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Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is the faster platform in the cited benchmark set, especially for single-core CPU work and 3D graphics. NanoReview’s 2026 database shows AnTuTu 11 scores of 2,345,563 for Snapdragon and 1,948,428 for Dimensity, while Geekbench 6 single-core scores are 2,203 and 1,576. Multi-core performance is much closer, at 6,511 versus 6,239, reflecting the Dimensity 8400’s eight-performance-core design. These are aggregated phone results rather than a controlled test of identical handsets, so cooling, firmware, memory, display resolution and power limits can change what you experience from one model to another.
Which is faster overall: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Dimensity 8400?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has the stronger overall performance profile in the available comparisons. It leads clearly in AnTuTu, Geekbench single-core and the listed 3DMark tests, while Dimensity 8400 narrows the gap in multi-core workloads with its all-big-core CPU layout.
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That result identifies the stronger chip, not automatically the faster phone. A Dimensity 8400 handset with better cooling, a lower-resolution screen and a less aggressive power limit can feel faster than a poorly tuned Snapdragon phone. Treat the figures below as a comparison of platform capability and as a directional guide when choosing between actual devices.
What are the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Dimensity 8400?
Both are 4 nm, eight-core smartphone system-on-chips, but they take different approaches to CPU design and graphics.
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| Specification | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Dimensity 8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement | October 24, 2023 | December 23, 2024 |
| Process | 4 nm | 4 nm |
| CPU arrangement | One Cortex-X4 up to 3.3 GHz, five Cortex-A720 performance cores and two Cortex-A520 efficiency cores | Eight Cortex-A725 cores in an all-big-core layout |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Mali-G720 MC7 |
| Additional processing | Not stated in the cited comparison data | MediaTek NPU 880; 6 MB L3 cache |
The Snapdragon uses a conventional mixed-core arrangement: one very fast prime core for bursty work, several performance cores for sustained loads and two efficiency cores for lighter activity. Dimensity 8400 removes the small efficiency cores and uses eight Cortex-A725 performance-class cores. That gives MediaTek a strong multi-core foundation, but it does not erase Snapdragon’s advantage in peak single-thread speed or graphics.
How do the benchmark scores compare?
The following results come from NanoReview’s 2026 comparison database. Because the database combines results from different phones, they should not be read as laboratory scores from two identical devices.
| Test | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Dimensity 8400 | What it indicates |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu 11 total | 2,345,563 | 1,948,428 | Snapdragon is about 20% ahead in this aggregated result |
| Geekbench 6 single-core | 2,203 | 1,576 | Large Snapdragon lead for one-thread tasks |
| Geekbench 6 multi-core | 6,511 | 6,239 | Much narrower gap when all cores work together |
| 3DMark Steel Nomad Light | 1,652 | 1,346 | Snapdragon leads in modern graphics rendering |
| 3DMark Solar Bay | 8,190 | 5,948 | Snapdragon has a larger advantage in this ray-tracing-oriented test |
| PCMark 3.0 | 16,318 | 14,015 | Directional everyday-performance lead; sample sizes differ |
The PCMark figures require extra caution: the Snapdragon result represents 41 phone models in the database, compared with five Dimensity 8400 models. That imbalance, along with different software and thermal designs, makes the result useful for direction rather than a guaranteed percentage advantage.
What does the AnTuTu gap mean?
The AnTuTu 11 difference is roughly 397,000 points, or about one-fifth of the Snapdragon result. AnTuTu combines CPU, GPU, memory and user-experience subtests, so the score reflects more than processor speed. It is most useful for identifying a broad performance tier; it cannot predict the frame rate of a particular game or the battery life of a particular phone.
Why is Geekbench multi-core much closer?
Dimensity 8400’s eight Cortex-A725 cores can keep many threads busy, which explains why its 6,239 multi-core score is relatively close to Snapdragon’s 6,511. Snapdragon’s 2,203 single-core score, however, is far ahead of Dimensity’s 1,576, so tasks that depend on one or two fast threads—such as launching an app, processing a short script or responding to interface events—favor the Snapdragon design in this dataset.
Which chip is better for gaming and graphics?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 leads the listed 3DMark results, making it the safer choice when maximum graphics throughput is the priority. Dimensity 8400 still offers a capable Mali-G720 MC7 GPU and gaming-specific features that can improve results when a game and phone maker support them.
| Gaming consideration | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Dimensity 8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics hardware | Adreno 750 | Mali-G720 MC7 |
| Steel Nomad Light | 1,652 | 1,346 |
| Solar Bay | 8,190 | 5,948 |
| Vendor-stated graphics feature | Qualcomm says the upgraded Adreno GPU delivers 25% faster graphics rendering and 25% improved GPU power efficiency; this is a manufacturer claim, not an independent head-to-head test | MediaTek Frame Rate Converter (MFRC) and Adaptive Gaming Technology 3.0 are designed to help manage game frame rates and power |
Frame-rate results depend on the game’s graphics API, driver support, thermal ceiling, screen resolution and the phone’s sustained power profile. A phone can also use frame interpolation or a frame-rate converter to make motion look smoother without rendering every displayed frame natively. Consequently, the 3DMark lead is meaningful evidence of stronger GPU headroom, but it is not a promise that every title will run at a fixed frame rate.
What should a serious mobile gamer check?
- Cooling hardware: Look for a substantial vapor chamber or other documented thermal solution. The same chip can perform very differently after ten or thirty minutes of play.
- Screen resolution: A 1440p panel puts more work on the GPU than a 1080p panel. Compare gaming tests made at the phone’s native resolution.
- Game support: Features such as MFRC and Adaptive Gaming Technology 3.0 only help when the operating system, game and vendor tuning expose them correctly.
- Sustained testing: Prefer reviews that show repeated loops or long sessions, not just a single benchmark run taken immediately after the phone is cool.
How do CPU, memory and storage specifications differ?
Both platforms support modern high-speed phone memory, but the cited comparison gives Snapdragon a higher maximum memory-bandwidth figure.
| Memory or storage item | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Dimensity 8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory type | LPDDR5X in the comparison data | LPDDR5X in MediaTek’s official specification |
| Maximum memory bandwidth in comparison data | 76.8 GB/s | 68.2 GB/s |
| Storage support | UFS 4 is listed in the comparison data | UFS 4 is listed in MediaTek’s official specification |
Those are platform capabilities, not a guarantee that every retail phone uses the fastest supported configuration. A manufacturer may install less RAM, use a different storage tier or configure a lower memory speed. Check the exact regional model and its RAM/storage combination before using the chipset name as a proxy for phone speed.
The all-big-core Dimensity layout can be advantageous for heavily threaded jobs such as batch exports or sustained compression. Snapdragon’s higher memory-bandwidth figure and stronger single-core result are more relevant to burst responsiveness and workloads that repeatedly move data through the GPU or a small number of CPU threads.
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What display and camera features does each platform support?
MediaTek’s published Dimensity 8400 specification lists support for up to 320-megapixel cameras, 4K video capture at 60 frames per second, AV1 video playback and WQHD+ displays up to 144 Hz. These are maximum platform capabilities; the phone maker decides which cameras, codecs, resolution and refresh modes appear in a finished product.
- Camera resolution: Up to 320 MP is a sensor-interface ceiling, not an indication that a phone will produce 320 MP photographs or that image quality will exceed a lower-resolution camera.
- Video: The documented Dimensity limit is 4K at 60 fps. Actual recording modes can be reduced by heat, storage speed, stabilization and the phone’s camera software.
- Display: WQHD+ at up to 144 Hz is supported by the Dimensity platform, but a phone can ship with a lower-resolution or lower-refresh panel to reduce cost and power use.
- AV1: AV1 playback support helps with compatible streaming files; it does not mean every streaming service will deliver AV1 to that device.
The cited Snapdragon material does not provide a directly comparable camera-resolution or display-refresh maximum. For that reason, compare the handset specifications rather than assuming that Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 phones all share one camera or screen configuration.
Which modem and connectivity features matter?
Qualcomm highlights the integrated Snapdragon X75 5G Modem-RF System for Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. MediaTek describes Dimensity 8400 as including a 5G-Advanced modem, but the supplied specifications do not provide a directly comparable peak-speed table.
Network performance depends on supported bands, carrier aggregation, antenna layout, regional certification and signal conditions. Two phones using the same chip can therefore have different 5G coverage or throughput. Check the exact model’s band list for your carrier and country instead of relying on the processor name alone.
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Will Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or Dimensity 8400 give better battery life?
The chip alone cannot settle that question. Both use a 4 nm process, but battery life is also shaped by display resolution and refresh rate, modem behavior, software scheduling, camera use, battery capacity and the manufacturer’s power limits.
Qualcomm’s 25% graphics-efficiency figure is a current product-page claim for the upgraded Adreno GPU, not a universal battery-life result across phones. Likewise, an all-big-core CPU can be efficient in a well-tuned workload but may consume more power when all eight cores are held at high speed. Look for independent endurance and sustained-performance tests of the exact handset.
How should you choose between phones using these chips?
Choose Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 when the price and phone design are similar and you want the highest demonstrated CPU single-core and GPU performance. Choose Dimensity 8400 when the phone offers a better screen, camera, battery, cooling system or price and your workloads do not require the Snapdragon platform’s graphics lead.
| Your priority | More suitable starting point | What to verify before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum gaming graphics and emulation headroom | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Long-session frame-rate tests, cooling hardware and game compatibility |
| Fast app launches and short interactive tasks | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Single-core benchmarks from the exact phone and its software version |
| Heavy multi-threaded work | Either; Dimensity is closer than its total score suggests | Repeated multi-core tests, sustained clocks and thermal throttling |
| High-refresh WQHD+ display | Dimensity 8400 platform supports up to WQHD+ at 144 Hz | Whether the particular model actually includes that panel and mode |
| Camera or video features | Depends on the phone, not just the chip | Sensor, stabilization, recording modes and camera software |
| Best value | Whichever handset is better configured and priced | Regional price, RAM/storage, battery, charger, update policy and warranty |
A practical buying checklist
- Identify the exact model number. Regional variants can use different memory, bands, cameras or cooling parts under the same product name.
- Compare RAM and storage. Confirm LPDDR5X capacity and UFS 4 storage rather than assuming the platform maximum is installed.
- Read sustained-performance tests. A first-run benchmark shows burst speed; a loop or long gaming session reveals throttling.
- Check the display workload. Resolution, refresh rate and brightness affect both gaming load and battery drain.
- Verify camera and modem details. Platform ceilings do not guarantee a specific sensor, codec mode or 5G band combination.
- Compare the complete phone price. There is no meaningful chipset-only value judgment without the actual handset’s regional price and configuration.
Is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 worth choosing over Dimensity 8400?
If two phones cost roughly the same and are equally well engineered, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is the safer performance choice: it wins the cited AnTuTu, Geekbench single-core, 3DMark Steel Nomad Light and Solar Bay comparisons. Dimensity 8400 is not a low-end alternative; its multi-core score is close, and its all-big-core design, LPDDR5X/UFS 4 support, high-refresh display capability and gaming software features can make it an excellent basis for a well-designed phone.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsDo not pay a large premium solely for the processor label when the Dimensity handset has materially better cooling, battery capacity or display hardware. Conversely, if you play demanding 3D games, use graphics-heavy emulators or value fast single-thread responsiveness, the Snapdragon lead is more likely to justify choosing that model.
What is the final verdict?
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 wins the benchmark and graphics comparison, with the clearest advantage in single-core CPU and 3D performance. Dimensity 8400’s multi-core result is competitive and its feature set is broad, so the best purchase depends on the complete phone: cooling, screen, cameras, modem bands, software and regional price can outweigh a chipset ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dimensity 8400’s 6 MB L3 cache mean the phone has only 6 MB of cache?
No. The 6 MB figure identifies the stated L3 cache; it is not a description of every cache level inside the processor. Cache capacity alone also cannot predict a phone’s speed without considering core design, memory tuning and software.
Does every Dimensity 8400 phone include 144 Hz WQHD+ display support?
The platform specification allows up to WQHD+ resolution at 144 Hz, but handset makers can install a different panel or limit the available refresh modes. Check the exact model’s display specification and its high-refresh behavior in games.
Why can two phones with the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 score differently?
The chip can be configured with different power limits, cooling systems, memory capacities and firmware. Screen resolution and ambient temperature also change the workload, so a database average should not be treated as a fixed score for every handset.
Does the published 4K60 figure guarantee every Dimensity 8400 camera records 4K at 60 fps?
No. It is the platform’s stated capture capability. Camera sensors, stabilization, heat, storage throughput and the manufacturer’s camera application determine which modes are actually enabled on a particular phone.
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