When it comes to top-of-the-line smartphone gaming, the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip is about the best it gets. The latest-gen GPU from Qualcomm touts powerful generative AI capabilities that extend to a 45 per cent faster NPU (neural processing unit) and a gaming performance boost of 40 per cent — according to the company, at least — so its popularity among premium devices is hardly surprising.
Take the ROG Phone 9 Pro, for instance. A gaming phone through and through, it packs a generous wallop of oomph and proves highly competent at handling high GPU demands. The device stands out with the brand’s signature AniMe Vision Mini-LED embellishment, joined by a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, a 2,400 x 1,080 resolution, and a 185Hz maximum refresh rate. More notably, it touts tailored features such as air triggers and a special USB-C port for its AeroActive Cooler accessory.
But the added horsepower doesn’t just benefit gaming-focused offerings. The latest Oppo Find N5 foldable phone, alongside the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, is powered on the same chip, with the former sporting two OLED 120Hz displays: a 6.62-inch outer screen when unfolded, and an 8.12-inch inner screen. Meanwhile, its traditional counterpart boasts a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Quad HD+ screen (3120 x 1440 pixels) with a 120 Hz refresh rate.
As listed earlier, not all Snapdragon 8 Elite devices are built equal, which raises the question of the strongest contender. Check out the video above for a three-way battle between the Oppo Find N5, Samsung Galaxy S25, and ROG Phone 9 Pro, where they are put through various benchmarking tests (Geekbench 6, Geekbench AI, and 3DMark Wildlife Extreme) and the gaming gauntlet of Wuthering Waves, Genshin Impact, and Zenless Zone Zero.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
