In a tech landscape where keeping up with the latest has become increasingly difficult, Qualcomm's processor naming scheme, too, has gone for a walk. On one side, we have the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, a proper premium mid-range processor. And on the other, we have the 7s Gen 3, which technically sits in a lower tier despite the "s" branding. If you want to know which one performs better, here's a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 benchmark comparison.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: AnTuTu Score
| AnTuTu Benchmark | Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu Score | 1,043,266 | 1,073,789 |
| CPU | 401,667 | 414,063 |
| GPU | 216,919 | 180,737 |
| Memory | 170,382 | 200,431 |
| UX | 254,298 | 278,558 |
Kicking things off with the AnTuTu V11 scores, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 in the OnePlus Nord CE4 and the 7s Gen 3 in the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro are almost equally matched, with the latter scoring slightly higher. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 scores an impressive 1,043,266 points, whereas the 7s Gen 3 scores 1,073,789 points.
While both the processors are pretty identical in the CPU segment, delving a bit deeper reveals that the main difference stems from the GPU, Memory and UX. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 scores around 15% higher in the GPU department (216,919 vs 180,737), meaning it's the better gaming chipset of the two. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 scores 5% better in the user experience.
The difference in CPU performance, or the lack thereof, can be attributed to the almost similar CPU cores on both processors. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is ever-so-slightly ahead because it uses ARMv9.2-A cores, versus the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, which uses ARMv9. However, although it may seem like the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 has the better GPU (Adreno 810), it's underpowered compared to the Adreno 720, which is firing at full capacity.
Therefore, while the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 has slightly more CPU horsepower, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3's GPU more than makes up for it. Therefore, it's the better choice for those looking to get as much gaming performance out of their smartphones as possible.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: Geekbench Score
| Geekbench 6 CPU | Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Single-core | 1,140 | 1,164 |
| Multi-core | 3,021 | 3,252 |
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 and 7 Gen 3 are very similar in single-core performance, but the former takes a slight lead in multi-core performance. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 scores 3,252 points in multi-core, whereas the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 maxes out at 3,021 points. That's a decent 7% difference.
The reason for this lead is simple. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 uses slightly newer ARMv9.2 Cortex-A720 and Cortex-A520 cores, whereas the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 uses ARMv9.0 Cortex-A715 and Cortex-A510 cores. For those unaware, both the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and 7s Gen 3 are octa-core chipsets with a 1+3+4 core setup.
Therefore, even though the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 reaches higher clock speeds, the architectural efficiency of the newer cores in the 7s Gen 3 allows it to complete tasks faster. Not to mention, since the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is a newer chip, it's manufactured on the more efficient TSMC 4nm (N4P) process.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: CPU Throttling Score
| CPU Throttling Test | Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Score | 275,299 GIPS | 312,851 GIPS |
| Average Score | 245,566 GIPS | 306,593 GIPS |
| Minimum Score | 188,304 GIPS | 288,448 GIPS |
| Throttling Percentage (Higher is better) | 73% | No Throttling Detected |
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 emerges victorious over the 7 Gen 3 in our 15-minute thermal throttling test. It not only achieves better peak performance with a maximum score of 312,851 GIPS (vs. 275,299 GIPS), but also exhibits net-zero thermal throttling. The difference paints an incredibly brutal loss for the 7 Gen 3 as the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3's "minimum" and "average" scores surpass the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3's "maximum" score.
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, while capable, dropped to 73% if its max performance under sustained load. This proves that the newer manufacturing process, combined with more powerful and efficient cores of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, makes it a far superior choice for users who need great battery life and a prolonged gaming experience.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: 3DMark Score
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Best Loop Score | 1,479 | 1,049 |
| Lowest Loop Score | 1,472 | 1,046 |
| Stability | 99.5% | 99.7% |
In the GPU performance, the difference observed in AnTuTu becomes a bit clearer. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is significantly ahead of the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. It scores around 30% higher (1,479) in the best loop score, with the lowest loop score of 1,472 points, demonstrating an exceptional stability of 99.5%.
The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, while also extremely stable, doesn't score as much. With 1,049 points in the best loop, it could handle moderately heavy gaming, but the raw FPS and performance numbers won't match the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3's, which score much higher. The 7 Gen 3 is cut for slightly heavy AAA gaming, whereas the 7s Gen 3 could happily run modern FPS shooters at decent frame rates and graphics settings.
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: Speedometer Score
For web browsing and JavaScript responsiveness, the older Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is snappier and scores 11.2 compared to 8.8 points on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. This means you will notice faster website loading times and a fairly smoother experience browsing webpages on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3-powered smartphone.
Benchmark Gallery
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 vs Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: Specs Comparison
| Specs | Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Process Node | TSMC 4nm (N4) | TSMC's 4nm (N4P) |
| CPU | 8-core Kryo CPU | 8-core Kryo CPU |
| CPU Cores | 1x 2.63 GHz (Cortex-A715), 3x 2.4 GHz (Cortex-A715) and 4x (Cortex-A510) | 1x 2.63 GHz (Cortex-A720), 3x 2.4 GHz (Cortex-A720) and 4x (Cortex-A520) |
| GPU | Adreno 720 GPU | Adreno 810 |
| Storage and Memory | UFS 3.1, LPDDR5X memory, Up to 3.2 GHz | UFS 3.1, LPDDR5 up to 3.2 GHz |
| NPU | Hexagon NPU | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU |
| ISP | Qualcomm Spectra Triple 12-bit ISP | Qualcomm Spectra Triple 12-bit ISP |
| Modem | Snapdragon X63 5G | Snapdragon 5G Modem |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 |
Verdict
The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is a better processor for gaming as it has a much better GPU, whereas the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 is excellent for daily usage. It features newer CPU cores that score higher in Geekbench, and more importantly, offer better thermal management with next to no throttling.
While the 7s Gen 3 has a capable GPU, it's unfortunately no match for the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3's GPU, which should be capable of running graphically intense games at medium settings and higher frame rates than the 7s Gen 3. However, the crown for the best processor among the two definitely goes to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3.
