Samsung Galaxy S25 Leaks: Samsung’s much-anticipated Galaxy S25 series is expected to be powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a chip praised for its groundbreaking CPU and GPU enhancements. However, as first reported by SamMobile, recent tests reveal potential heating issues that could impact performance, prompting concerns about how Samsung might handle this in its upcoming flagship.
What Do The Tests Show?
The Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which Qualcomm recently launched, has already been integrated into several devices, one of which is the Realme GT7 Pro. Early reviews of this Realme model, including those from Android Authority and Digital Trends, report that the device heats up significantly when performing intensive tasks.
During rigorous GPU benchmarks, reviewers noted that the phone’s temperature reached up to 46 degrees Celsius, with the device occasionally becoming “uncomfortably hot” to the touch. At this temperature, the phone even displayed heat-related warnings and restricted all functions except for basic calling, which is an uncommon issue for high-end devices.
To address the heating, reviewers attempted to switch the Realme GT7 Pro from its default ‘Balanced’ performance setting to a ‘Power Saving Mode.’ Surprisingly, this change did little to curb the overheating issue.
Furthermore, when benchmark tests were disguised as a different app to avoid any built-in throttling mechanisms, the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered phone still experienced sharp performance drops after only a few minutes. Despite this, its sustained performance remained notably higher than Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, which uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 For Galaxy.
Outside of benchmarking, the Realme GT7 Pro reportedly managed well with demanding tasks such as heavy gaming, suggesting the overheating may be more specific to graphics benchmarks than to general performance. Nonetheless, these findings suggest the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip may produce more heat than its predecessors under certain conditions. This potential drawback raises questions for Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series, which aims to integrate this powerful processor.
To tackle heating issues, Samsung has equipped its recent flagship and mid-range devices with substantial vapour chamber cooling systems. These advanced cooling mechanisms have proven effective in preventing overheating in previous models, but the power-intensive Snapdragon 8 Elite may require even more robust thermal management. If Samsung indeed uses this processor, the Galaxy S25 could benefit from an expanded cooling design to maintain peak performance without overheating. Given the Galaxy S25's anticipated popularity, how Samsung addresses these thermal concerns will be closely watched by industry analysts and consumers alike.