Apple A16 Bionic vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Benchmarks, Gaming & Used Value

Apple's A16 Bionic and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are still worth comparing in 2026 if you are choosing between older premium phones. A16 Bionic has a clear CPU advantage in representative Geekbench 6 scores, while Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 remains a capable Android platform with more device options, strong graphics features and mature support for Android games and emulators.

The A16 Bionic is associated with Apple's iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, then later appeared in the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 powers many Android flagships, including versions of the Galaxy S23 family and the OnePlus 11. These are different phones, operating systems and cooling designs, so the chips should not be treated as interchangeable parts.

For a 2026 purchase, condition matters as much as performance. Battery health, remaining software support, display quality, cameras, thermal design, local network bands and warranty coverage can have a greater effect on the experience than benchmark differences between two older flagship processors.

Core Chip Differences

Portfolio · Issue 12 · Chipset Studies

Two Flagships,
Nine Years Apart

A side-by-side reading of Apple's A16 Bionic and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 — two chips that defined 2022 flagships, examined through specifications rather than marketing.

✦ Published 2024 ✦

Feature	A16 Bionic	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Announced	2022	2022
CPU	6 cores, 2 performance plus 4 efficiency	8 cores, 1 prime plus 4 performance plus 3 efficiency
GPU	5-core Apple GPU	Adreno 740
Ray tracing	No hardware support	Hardware support
AI engine	16-core Neural Engine	Hexagon AI engine
Reference phones	iPhone 14 Pro	Galaxy S23 Ultra, OnePlus 11

Sources · Apple, Qualcomm product documentation — END OF ARTICLE —

Apple says A16 Bionic has two high-performance CPU cores, four high-efficiency cores, a five-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine. Qualcomm lists an eight-core Kryo CPU, Adreno 740 GPU, X70 5G modem, Wi-Fi 7 support and UFS 4.0 storage support for Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

Phone Performance Scores

PetaTech24 did not run a controlled lab test across multiple retail units. The following Geekbench 6 entries are individual public submissions. They show representative phones, not an average or a directly reproducible head-to-head comparison.

Clinic Report · Reference No. 24-10A

Geekbench 6 Test Panel

Three devices, one test suite — submitted observations recorded for comparison.

✓ Reviewed & Approved

Phone	Chip	OS · Version	Single	Multi
iPhone 14 Pro	A16 Bionic	iOS 17 · GB 6.1.0 Jun. 8, 2023	2,634	6,679
Galaxy S23 Ultra	SD 8 Gen 2 (for Galaxy)	Android 14 · GB 6.3.0 Oct. 17, 2024	1,792	5,103
OnePlus 11	SD 8 Gen 2	Android 13 · GB 6.0.0 Feb. 17, 2023	1,920	4,986

Source · Geekbench 6 public submissions ✓ Report Closed · 2024

The iPhone 14 Pro submission scores higher in both CPU tests than the two Android examples. That supports the conclusion that A16 Bionic has stronger CPU performance in these samples. It does not mean the iPhone will be faster in every game, camera workflow or daily task.

The Android examples also differ despite using the same Snapdragon generation. Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy variant, while the OnePlus 11 uses the standard platform. The score gap also reflects different operating-system versions, Geekbench versions, memory configurations, cooling behavior and performance settings.

Graphics and Gaming Are Less Clear-Cut

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 uses the Adreno 740 GPU and supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. A16 Bionic has a five-core Apple GPU but does not have hardware ray tracing. This makes Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 more flexible for Android games that expose ray-tracing options and for Android emulators that benefit from Adreno driver support.

Published graphics tests do not produce one permanent winner. In one aggregated 3DMark Wild Life Extreme comparison, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 recorded a higher peak score, while A16 Bionic recorded higher stability. Such results are useful context, but they depend on the benchmark version, graphics API, phone cooling and power limits.

For real games, iOS and Android libraries are different. A17-era iPhones later gained access to some AAA console-style ports that A16 devices do not support, while Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones can offer gaming-specific hardware, higher-refresh-rate displays, larger batteries and active cooling. The chip is only one part of the gaming experience.

Workload Comparison

✎ Workshop notes · Page 12

Which Chip Fits Your Work?

A16 Bionic and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, matched to everyday tasks

◆ HANDY GUIDE · 2024 ◆

Use Case	Better Fit	Why
CPU-heavy apps	✓ A16 Bionic	Higher sample CPU scores
iOS video and apps	✓ A16 Bionic	Apple hardware and software integration
Android gaming	✓ Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Wide phone and GPU-driver choice
Android emulation	✓ Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Mature Adreno ecosystem
Everyday apps	≈ Near tie	Both remain capable
Camera quality	~ Phone dependent	Sensors and tuning decide more

✎ Notes recorded · practical guidance — page closed —

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 gaming and emulation recommendation is about platform choice, not a guarantee of higher frame rates. A well-cooled Snapdragon phone can be an excellent gaming device, while an iPhone 14 Pro can still run demanding iOS titles smoothly. Check reviews for the exact phone and game you care about.

Which Is Better for a 2026 Used or Refurbished Phone?

The answer depends first on operating system preference. A16 Bionic is the better fit for a buyer who wants iOS, strong CPU performance and Apple's tightly integrated app, camera and service ecosystem.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the better fit for someone who wants Android flexibility, a choice of phone designs, Android emulation, faster charging options or hardware features that vary across manufacturers. A Galaxy S23 Ultra, OnePlus 11 and gaming-focused Snapdragon phones can feel very different despite sharing the same processor family.

Neither chip is a current flagship in 2026, so support status matters. Apple and Android phone makers decide their own OS and security-update policies. Check the exact device model and regional support policy rather than assuming a chipset guarantees a particular update window.

What to Check Before Buying

✈ ☑ ✈ CHECKLIST ✈ ☑ ✈

BEFORE YOU BUY

Six boxes to tick off, whatever phone you choose

◆ TRIP GUIDE · 2024 ◆

☑ Check	Why it matters
Battery health	Older phones can lose endurance
Update policy	Varies by phone maker and region
Cooling	Affects long gaming sessions
Camera system	More important than chip name for photos
Network bands	Important for imported Android phones
Warranty	Check standard US or European terms

✈ ☑ ✈ ☑ ✈ ☑ ✈

— six boxes · one smart purchase —

No phone price is included because used and refurbished prices change by condition, storage, seller, country and warranty. Compare like-for-like configurations in US dollars and euros before buying.

FAQ

Is A16 Bionic faster than Snapdragon 8 Gen 2?

In the public Geekbench 6 phone examples used here, iPhone 14 Pro with A16 Bionic scored higher in both single-core and multi-core CPU tests than the Galaxy S23 Ultra and OnePlus 11 examples using Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Results vary by phone and test version.

Is Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 still good for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 remains capable for modern Android games, especially in phones with good cooling. It also has broad Android emulator and Adreno driver support.

Which phone gets the higher Geekbench score?

The iPhone 14 Pro example scored 2,634 single-core and 6,679 multi-core. The Galaxy S23 Ultra example scored 1,792 and 5,103. The OnePlus 11 example scored 1,920 and 4,986.

Does A16 Bionic have hardware ray tracing?

No. A16 Bionic uses Apple’s five-core GPU, while hardware-accelerated ray tracing arrived with the newer A17 Pro. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

Is this comparison still useful in 2026?

Yes, mainly for used or refurbished flagship-phone choices. Buyers should compare the full phone, not only the chip, including battery health, software support, camera hardware, cooling and local warranty.

Bottom Line

A16 Bionic has the stronger CPU benchmark position and remains a good reason to consider an iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max in 2026. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 remains a flexible Android choice with broad phone availability, strong gaming potential and a mature Adreno ecosystem.

The chip alone should not decide the purchase. Compare the specific phone's condition, display, battery health, update status, cameras, cooling and standard US or European price before choosing.

Sources and Attribution

• Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro announcement confirms A16 Bionic's six-core CPU, five-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine and iPhone 14 Pro placement. 1
• Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 product brief lists the eight-core Kryo CPU, Adreno 740 GPU, AI engine, X70 modem, Wi-Fi 7 and UFS 4.0 support. 2
• The individual Geekbench 6 entries cited in the score table are for iPhone 14 Pro, Galaxy S23 Ultra and OnePlus 11. 3 2 1
• Additional graphics-test context comes from Nanoreview and Tom's Guide. Cross-platform graphics results should be read as device-dependent rather than a universal chip ranking. 2 3