AMD Ryzen 7 8840U / 7840U vs. Snapdragon X Elite: Gaming Performance Comparison

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite has garnered attention as a potential game-changer for Windows gaming. However, recent testing by “The Phawx” reveals that AMD’s Phoenix and Hawk Point processors outperform the Snapdragon X Elite by a significant margin.

Key Findings:

1. Cyberpunk 2077:

   • Ryzen 7 8840U averages 54 FPS, compared to ~30 FPS on the Snapdragon X Elite.
   • The Snapdragon X Elite adjusts its frequency and TDP using Windows power profiles (20-25W in efficiency mode, 38W in performance mode).
   • Intel’s Core Ultra “Meteor Lake” processors barely surpass the Snapdragon X Elite in Cyberpunk at 25W.

2. Horizon Zero Dawn:

   • At the default 25W TDP, the Ryzen 7 8840U is 2.6x faster than the Snapdragon X Elite (23W).
   • Even in 10W mode, the RDNA 3 GPU in the Ryzen 7 8840U outperforms the Snapdragon X Elite running at 23W and 38W.

3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider:

   • The Ryzen 7 8840U achieves 92 FPS at 720p “Low,” while the Snapdragon X Elite manages only 44.5 FPS.
   • In performance mode (35W), the Snapdragon X Elite matches the 8840U (running at 10W).
   • The Radeon 780M in the Ryzen 7 8840U is ~3.5x more efficient in gaming workloads.

4. The Callisto Protocol:

   • Ryzen 7 8840U: 58 FPS (20W) and 50 FPS (15W).
   • Snapdragon X Elite: 29 FPS (34W) and 26 FPS (24W).

5. Upcoming Rivalry:

   • The Ryzen 9 AI 365/Ryzen 9 AI HX 370, with upgraded Radeon “RDNA 3.5” 890M graphics, will challenge the Snapdragon X Elite.

In summary, the Ryzen 7 8840U offers superior gaming performance, while the Snapdragon X Elite faces stiff competition from AMD’s upcoming processors.