Snapdragon 8 Gen 4-powered smartphones could pack 5500mAh batteries

Taming the power consumption of the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could prove to be a challenge for Qualcomm, even though reports suggest the chipset will be mass-produced on TSMC’s 3nm ‘N3E’ node.In theory, a better manufacturing process should make the flagship SoC more energy-efficient.

However, a tipster suggests that smartphone manufacturers planning to use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in their models will opt for larger batteries. They might counterbalance the chip’s higher power consumption by fitting bigger cells to achieve longer battery life. Rumor has it that phone makers will slap 5,500mAh batteries into their flagships rocking the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4.

A Weibo post by Digital Chat Station spills the beans about three flagships being put through their paces with hefty 5,500mAh batteries. Given that Chinese brands are fond of packing big batteries into their phones, it wouldn’t shock us if OPPO, Xiaomi, Vivo, or another player went for this feature.

When will  Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 hit the market

It’s worth noting that the OnePlus 12, equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, also rocks a 5,500mAh battery. So, it’s possible that one of the devices undergoing testing could be the OnePlus 13. As for why Qualcomm might be tinkering with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 to guzzle more power, the company might be aiming for unmatched single-core and multi-core performance with their upcoming chipset.

Before, it was mentioned that the SoC was tested at clock speeds of 4.00GHz, with one case even hitting 4.30GHz. Whether these speeds can be maintained is uncertain. Besides fitting in bigger batteries, Qualcomm’s partners will also need to incorporate larger vapor chambers to effectively dissipate the heat.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 4’s hefty power consumption might also be due to the absence of efficiency cores. Rumor has it that the chip will come with only performance cores in a ‘2 + 6’ setup. MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300 took a similar route, and in several comparisons, it was noted that the chipset guzzles more power than its rivals.

But since this rumor isn’t confirmed, it could just be all talk, so take it with a grain of salt. According to a Qualcomm executive, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is set to hit the shelves in October.

Exynos 2500 to be Samsung’s first 3nm smartphone chip

Samsung plans to keep up its dual-chipset game plan for the upcoming Galaxy S25 series. Some regions will get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 version, while others will see the Exynos 2500 variant hitting the shelves. The Exynos 2400 brought a bunch of surprises, as Samsung made significant improvements to its current-generation flagship SoC.

Next year, word has it that Samsung is planning to step up its game and use its second-gen 3nm process to churn out the Exynos 2500 in large quantities. This move could give the SoC some serious power efficiency chops that could outshine Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4.