The most anticipated mobile processors of 2023 are the Apple A17 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Both chips are expected to be much faster and more efficient than their predecessors. They are also likely to be used in the next generation of top-of-the-line smartphones from both Apple and Android companies. When it comes out, the Apple A17 Pro should be the most powerful mobile processor on the market. It is said to be made using a 3nm process, which would make it the first chip for a mobile device to use this technology.
This would make it possible for Apple to put more transistors on the chip, which could improve its performance and efficiency in a big way. It is also likely that the A17 Pro will have a new CPU architecture, which could boost performance even more. Also, it is said that Apple will add ray-tracing hardware support to the A17 Pro for the first time. This would let phones and other mobile devices play games that are as good as those on consoles. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is Qualcomm’s top mobile processor for the next generation.
It is likely to be made using a 4nm process, which is smaller and more efficient than the 5nm process used to make the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. This could make a big difference in how long a battery lasts. It is also likely that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will have a new CPU architecture and a new GPU architecture. The performance of both CPU and GPU tasks could get a big boost from these new architectures. Also, there are rumors that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will be the first mobile processor to support Wi-Fi 7.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Pricing and Availability
The most anticipated flagship mobile processors of 2023 are the Apple A17 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Both chips are expected to perform much better than their predecessors, but they are also likely to cost more. It is thought that the Apple A17 Pro will cost around $150 per unit, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is thought to cost around $120. This means that phones with the A17 Pro processor are likely to cost more than those with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor.
But it’s important to keep in mind that price isn’t the only thing to think about when picking a smartphone. Other important factors include the features, design, and battery life. The Apple A17 Pro is expected to be in the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, which are due out in September 2023. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is expected to be used in many Android phones made by different companies. These phones are expected to come out in the second half of 2023.
Apple A17 Pro
💲 Price: $150 per unit
📱 Availability: iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max (September 2023)
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
💲 Price: $120 per unit
📱 Availability: Various Android smartphones from different manufacturers (second half of 2023)
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Comparison Table
The most powerful mobile chipsets of 2023 are likely to be the Apple A17 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Due to its 3nm process node and custom CPU cores, it is said that the A17 Pro will be much faster and more efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. But the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is expected to have some features that make it better, like support for Wi-Fi 7.
| Feature | Apple A17 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Six-core CPU, 19 billion transistors | Octa-core, Kryo CPU |
| CPU cores | 6 | 8 |
| CPU architecture | 2x 3.46 GHz Everest + 4x 2.02 GHz Sawtooth | 1x 3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 + 2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 + 2x 2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 + 3x 2 GHz Cortex-A510 |
| GPU | Apple A17 GPU | Adreno 740 |
| AI | 16-core Apple Neural Engine | Hexagon DSP |
| Clock | 3780 MHz | 3200 MHz |
| Fabrication process | 3 nm | 4 nm |
| AI processing | 16-core Neural Engine | 7th Gen Qualcomm AI Engine |
| RAM support | LPDDR5 | LPDDR5X |
| Memory support | Up to 64 GB LPDDR5 | Up to 64 GB LPDDR5X |
| Max camera resolution | 48 MP | 200 MP |
| Video | HEVC, AV1 decode, 4K60 capture | HEVC, AV1 decode 4K120, 8K30 capture |
| 4G/5G Modem | X70 LTE/5G, 10,000Mbps down, 3,500Mbps up | X70 LTE/5G, 10,000Mbps down, 3,500Mbps up |
| 5G modem | Snapdragon X70 | Snapdragon X70 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Visit Website | Visit Website |
Apple A17 Pro: What’s New?
- 3nm process node
- New CPU architecture
- New GPU architecture with hardware-accelerated ray tracing
- Faster Neural Engine
- AV1 decoding
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: What’s New?
- More power efficient CPU
- Faster GPU
- New AI processor with hardware-based micro tile inferencing
- New Snapdragon Sight technology with real-time semantic segmentation and always-sensing camera
- Support for 5G+5G/4G Dual-SIM Dual-Active and Wi-Fi 7
- First Snapdragon platform with hardware-accelerated ray tracing
GPU Efficiency And Manufacturing Processes
Even though it is clear that Apple has made a big improvement with the Apple A17 Pro Chip’s GPU, it is only 10% faster than the A16 Bionic Chip in the iPhone 14 lineups. Not only that, but the Apple 17 Pro has a separate engine for each task, which makes it easy to do more than one thing at once.
The 3nm process is used to make the chip in the Apple 17 Pro. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is made with the 4nm process. Apple has gone all the way here. This segment went to Apple because even the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is expected to be made using a 4nm process. So, Apple has a clear advantage in this area until at least 2024.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Features
The Apple A17 Pro and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are two of the most anticipated mobile processors of 2023. Both chips are expected to offer significant performance improvements over their predecessors, and they are rumored to come with a number of new features.
Apple A17 Pro
🌟 Hardware ray tracing: According to rumors, the A17 Pro will be the first Apple chip to have hardware ray tracing. This would make it possible for games and other apps to have lighting and reflections that look more real.
🚀 Improved AI performance: AI performance should also be better on the A17 Pro. This could make machine learning tasks like image recognition and natural language processing faster and more accurate.
📸 New camera features: The A17 Pro is said to have some new camera features, such as the ability to record 8K video and take better photos in low light.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
🌐 Wi-Fi 7: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is likely to be the first mobile chip to support Wi-Fi 7. This new Wi-Fi standard is much faster and has less delay than Wi-Fi 6.
📽️ 8K video recording: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is also likely to be able to record 8K videos. This would let people record and watch ultra-high-resolution video on their phones and tablets.
🎮 Better gaming performance: The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s new Adreno GPU should make it better at playing games. This could make the graphics in mobile games smoother and more detailed.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: CPU
In this comparison between the A17 Pro from Apple and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from Qualcomm, let’s start with the CPU. Apple has used its usual six-core setup for the computer’s architecture. Most importantly, A17 Pro is the first mass-produced chip to be made on TSMC’s 3nm node, most likely on TSMC’s first-generation N3B process. Because of this, there are now 19 billion transistors on one die. Two high-performance cores that are said to be clocked at 3.70 GHz are in the CPU.
It’s 10% better than the earlier Everest cores in terms of performance. Apple also put in four power-efficient CPU cores, which, according to Apple, is the most efficient mobile CPU core. Compared to the competition, it has three times as much performance per watt. This is most likely a reference to the A510 core. So, thanks to TSMC’s latest 3nm process node, Apple did a good job with the A17 Pro in terms of both how well the CPU works and how little power it uses.
| Specification | Apple A17 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU cores | 6 | 8 |
| CPU architecture | Custom Arm | Arm Cortex-X3, Cortex-A715, Cortex-A510 |
| CPU manufacturing process | 3nm | 4nm |
| CPU clock speed | Up to 3.78GHz | Up to 3.2GHz |
| CPU features | Hardware ray-tracing, AI acceleration, dedicated engines for tasks like machine learning, image processing, and security | AI acceleration, Adreno 740 GPU, Qualcomm Hexagon DSP |
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a year old. It is made on TSMC’s 4nm node (N4 process) and has an eight-core CPU design. It has a 1+(2+2)+3 CPU cluster design with a powerful Cortex-X3 core clocked at 3.2GHz, 2x Cortex-A715 cores clocked at 2.8GHz, 2x Cortex-A710 cores clocked at 2.8GHz, and 3x Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 2.0GHz. As you can see, the fastest clock speed of the prime core on Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is 3.2GHz, which is much slower than A17 Pro’s 3.70GHz frequency. It seems clear that the A17 Pro will have a big lead in tasks that only need one thread.
Even with the CPU details of the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip that have been leaked, Qualcomm doesn’t look like it will be able to beat Apple this year. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is said to have a (1+3+2+2) CPU design and a prime Cortex-X4 core that is clocked at 3.39GHz, which is still below 3.70GHz. Here are the Geekbench 6 scores of all three chips to help you understand. Take the leaked scores of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with a grain of salt because OEMs are still tweaking the chip to get the most out of it.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: GPU
When we switch our attention to GPU performance, we find some exciting new things. Last year, Qualcomm’s Adreno 740 was faster and used less power than Apple’s 5-core GPU. Apple has worked hard this year to take the GPU crown back from Qualcomm. The A17 Pro has a new Pro-class GPU with six cores and a shader architecture. This is a big improvement over the previous five cores. This means that it works 20% better than its predecessor.
| Feature | Apple A17 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| GPU type | Custom | Adreno 740 |
| Number of cores | 6 | 6 |
| Process node | 3 nm | 4 nm |
| Clock speed | Up to 2.1 GHz | Up to 2.0 GHz |
| Ray tracing support | Yes | Yes |
| Other features | Variable rate shading | Variable rate shading |
Notably, Apple has also added support for Ray tracing that is sped up by hardware on the A17 Pro with its Pro-class GPU. This technology makes it possible to render graphics four times faster than with the A16 Bionic’s software-based methods. Also, MetalFX Upscaling, a new feature that uses both the GPU and the Neural Engine, improves the quality of the graphics while using less power.
These improvements make the A17 Pro an appealing choice for gamers because it promises to let them play games with graphics as good as those on consoles. In comparison, the older Adreno 740 GPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has been very good and supports features like HW-accelerated ray tracing. But Apple’s new 6-core GPU seems to be ahead of the pack. The Adreno 750 GPU on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 hasn’t been tested yet, but Apple’s A17 Pro GPU is currently the leader in the GPU race.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: ISP (Image Signal Processors)
The majority of the camera’s functions, including Portrait and Night modes, are now powered by the A17 Pro’s Photonic engine, which Apple barely mentioned during the event. Additionally, Apple promises that by early next year, the iPhone 15 Pro series will support spatial video recording. This will let you relive the memories on Apple Vision Pro with a lot more depth. Aside from that, its ISP already lets you take 48MP ProRAW photos and 4K60 ProRes videos.
| Feature | Apple A17 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| ISP architecture | Triple ISP | Triple ISP (18-bit) |
| Max camera resolution | 48MP | 200MP |
| Max video resolution | 4K60 ProRes | 8K HDR |
| Other features | ProRAW capture, advanced image processing | Advanced image processing, support for new camera sensors |
Coming to Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, it has an 18-bit triple ISP architecture, supports 8K HDR videos, can take photos up to 200MP, and much more. So, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 looks better in terms of how well it can process images in general. But we know from experience that videos shot on iPhones are much better than videos shot on the best Android phones. So we can’t tell how good the ISP is for either of these processors by looking at their specs.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Connectivity
In terms of connectivity, the A17 Pro is not very impressive. It has the same modem as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: the Snapdragon X70. The maximum speeds of the modem are 10 Gbps down and 3.5 Gbps up. When it comes to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the A17 Pro still only works with Wi-Fi 6E, which is twice as fast as Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth v5.3. On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has Bluetooth v5.3 and Wi-Fi 7, which is much faster than Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 7 has a throughput of 5.8 Gbps and a latency of less than 2 ms.
| Feature | Apple A17 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G modem | Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 | Qualcomm Snapdragon X70 |
| 5G support | mmWave and sub-6 GHz | mmWave and sub-6 GHz |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Other | GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, NavIC | GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, NavIC |
Wi-Fi 7 makes sure that there will always be a high-speed wireless connection, even though few devices can take advantage of its faster transfer rates. Both chips have head tracking and Spatial Audio features, so you can use either one to have an immersive audio experience. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 also supports LE Audio, Dual Bluetooth Antenna, and aptX Lossless, which give it a clear advantage over the A17 Pro. In terms of connectivity, it’s clear that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the winner.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: AI and ML
AI and machine learning have gotten a lot better on the A17 Pro. The A17 Pro’s new 16-core Neural Engine is now two times faster than the A16 Bionic. It can now do 35 trillion operations per second (TOPS) in real life. That makes no sense at all, right? To give you an idea, the A16 Bionic only got 17 TOPS last year, but Apple has been able to double its performance in just one year.
On the other hand, Qualcomm’s AI engine has always been very good. The much older Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC could already do 27 TOPS, and the AI engine got even better with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Now, we need to see if Qualcomm’s soon-to-be-released Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can beat Apple in the race for AI.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Battery Life and Efficiency
The cutting-edge TSMC 3nm fabrication process was used to make the A17 Pro, which shows that Apple is always looking for the best technology. Compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s 4nm process, this is a big step forward in terms of how well it works. With the A17 Pro, Apple maintains its reputation for making chips with the best energy efficiency in the industry. This solidifies its position as the leader in this area.
In terms of power efficiency, the A17 Pro is better than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 when they are put side by side. But it’s important to stress that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is by no means a slow processor. It has good performance on its own, but it isn’t quite as good as the A17 Pro, which has a remarkable level of efficiency. This difference shows how these cutting-edge processors have different levels of technological progress.
Apple A17 Pro vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Overall Performance
The most anticipated mobile chipsets of 2023 are the Apple A17 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Both chips are expected to be much faster than the ones that came before them, but which one will be the fastest in the end? On paper, the Apple A17 Pro is better than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in a number of ways. It is made using a more advanced 3nm process, which should make it much better at using power. Also, rumors say that the A17 Pro will have a new 6-core GPU that can do ray tracing in hardware.
On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has its own set of benefits. It has a more powerful 8-core CPU, and rumors say that its Adreno 740 GPU is the fastest mobile GPU on the market. Also, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 can do a lot of advanced things, like record 8K video and connect to Wi-Fi 7. It’s still too early to say for sure which chip will perform better in the real world. But based on the information we have, we can make some educated guesses. The Apple A17 Pro is expected to have a slight edge over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in terms of CPU performance.
| Feature | Apple A17 Pro | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing process | 3nm | 4nm |
| CPU cores | 6 | 8 |
| GPU cores | 6 | 7 |
| GPU clock speed | 2.7GHz | 3.2GHz |
| Hardware ray tracing | Yes | Yes |
| 8K video recording | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi 6E | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi 7 | No | Yes |
This is because the A17 Pro is made in a more advanced way and is said to have a new CPU architecture. But in most real-world situations, the difference in CPU performance is not likely to make a big difference. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is expected to have a slight edge over the Apple A17 Pro when it comes to GPU performance. This is because the Adreno 740 GPU has a faster clock speed and can do ray tracing in hardware. But the A17 Pro’s new 6-core GPU is still expected to be very fast, and in some games and other graphics-intensive apps, it could even be faster than the Adreno 740 GPU.
Overall, we expect both the Apple A17 Pro and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to be very fast mobile chipsets. The A17 Pro is expected to have a slight edge in CPU performance and power efficiency, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is expected to have a slight edge in GPU performance. But in most real-world situations, the difference in performance between the two chips is not likely to make a big difference.
Apple A17 Pro: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Faster CPU and GPU performance
- More efficient battery life
- Better integration with iOS
- Smaller transistor size (3nm vs 4nm)
Cons
- More expensive devices
- No 8K video recording
- No Wi-Fi 7 support
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Wider ecosystem
- Supports 8K video recording
- Supports Wi-Fi 7
Cons
- Less efficient battery life
- Not as well integrated with Android
Which One Should You Consider?
Both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and the Apple A17 Pro are great chipsets that can do a lot of different things well. Both options give their users the best in functionality, better visuals, and cutting-edge AI and photography tools. In terms of raw CPU performance and efficiency, the A17 Pro is better than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but in other ways, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is better.
Still, that doesn’t mean that one of them is bad and can’t be used in that way. To make an informed decision, you need to test and compare things in the real world and think about how they would be used in the real world. This makes sure that people can choose the chipset that best fits their needs and tastes. Check reviews and benchmarks to get the best idea of how well these chipsets work.
