Qualcomm is making main strides in cell processing by introducing customized Oryon cores in a smartphone processor. Now, the generational enhancements have made their approach throughout Qualcomm’s chip portfolio — even to processors that do not bear the “Elite” branding.
This makes it difficult to match the efficiency capabilities throughout smartphone fashions and chip generations. As an example, Motorola’s new Razr Extremely 2026 is powered by the last-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. By comparability, the Razr Fold runs on a more moderen Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 cell platform, simply the non-Elite model.
I wished to see whether or not an older Elite chip or a more moderen “base” chip supplied higher efficiency, so I put the Razr Extremely 2026 and the Razr Fold via a six-text benchmark gauntlet. The outcomes weren’t what I anticipated.
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How I examined the Razr flagships
I put the Motorola Razr Extremely 2026 and the Motorola Razr Fold via a collection of six assessments, every designed to gauge a selected side of gadget efficiency. To check CPU efficiency, which impacts how snappy your gadget feels when opening apps and through primary use, I used each Geekbench 6 and Geekbench 7. For on-device AI testing, I ran Geekbench AI and its TensorFlow Lite framework. To see how the telephones dealt with gaming and graphics-based assessments, I ran 3DMark’s Wild Life Excessive benchmark and stress check.
I ran every benchmark check thrice, beginning the following run instantly after the primary one completed. This offers a clear common of the outcomes that’s extra consultant of real-world efficiency than a single run. Working the benchmark trials in fast succession hints at how the Razr Extremely 2026 and the Motorola Razr Fold deal with sustained hundreds, and whether or not the telephones expertise main thermal throttling.
After finishing three runs of every benchmark check, I allowed the telephones to chill down earlier than starting the following check. This ensures the pressure of former assessments is not impacting the efficiency of a present check.
CPU and AI benchmark efficiency
The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip contained in the Razr Extremely 2026 options two prime CPU cores that may be clocked as much as 4.32GHz, plus six extra efficiency CPU cores that may attain 3.53GHz. In the meantime, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip contained in the Razr Fold is constructed on newer Oryon Gen 3 prime CPU cores, however they’re solely clocked at as much as 3.8GHz. The processor’s six efficiency CPU cores can hit as much as 3.32GHz.
So, the older Elite chip presents increased clock speeds, and the bottom Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip has newer prime cores. Because the two chips have the identical variety of prime and efficiency CPU cores, the Razr Extremely 2026 and the Razr Fold’s benchmark outcomes needs to be in the identical ballpark. Let’s examine how they turned out.
|
Gadget/chip |
Check 1 |
Check 2 |
Check 3 |
Common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motorola Razr Fold (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) |
2,612 single-core / 8,809 multi-core |
2,596 single-core / 8,480 multi-core |
2,572 single-core / 8,388 multi-core |
2,593 single-core / 8,559 multi-core |
|
Motorola Razr Extremely 2026 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) |
2,830 single-core / 8,372 multi-core |
2,782 single-core / 8,261 multi-core |
2,762 single-core / 8,170 multi-core |
2,791 single-core / 8,268 multi-core |
In Geekbench 6, the older Snapdragon 8 Elite chip constantly beat the newer base Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor by a number of hundred factors in single-core CPU efficiency. The Razr Fold averaged a 2,593 single-core rating, whereas the Razr Extremely 2026 averaged a 2,791 single-core rating. This type of efficiency is what makes your cellphone really feel quick when opening apps, loading webpages, or navigating the UI. Regardless of the Razr Extremely 2026’s older chip and constrained type issue, the Elite processor nonetheless wins right here.
As for multi-core efficiency, the Razr Fold manages to drag extra out of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5’s eight CPU cores. The newer, base chip’s greatest benchmark run resulted in a multi-core rating of 8,809, and a median of 8,559. The Razr Extremely 2026 was notably behind, placing up an 8,268 multi-core rating. Basically, this implies the Razr Fold’s non-Elite chip can be higher for multitasking and parallel workloads than the Razr Extremely 2026’s older Elite chip — no less than as configured right here.
By way of efficiency traits, every cellphone unsurprisingly posted its greatest outcome on the primary strive. Nevertheless, the three CPU assessments did not trigger both cellphone to noticeably throttle. The outcomes for the second and third trials weren’t too far off what we noticed within the first run.
|
Gadget/chip |
Check 1 |
Check 2 |
Check 3 |
Common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motorola Razr Fold (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) |
1,082 single-core / 5,883 multi-core |
1,077 single-core / 5,935 multi-core |
1,103 single-core / 5,717 multi-core |
1,087 single-core / 5,845 multi-core |
|
Motorola Razr Extremely 2026 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) |
1,235 single-core / 6,787 multi-core |
1,018 single-core / 6,697 multi-core |
990 single-core / 6,848 multi-core |
1,081 single-core / 6,777 multi-core |
Geekbench 6 is extensively used for smartphone comparisons and chip benchmarking, however Geekbench 7 is right here. This up to date check presents “each new and improved workloads to measure the efficiency of your CPUs and GPUs.” In different phrases, it is higher constructed to check how telephones and chips will deal with the demanding AI and media workflows utilized in 2026.
The outcomes painted a distinct image. Whereas the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip within the Razr Fold was higher at multi-core efficiency within the Geekbench 6 check, the alternative was true utilizing the Geekbench 7 benchmark. The older Snapdragon 8 Elite processor within the Razr Extremely 2026 posted multi-core scores as a lot as over 1,000 factors increased than the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip within the Razr Fold.
Single-core efficiency was about the identical throughout the 2 telephones and chips. The shift in multi-core efficiency does beg the query: Is the older Elite chip really better-positioned for contemporary multitasking?
|
Gadget/chip |
Check 1 |
Check 2 |
Check 3 |
Common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motorola Razr Fold (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) |
4,101 quantized rating |
3,726 quantized rating |
3,968 quantized rating |
3,932 quantized rating |
|
Motorola Razr Extremely 2026 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) |
3,586 quantized rating |
3,248 quantized rating |
2,900 quantized rating |
3,245 quantized rating |
For those who care about on-device AI efficiency, it appears having a more moderen chip is extra necessary than having an “Elite” one. The bottom Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 averaged a Geekbench AI quantized rating of three,932, whereas the Snapdragon 8 Elite was additional behind with a median rating of three,245.
GPU benchmark efficiency
Maybe essentially the most shocking a part of this check was seeing the distinction in GPU efficiency between the 2 Motorola flagships. I used 3D Mark’s Wild Life Excessive, a 4K UHD gaming benchmark, to push every cellphone and processor to its limits in a one-minute check. The outcomes had been clear: the older Elite chip within the Razr Extremely 2026 is healthier for gaming and graphics-heavy duties.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite processor within the Razr Extremely 2026 averaged 32.36 frames per second throughout the three minute-long trials. In the meantime, the Razr Fold may solely muster a 25.04 common FPS. The ultimate scores confirmed the identical outcome: the Razr Extremely 2026 averaged a 5,404 total rating, whereas the Razr Fold averaged a 4,181 total rating. I ought to word that I ran each check on the Razr Fold’s cowl show, so the foldable wasn’t being penalized for having a bigger inside display screen.
|
Gadget/chip |
Check 1 |
Check 2 |
Check 3 |
Common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motorola Razr Fold (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) |
4,307 total rating; 25.79 common FPS |
4,340 total rating; 25.99 common FPS |
3,897 total rating; 23.34 common FPS |
4,181 total rating; 25.04 common FPS |
|
Motorola Razr Extremely 2026 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) |
5,743 total rating; 34.39 common FPS |
5,614 total rating; 33.62 common FPS |
4,855 total rating; 29.08 common FPS |
5,404 total rating; 32.36 common FPS |
Eager-eyed readers will discover that the Razr Extremely 2026’s graphics efficiency actually began to tail off within the third trial. Body charges dipped underneath 30FPS, and the general rating was almost 1,000 factors decrease than the primary trial. This can be a signal of thermal throttling, and it is a foreshadowing of what occurred in our ultimate check.
|
Gadget/chip |
Check 1 |
Check 2 |
Check 3 |
Common |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Motorola Razr Fold (Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) |
9,332 |
13,430 |
13,155 |
11,972 |
|
Motorola Razr Extremely 2026 (Snapdragon 8 Elite) |
10,263 |
12,866 |
13,405 |
12,178 |
Earlier than that, although, we have now the Geekbench 7 GPU benchmark outcomes. Oddly, every cellphone carried out at its worst within the first trial run. Efficiency stabilized within the second and third runs, which is the alternative of what we’re used to seeing. The Razr Fold had the highest-scoring trial, however the Razr Extremely 2026 completed with a better common rating.
Stress check outcomes
My ultimate check was 3DMark’s Wild Life Excessive stress check. It is one in every of my favourite assessments to run on telephones, as a result of it is glorious at exhibiting how they’ll carry out underneath sustained heavy hundreds.
Particularly, the Wild Life Excessive stress check forces telephones to render high-resolution 4K UHD recreation visuals for 20 minutes. Fairly than offering a single rating on the finish, the stress check exhibits how efficiency and temperature modified over time all through the 20-minute check.
I deliberate to make a giant chart exhibiting how the Razr Fold and Razr Extremely 2026 carried out underneath heavy hundreds, however I could not. That is as a result of the Razr Extremely 2026 could not end the stress check with out overheating, and it did not even come shut.
Only a few minutes into every stress check try, the Razr Extremely 2026 overheated and force-stopped the Wild Life Excessive stress check. That is definitely a foul outcome, and it is a signal that the Elite chip could be a tad bit too highly effective for the small type issue of a clamshell foldable.
The Razr Fold and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip did full the stress check with 56.5% stability. This is not one of the best I’ve seen, nevertheless it is not the worst both. The cellphone’s highest stress check loop rating was 4,946, and the bottom was 2,801, so there’s a variety of fluctuation. It does thermal throttle, however hey, it completed.
The stress check outcomes (or lack thereof) present why we won’t simply cease at basic benchmarks when evaluating telephones and chips. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chip within the Razr Extremely 2026 is healthier in benchmarks, however the stress check failure proves you will by no means have the ability to maximize it in sustained hundreds.
Verdict
General, it is clear that whether or not a cellphone has an Elite chip or not should not issue extremely into your buying choice. It is true that the older Snapdragon 8 Elite chip did outperform the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chips on a number of events. Nevertheless, the newer design of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 helped it come out forward in on-device AI efficiency. If something, the takeaway right here is {that a} base Snapdragon chip is healthier than an Elite chip that runs too scorching in your cellphone to deal with.
