Qualcomm will ship two Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips in 2026: a Pro with LPDDR6, stronger GPU and AI on TSMC 2 nm, and a standard model tuned for efficiency.
© D. Novikov
Industry sources say Qualcomm is preparing a sharp strategic shift for 2026: instead of a single flagship processor, the company plans to launch two Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chips — a standard edition and a more advanced Pro. The logic is clear: the newest manufacturing technologies have become too costly even for premium smartphones, so a one-size-fits-all flagship no longer looks sensible.
The main price driver is the move to TSMC’s 2 nm process. Producing such chips costs tens of thousands of dollars per wafer, making it uneconomical to roll out across the entire range. As a result, Qualcomm intends to keep the most expensive solutions for true ultra-flagships.
According to rumors, the Pro version will be priced at about $300 per chip and will add LPDDR6 memory support, stronger graphics, and dedicated AI acceleration blocks. It is built for maximum performance and is set to underpin the costliest phones, including future Ultra models from Samsung and Xiaomi.
The standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, meanwhile, will retain LPDDR5X and prioritize stability, energy efficiency, and temperature control. Rumors suggest it could be the more practical option for most users, even if raw compute takes a back seat.
Put together, the flagship market may split into two clear tiers — premium and ultra-premium — with absolute top-end performance reserved for those willing to pay a very high price.