Following our performance evaluation of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor embedded in the GT 7 Pro smartphone, Realme announced plans to address a “software compatibility” issue that was causing the device to overheat before completing a 20-minute gaming benchmark.
Today, we received a software update aimed at resolving this issue on our review unit. Upon testing the Solar Bay Stress Test — a 20-minute simulation that mimics gameplay utilizing ray-traced graphics — within the 3DMark benchmark application, the Realme GT 7 Pro successfully completed the test, providing the performance metrics that were lacking in our initial comparison with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 installed in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Still Running Hot
However, this is not the complete story. While Realme successfully enabled the GT 7 Pro to finish the 3DMark stress test, the results show that the device still generates substantial heat during performance evaluations. Despite not crashing during the test as it did previously, when it would fail after approximately 17 to 19 loops, the phone appears to be operating at its thermal limits. This observation holds true even in a cooler environment; in hotter conditions, it may face even greater challenges. The Solar Bay Stress Test puts the most strain on the device, leading to elevated temperatures.
By the 11th loop, the GT 7 Pro becomes uncomfortably hot to handle, particularly along the edges, even with the performance-boosting GT Mode engaged. I certainly wouldn’t want to hold it against my face to check the temperature. The heat buildup is notable, with temperatures rising from 27 degrees Celsius to a steamy 45 degrees Celsius during the Solar Bay Stress Test. In contrast, the Galaxy S24 Ultra hits 42 degrees Celsius in the same conditions and remains much more comfortable to hold.
The test also shows the GT 7 Pro’s battery drains significantly, losing 15% of its charge during the full Solar Bay Stress Test, compared to a 12% reduction for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. It’s important to note that these extreme benchmarking scenarios do not represent everyday usage. Instead, they illustrate how a smartphone and its processor perform under prolonged gameplay, particularly with graphically intensive titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. While we conduct these tests on most devices, it’s rare for a phone to either fail to complete the test or generate as much heat as the Realme GT 7 Pro.
What Does This Mean for the Chip?
What does all of this imply? It remains uncertain how much the overheating issue is linked to Realme, the phone’s design, or the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor itself. Given that the software update did not significantly mitigate the heat generation but merely allowed the benchmark to finish, it raises the possibility that the powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite may become hotter than its predecessors under certain conditions.
We reached out to Qualcomm for clarification, and a spokesperson provided the following statement:
“The Snapdragon 8 Elite is not the root cause of the overheating issue seen in early samples of the Realme GT 7 Pro sent to select press. Realme has identified the issue as stemming from a software compatibility problem with 3D Mark and is actively addressing it. Snapdragon Mobile Platforms continue to provide excellent user experiences, and we are eager for consumers to enjoy the upcoming commercial devices powered by our technology.”
The Realme GT 7 Pro is currently the only smartphone we have evaluated with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, although more devices featuring this processor are expected, including the Asus ROG Phone 9 and the OnePlus 13. Once these models are available, we will have a clearer picture of the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s performance and durability as it is set to power many of the top Android phones in 2025.
