Leaked information from late last year already indicated that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor delivers strong gaming performance, particularly in handling emulated PC titles within an Android environment. Previous reports suggested that test platforms equipped with this flagship mobile chipset were capable of running A Plague Tale: Innocence (2019) at over 60 frames per second (FPS) and achieved an impressive 160 FPS in Red Dead Redemption’s PC port, originally released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2010. A newly surfaced video appears to provide further proof of this capability, showcasing the Snapdragon 8 Elite running Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019) on an unnamed mobile device.
The footage, uploaded to Bilibili earlier this week, has drawn the attention of tech enthusiasts and industry observers. The original uploader, who remains unidentified, recorded the PC version of Red Dead Redemption 2 operating on a mobile platform powered by Qualcomm’s latest high-end SoC. According to follow-up discussions in various forums, the game was running via Winlator, an Android-based emulation application designed to enable PC gaming on mobile hardware.
Due to the low-resolution nature of the video, it is difficult to analyze the precise graphical fidelity of the emulated game. However, the uploader noted that the game was set to “low graphical settings.” On-screen performance metrics suggest that the Snapdragon 8 Elite maintained an average frame rate close to 60 FPS during gameplay. While the footage does not provide complete clarity on resolution or texture settings, the fact that the game is running at a playable frame rate is a notable milestone for mobile hardware.
Industry analysts have begun comparing the performance of Qualcomm’s latest Adreno GPU to AMD’s Radeon 780M, a widely used integrated graphics solution found in Ryzen Z1 Extreme-based handheld gaming PCs. Early speculation suggests that the Adreno GPU may outperform the Radeon 780M in certain emulated scenarios, though comprehensive benchmarking has yet to be conducted. The ability to run a demanding title like Red Dead Redemption 2 on an Android-powered device—albeit through emulation—points to significant advancements in mobile graphics processing.
While these early tests highlight the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s potential for high-performance gaming, real-world usability remains an open question. Emulation typically introduces compatibility challenges, and factors such as power consumption, thermal management, and input latency can significantly impact the user experience. Furthermore, software optimizations and future updates to emulation platforms like Winlator could influence overall stability and performance.
As mobile chipsets continue to advance, the line between dedicated gaming PCs and high-end smartphones may blur even further. Whether Qualcomm’s latest SoC can consistently deliver high-fidelity PC gaming experiences on Android remains to be seen, but the initial results indicate a promising step forward in mobile computing power.
Sources: NoI_Revenant Tweet, NO1-REVENANT YouTube Channel, Wccftech