |
| Memory bus | 4x16-bit | 4x16-bit |
| Memory bandwidth | 51.2GB/s | 34.1GB/s |
| Maximum RAM | 16GB | 16GB |
| ECC support | Yes | Yes |
Multimedia (ISP)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 integrates the Qualcomm Spectra 18-bit Triple ISP with support for advanced computational photography, 200MP image capture, and 8K HDR video recording. Snapdragon 855 features the Qualcomm Spectra 380 ISP with computer vision acceleration, support for up to 192MP still images, and 4K HDR video recording.
| Specification | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 855 |
|---|
| ISP | Qualcomm Spectra 18-bit Triple ISP | Qualcomm Spectra 380 ISP |
| Storage support | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.0 |
| Maximum display resolution | 4K UHD@60Hz | 4K UHD@60Hz |
| Maximum display refresh rate | QHD+@144Hz | QHD+@120Hz |
| Maximum camera resolution | 200MP | 192MP |
| Multi-camera support | Triple camera | Triple camera |
| Video recording | 8K HDR@30fps, 4K HDR@120fps | 4K HDR@60fps |
| Video playback | Up to 8K HDR | Up to 8K HDR |
| Video codecs | H.264, H.265 (HEVC), VP9, AV1 decode | H.264, H.265 (HEVC), VP9 |
Connectivity and network
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 integrates the Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System with support for sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2. Snapdragon 855 integrates the Snapdragon X24 LTE modem with Gigabit LTE connectivity and supports the external Snapdragon X50 modem for selected 5G smartphones.
| Specification | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 855 |
|---|
| Modem | Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System | Snapdragon X24 LTE Modem |
| 5G support | Integrated | External Snapdragon X50 modem supported |
| 4G LTE support | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum download speed | Up to 10Gbps | Up to 2Gbps |
| Maximum upload speed | Up to 3.5Gbps | Up to 316Mbps |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Navigation | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, NavIC, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS |