A new update fixes the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s overheating issues, or does it?

Since we performance tested nan caller Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor successful nan GT 7 Pro smartphone, Realme has insisted it has a hole coming for what it described arsenic a “software compatibility” problem, which was causing nan telephone to overheat earlier it could complete a 20-minute gaming benchmark test.

Today, a package update containing nan hole was delivered to our reappraisal model, pinch nan committedness it would lick nan issue. Sure enough, aft moving nan Solar Bay Stress Test — a 20-minute programme that emulates gameplay pinch ray-traced graphics — successful nan 3DMark benchmark app, nan Realme GT 7 Pro did so successfully complete it, giving america nan capacity figures we were missing during our first comparison pinch nan Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 successful nan Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Still moving hot

Realme GT 7 Pro results from nan 3DMark Solar Bay Stress Test Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

However, this is not wherever nan communicative ends. If Realme’s volition was to hole it truthful nan GT 7 Pro could complete a 3DMark accent test, past its ngo is complete. I’ve tally each nan disposable 20-minute accent tests successful nan app, and it has not grounded truthful far. But what’s besides clear is nan telephone still gets very basking during nan process, and though it’s not giving up astatine nan past infinitesimal — it antecedently grounded aft astir 17 to 19 of nan 20 full loops successful nan trial — I’d ideate it’s correct connected nan separator of doing so. This is besides successful an situation wherever nan ambient somesthesia is rather low, and successful hotter climates, it will apt fare worse. It gets basking during each nan tests, but it’s nan Solar Bay Stress Test that taxes it nan most.

Even by loop 11, I see nan GT 7 Pro excessively basking to comfortably hold, particularly on nan chassis edges, and this is pinch nan performance-enhancing GT Mode active. I surely would not see putting it against my cheeks to measure nan temperature. The power generated is reflected successful nan benchmarking app, which shows a somesthesia summation from 27 degrees Celsius to a toasty 45 degrees Celsius complete nan people of nan Solar Bay Stress Test. By comparison, nan Galaxy S24 Ultra reaches 42 degrees Celsius during nan aforesaid test, pinch nan telephone obscurity adjacent arsenic basking and still comfortable to hold.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra results from nan 3DMark Solar Bay Stress Test Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

There’s further grounds nan trial is putting sizeable strain connected nan phone, pinch nan afloat Solar Bay Stress Test taking 15% from nan Realme GT 7 Pro’s artillery and 12% from nan Galaxy S24 Ultra. I’ll reiterate that these utmost benchmarking tests do not bespeak wide usage and alternatively show really a telephone and processor execute during extended gameplay sessions, chiefly erstwhile playing nan latest graphically intensive games for illustration Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. We tally these tests connected astir phones we review, though, and it’s very uncommon for a telephone to neglect to complete nan trial aliases get arsenic basking arsenic nan Realme GT 7 Pro.

What does this mean for nan chip?

Qualcomm

What does each this mean? It’s still difficult to opportunity really overmuch of nan responsibility lies pinch Realme, nan telephone and its software, aliases nan Snapdragon 8 Elite for nan power generation. But arsenic Realme’s package update hasn’t cured aliases that noticeably lessened nan power buildup, conscionable made it imaginable for nan benchmark trial to finish, it is becoming much apt nan incredibly powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite whitethorn get hotter than older chips successful definite circumstances. We person contacted Qualcomm for comment, and will update erstwhile we perceive back.

The Realme GT 7 Pro is nan only smartphone we’ve tried pinch nan Snapdragon 8 Elite inside, but others are expected soon including nan Asus ROG Phone 9 and nan OnePlus 13. When these, and others, deed nan segment we’ll person a amended thought of what’s going connected pinch nan processor expected to powerfulness astir of 2025’s apical Android phones, aliases whether Realme’s recent, otherwise very affirmative return has stumbled.