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Neither chipset is a universal winner. Published tests show broadly competitive CPU performance, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 leads several graphics tests in Beebom’s retail-phone comparison. Notebookcheck’s earlier reference-device results are much closer and include a narrow 8s Gen 4 lead in one graphics test. For a buying decision, compare the specific phones and the workloads you care about—not just the chip names.

What the specifications say

Both are 4 nm mobile platforms, but headline specifications do not settle which is faster in every phone. Qualcomm lists a peak CPU speed of 3.2 GHz for the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. For the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Qualcomm lists CPU variants with maximum speeds of 3.4 GHz, 3.3 GHz, or 3.0 GHz, depending on the platform version. Clock speed alone is not a complete performance ranking.

Qualcomm advertises up to 31% higher CPU performance and up to 49% higher GPU performance for the 8s Gen 4, but those comparisons are against the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3—not the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Those figures should not be read as a direct performance advantage over the older flagship chip. See Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 specifications and claims.

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Qualcomm lists Wi-Fi 7 support and a Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF System with peak download speed of 4.2 Gbps for the 8s Gen 4. The 8 Gen 3 product page notes that modem capability varies by version. Actual connectivity features and performance depend on the handset’s configuration, network, and region; a platform capability does not guarantee that every phone supports it. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 page lists its platform details.

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Independent comparisons commonly identify the 8s Gen 4’s GPU as Adreno 825 and the 8 Gen 3’s as Adreno 750. The benchmark results below are more useful for judging real workloads than those names alone, but they still describe particular phones and test conditions.

Benchmark comparison: why the tested phone matters

Published scores vary with the handset, its cooling and power limits, software, and benchmark run. The results below are not a controlled silicon-only comparison, so use them as evidence about the tested devices rather than guaranteed scores for every phone with the same processor.

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Beebom: iQOO Neo 10 vs OnePlus 13R

Beebom tested the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 in an iQOO Neo 10 and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in a OnePlus 13R. Its results show near-equal total AnTuTu and Geekbench single-core scores, an 8s Gen 4 multi-core lead, and a clear 8 Gen 3 lead in the three listed graphics tests.

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Test Snapdragon 8s Gen 4
iQOO Neo 10
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
OnePlus 13R
Higher reported result
AnTuTu total 2,104,905 2,087,159 8s Gen 4
Geekbench 6 single-core 2,158 2,183 8 Gen 3
Geekbench 6 multi-core 6,989 6,434 8s Gen 4
3DMark Wild Life Extreme best loop 2,845 5,060 8 Gen 3
3DMark Wild Life Extreme lowest loop 2,180 2,742 8 Gen 3
3DMark Wild Life Extreme stability 76.6% 54.2% 8s Gen 4
3DMark Solar Bay 4,615 8,686 8 Gen 3
3DMark Steel Nomad Light 1,030 1,702 8 Gen 3

These are Beebom’s results for those two phones. The graphics gap is substantial in its Solar Bay, Steel Nomad Light, and Wild Life Extreme best-loop scores, but it does not prove the same gap will appear between every 8s Gen 4 and 8 Gen 3 handset. The higher reported Wild Life Extreme stability for the iQOO also illustrates why a peak score and performance over repeated loops can tell different stories. Beebom’s comparison and test details.

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91mobiles: a different set of results

91mobiles publishes AnTuTu results of 2,366,913 for the 8s Gen 4 and 2,186,467 for the 8 Gen 3. Its Geekbench scores are 2,197 single-core and 7,123 multi-core for the 8s Gen 4, versus 2,303 and 7,376 for the 8 Gen 3. That pattern differs from Beebom’s results, including which chip leads in multi-core Geekbench. The figures should be kept with their own source and test samples, not averaged together as if they came from one controlled test.

Notebookcheck: reference design vs retail phones

In a report dated April 10, 2025, Notebookcheck compared an 8s Gen 4 Qualcomm Reference Design device with retail Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phones. The reference unit scored 2,263 single-core and 7,414 multi-core in Geekbench 6; the Xiaomi 14 scored 2,213 and 7,454. In 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, the reference unit scored 5,100 against 5,214 for the 8 Gen 3 phone. Notebookcheck also reported that the reference unit narrowly edged the 8 Gen 3 in Steel Nomad Light.

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Notebookcheck cautioned that its reference device may represent a best-case scenario. Its results are therefore useful context, not a direct prediction for a retail 8s Gen 4 phone. Notebookcheck’s April 10, 2025 report.

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Which chipset should you choose?

For gaming and graphics

Beebom’s iQOO Neo 10 versus OnePlus 13R comparison favors the 8 Gen 3 in several graphics tests, while Notebookcheck’s reference-design results are much closer and favor the 8s Gen 4 narrowly in one test. If gaming matters, compare sustained performance in the specific phones you are considering; cooling and power behavior can affect long sessions as well as benchmark scores.

For everyday CPU performance

The published CPU results are close enough that there is no dependable winner across all devices and tests. Beebom’s results put the 8s Gen 4 ahead in multi-core and the 8 Gen 3 slightly ahead in single-core; Notebookcheck’s results reverse the narrow multi-core ordering. For routine apps, these benchmark differences alone are unlikely to tell you which complete phone will feel better.

For connectivity and overall value

Check the exact phone’s supported network bands, Wi-Fi features, cooling, battery, display, software support, and price. Platform-level specifications describe what a chip can support, not necessarily what a particular handset includes. A better-equipped or better-priced phone may be the stronger purchase regardless of which chipset has the higher score in one test.

How to read the comparison fairly

  • Keep every benchmark attached to its publisher, test, and handset; the published results are not consistent enough to create one universal ranking.
  • Separate peak performance from repeated-load behavior. In Beebom’s Wild Life Extreme test, the phone with the higher best loop did not have the higher reported stability.
  • Do not treat Qualcomm’s 8s Gen 4 uplift claims as a comparison with the 8 Gen 3; the stated baseline is the 8s Gen 3.
  • Compare retail phones on the features and price available in your region, since chipset capabilities and handset configurations can differ.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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