Benchmarking the Quicksilver kernel reveals significant improvements. In Geekbench 5, a stock Redmi Note 8 typically scores ~310 single-core and ~1,400 multi-core. With Quicksilver, the same device often reaches ~350 single-core and ~1,550 multi-core—a roughly 10–15% increase. More importantly, real-world performance is transformed. UI animations on custom ROMs become stutter-free; multitasking between Chrome, Spotify, and WhatsApp no longer forces background app reloads. Gaming frame rates stabilize: where the stock kernel drops to 25 FPS in heavy scenes, Quicksilver maintains a consistent 30–40 FPS.
However, this comes with trade-offs. Aggressive CPU boosting can increase idle drain by 5–10% if the user does not tweak the governor parameters. Additionally, the custom thermal driver, while responsive, may allow the device to reach higher skin temperatures (up to 45°C) before throttling, which some users may find uncomfortable. Quicksilver Kernel Redmi Note 8
Despite its benefits, Quicksilver is not for every user. Flashing a custom kernel voids the warranty and, if done incorrectly, can lead to boot loops. Some banking apps and Google Play Integrity checks may fail because the kernel modifies the proc/version signature. Furthermore, certain custom ROMs (e.g., those with KernelSU or Magisk patches) may conflict with Quicksilver’s own AnyKernel3 installer. Users are strongly advised to make a backup of their stock boot image before proceeding. More importantly, real-world performance is transformed