➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Multi-boring scores

• Samsung Galaxy S23 multi-core benchmarking scores may disappoint

• Android phones with same CPU are reaching higher numbers

• Yet the Galaxy S23 is rumored to have a faster exclusive version of the chip

• The blame? It may be slower because of bad thermal regulation

The Samsung Galaxy S23 may not live up to the performance being hyped by some, as alleged early benchmarks show results that fall short of those in other Android phones with the same expected CPU. 

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset that’s said to be at its heart is likely to have the fastest mobile CPU this side of the Apple A16 (with the best mobile integrated GPU, period). But, for some reason, it’s falling short of the multi-core performance of similar phones like the Vivo X90 Pro+ or the Xiaomi 13 Pro, according to tweets by reliable mobile tipster Ice universe.

Both of those phones easily top 5,100 (some even approach 5,300) on Geekbench, the most popular CPU benchmarking tool, while scores for the same CPU at the heart of the Samsung Galaxy S23 just peaked at 5,000. In fact, many of the reported multi-core numbers hovered in the 4,600 range.

These alleged Galaxy S23 results seem disappointing, especially in the face of reports from the same leaker that Samsung’s flagship handset would be getting a special, higher-frequency (and therefore faster) version of Qualcomm’s chip. When we searched for the unannounced Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s probable model number on Geekbench, we saw the same results Ice universe published:

Samsung Galaxy S23’s hot box

The tipster guessed the lower numbers could be the result of smaller heatsinks to save cost, which would cause the phone to throttle sooner as it’s unable to dissipate heat. If that’s true, Samsung could have a slight messaging problem on its hands if it wants to promote having the fastest mobile chip on the market – something that might be technically true, but perhaps unachievable, if the phone’s thermal environment is too harsh.

Even so, this phone would be much faster than the Samsung Galaxy S22, which sees Geekbench multi-core scores usually in the low-to-mid 3,000s. Whether these are the numbers we should expect, we won’t know for sure, of course, until the Android phone gets into the hands of consumers and the press, but for now, it seems like the promise of the Galaxy S23 may be a little stifled. That said, even though many of the results are over a month old, they don’t look to have improved from very early alleged numbers spotted by Tom’s Guide back in October.

Other Samsung Galaxy S23 leaks

Recent Samsung Galaxy S23 leaks have given us a lot of news regarding the February 2023-bound smartphone. Just this week we’ve seen further confirmation of what’s likely to be the Samsung Galaxy S23 colors, among other leaks, including a possible date for the expected Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event. We’ve also reported on the specs for the expected 200MP camera – at least if you opt for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. We’ll be keeping on top of these rumors as the story progresses.