Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy and Leading Version of Nubia
In a recent report by XDA-Developers, it was revealed that the Nubia RedMagic 8S Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S23 series both employ the same chipset, despite being marketed as separate entities. This revelation sheds light on the underlying hardware similarities between the two flagship smartphones.
Initially advertised as the “Snapdragon 8 Gen2 Leading Version” in the RedMagic 8S Pro, the chipset boasts impressive specifications, including a TSMC 4nm process and a CPU frequency of 3.36GHz. However, XDA-Developers’ investigation uncovered that this chipset is, in fact, the same as the “Snapdragon 8 Gen2 for Galaxy” previously built for Samsung’s flagship lineup.
A comparison of model numbers further solidifies this finding. The regular Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen2 has the model number “SM 8550-AB,” featuring a CPU frequency of 3.2GHz and a GPU frequency of 680MHz. Both the “Snapdragon 8 Leading Version” in the RedMagic 8S Pro and the “Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy” in the Galaxy S23 series share the model number “SM8550-AC” but with an over-clocked CPU frequency of 3.36GHz and a GPU frequency of 719MHz.
Upon receiving this information, XDA-Developers sought official confirmation from Qualcomm, and the chipset manufacturer has indeed verified the shared identity of these chipsets in their response.
There are no specification differences between Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy and this new variant of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 3.36GHz peak CPU speeds.
Following our expanded strategic partnership announcement in July 2022, we worked closely with Samsung to uniquely customize Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy for Flip5/Fold5/Tab9. For example, Samsung provided their proprietary camera IP to for us to integrate into the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.
Given the minor adjustment to CPU prime core frequency, we’re treating this platform as a variant of the original platform (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2). Our goal is to maintain our simplified naming structure that was introduced in November 2021 so it’s easier for OEMs and consumers to discover and choose devices powered by Snapdragon.
Qualcomm’s response to XDA Developers
In conclusion, the Nubia RedMagic 8S Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 series may share the same Snapdragon 8 Gen2 chipset under different marketing names. While this discovery highlights an interesting aspect of smartphone hardware development, it’s important to remember that the overall user experience is shaped by a combination of hardware and software features, ensuring that each device still maintains its unique identity in the competitive smartphone market.
