Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Gen 6 Pro: what to expect

Qualcomm appears to be complicating its flagship processor naming once again. After rebranding the Snapdragon 8 line to Snapdragon 8 Elite in 2024 and unveiling the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in 2025, the company is now, according to leaker Digital Chat Station, preparing the next chip in two flavors: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.

According to the leak, the Pro version would serve as the full-fledged successor to the current Elite Gen 5, while the standard model would come with a slightly pared-back configuration that retains most of the key features. Both chips are expected to be manufactured on TSMC’s refined N2P node and use Qualcomm’s third-generation custom CPU architecture with a 2+3+3 core layout. The main differences should surface in graphics: the Pro is tipped to include a more powerful GPU and support for LPDDR6 memory, whereas the standard variant will likely stick with LPDDR5X.

Complicating matters further, Qualcomm also plans to release a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in the same year as a sub-flagship, which only muddies the company’s numbering. The story began in 2022 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, followed by Gen 2 and Gen 3. With the pivot to the “Elite” label, the company seems to be reshaping its naming scheme and leaning into a “Pro” suffix for top-tier models. The approach might sharpen product tiers, yet it also risks making the lineup less transparent for buyers.

Both new chips are expected to deliver meaningful improvements in performance and energy efficiency over Gen 5, thanks to the new process and internal architecture optimizations. Analysts caution that the shift to TSMC’s 2 nm N2P platform and the adoption of LPDDR6 could significantly increase manufacturing costs. That, in turn, may drive up prices for smartphones built on Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 by 2027.