.png "Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Apple A18 Pro GPU Efficiency Chart")
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite and the Apple A18 Pro are the engines inside the Galaxy S25 Ultra, OnePlus 13, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Both use TSMC's 3nm process, yet the results split cleanly: Apple's A18 Pro wins single-core speed, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite wins multi-core and peak graphics, and that pattern repeats across most benchmarks.
This is a 2024 to 2025 flagship scorecard, not a 2026 buying guide. Later chips, including Apple's A19 family and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, sit above these numbers.
At a Glance
- Snapdragon 8 Elite launched October 2024, Apple A18 Pro launched September 2024.
- Both chips are built on TSMC's 3nm process.
- The A18 Pro wins Geekbench 6 single-core by a clear margin.
- The Snapdragon 8 Elite wins multi-core thanks to eight full performance cores.
- The Adreno 830 posts higher peak graphics numbers than the A18 Pro's 6-core GPU.
Why This Matters
This matchup mattered when these phones shipped through late 2024 and 2025, because the two chips answered different questions. If raw app opening speed and day to day snappiness were the priority, the A18 Pro's single-core lead was the number that counted. If heavy multitasking, video export or Android gaming headroom was the priority, the Snapdragon 8 Elite's extra cores and bigger GPU pulled ahead.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite arrived in October 2024 as Qualcomm's first phone chip built entirely on custom Oryon cores. It packs two prime cores at 4.32GHz and six performance cores at 3.53GHz, with no small efficiency cores at all, plus the Adreno 830 GPU. The A18 Pro arrived a month earlier, in September 2024, with a 6-core CPU: two performance cores at about 4.05GHz and four efficiency cores at about 2.42GHz, paired with Apple's 6-core GPU.
The CPU breakdown explains most of the gap. Apple's two performance cores hold the single-core lead in this generation, even though they run at a lower clock speed than Qualcomm's Oryon cores. In Geekbench 6, the A18 Pro lands between about 3,317 and 3,467 in single-core, against about 3,030 to 3,200 for the Snapdragon 8 Elite. But Qualcomm counters with eight full performance cores, so multi-core flips the result: the 8 Elite sits between roughly 9,271 and 10,105, while the A18 Pro sits between about 8,115 and 8,550.
One nuance keeps that claim honest. On Beebom's AnTuTu run, the A18 Pro actually leads the CPU sub-score, about 715,000 against about 584,000 for the 8 Elite. The multi-core advantage is specific to Geekbench 6, not a universal CPU win.
.png "Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Apple A18 Pro GPU Efficiency Chart")
One caveat still applies to the AnTuTu rows. AnTuTu runs differently on iOS and Android, and the publisher itself advises against comparing the two platforms directly. Both rows above are v10, but they remain a rough indicator rather than a like-for-like race.
The GPU story has two layers. The Adreno 830 produces higher peak graphics output, which shows up in the AnTuTu v10 GPU sub-score and in Android titles with heavy effects. Apple's 6-core GPU counters with consistency: in Beebom's 3DMark Wild Life Extreme stress test, the A18 Pro posted a best loop of 3,268 points with 90.1 percent stability across 20 loops. Android devices with the 8 Elite vary more by cooling, with the Galaxy S25 Ultra dropping about 20 percent after a single minute while the OnePlus 13 dips only about 5 percent, according to Android Authority.
The phones show the same picture in real numbers, and they also show how much device tuning matters. The iPhone 16 Pro Max scores about 3,409 single-core and 8,492 multi-core in Geekbench 6, per Macworld. The Galaxy S25 Ultra, which runs a slightly overclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, posts roughly 3,050 single-core and 9,800 multi-core, per PhoneArena and Android Authority. The OnePlus 13 with the standard chip averages about 2,899 single-core and 8,945 multi-core in NanoReview's database, below Qualcomm's reference numbers, which is a reminder that cooling and tuning shift real-world scores.
Price gives the final context, and the two camps sit close together. The iPhone 16 Pro Max started at $1,199 in the United States and €1,449 in Europe at its September 2024 launch, for the 256GB model. The Galaxy S25 Ultra started at $1,299 in the US and €1,449 in Europe at its January 2025 launch. The OnePlus 13 undercut both at $899.99 in the US and €999 in Europe at its global launch in January 2025. Street prices as of September 2026 are not part of this brief.
What 2026 Buyers Should Compare Instead
Readers shopping for a new phone in 2026 should not measure current flagships against this scorecard. The direct successors, Apple's A19 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, sit above these numbers, and a separate comparison of those two chips is the relevant read for a purchase decision this year.
The bottom line for this 2024 to 2025 pairing is unchanged by that. Apple's A18 Pro is the single-core leader and stays more consistent under sustained GPU load, which suited everyday speed, video work and long gaming sessions. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is the multi-core and peak graphics leader, which suited heavy Android multitasking and maximum frame rates when cooling allowed.
.png "Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Apple A18 Pro GPU Efficiency Chart")
FAQ
Which chip is faster, Snapdragon 8 Elite or A18 Pro?
It depends on the test. The A18 Pro wins single-core, the Snapdragon 8 Elite wins multi-core in Geekbench 6, and the 8 Elite posts higher peak GPU numbers.
Which chip is better for gaming?
For peak graphics on Android, the Snapdragon 8 Elite with the Adreno 830 leads. The A18 Pro is more consistent under sustained load, holding 90.1 percent stability in Beebom's 3DMark stress test.
Why does the A18 Pro win single-core?
Apple's performance cores deliver more work per core, even though they run at a lower clock speed than Qualcomm's Oryon cores.
Which phones use the Snapdragon 8 Elite?
The Galaxy S25 Ultra, OnePlus 13, ASUS ROG Phone 9 and Xiaomi 15 series all use the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Which phones use the A18 Pro?
The A18 Pro powers the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
How much did these phones cost at launch?
The iPhone 16 Pro Max started at $1,199 or €1,449, the Galaxy S25 Ultra at $1,299 or €1,449, and the OnePlus 13 at $899.99 or €999.
Bottom Line
The Snapdragon 8 Elite and A18 Pro share a 3nm process but split the performance crown of the 2024 to 2025 flagship generation. Apple wins single-core speed and sustained GPU consistency, while Qualcomm wins multi-core throughput and peak graphics. Buyers who chased raw Android gaming power found it in the 8 Elite, while buyers who valued app responsiveness and long session stability found it in the A18 Pro. Both are now previous generation silicon, and the 2026 comparison belongs to their successors.
Sources
- Snapdragon 8 Elite benchmarks and specs, Beebom
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite spec page, 91mobiles
- Apple A18 Pro benchmarks and specs, Beebom
- Apple A18 Pro spec page, 91mobiles
- Galaxy S25 Ultra benchmarks, nanoreview
- OnePlus 13 benchmarks, nanoreview
- Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy tested, Android Authority
- First A18 Pro benchmarks, Macworld
- OnePlus 13 global launch, 9to5Google
- Galaxy S25 Ultra price, PhoneArena
- Xiaomi 15 and ROG Phone 9 confirmed on Snapdragon 8 Elite, TechRadar
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