Qualcomm, according to a new leak, has decided to use its own version of Heat Path Block technology in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, a solution Samsung previously used in the Exynos 2600. The claim comes from insider Reptalica, who says Qualcomm's implementation already exists but does not work as efficiently as Samsung's version. The chip in question is a flagship mobile platform expected in future Galaxy S27 smartphones.
In the Exynos 2600, Heat Path Block is a copper heat spreader that directly contacts the application processor and helps move heat away faster. For Samsung, this is an important technology because past Exynos chips were often criticized for heat and unstable performance under sustained load. With the Exynos 2700, the company is expected to go further and use a Side-by-Side layout, where AP and DRAM sit next to each other on the same substrate, with a copper HPB covering both components.
Qualcomm's approach, judging by the source's wording, appears to be less successful. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is also expected to receive a similar cooling element, but its efficiency allegedly falls short of Samsung's solution. That matters amid complaints about heat on recent high-end Qualcomm platforms: if the new 2 nm chip really becomes even more powerful, heat dissipation will directly affect clock stability, power consumption and gaming performance.
The same leak adds that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will not come in six versions, but only in two main variants. Qualcomm may still release selected versions with reduced specifications. Previous estimates suggested that the full version of the chip could cost manufacturers more than $300, so the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will likely be reserved for the most expensive phones, such as the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
For other models, manufacturers may choose the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 or a more affordable Pro version with lower parameters. In the end, Qualcomm will have to balance price, heat output and performance, while the comparison with the Exynos 2700 could become one of the more interesting storylines around Samsung's next-generation flagships.