The future Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will contribute to the increase in price of high-end Android devices
Qualcomm is preparing to launch its next chip. In the second half of 2026, the debut of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is expected (there will also be a non-Pro version). It will be Qualcomm's first chip to be manufactured at 2 nm, thanks to TSMC. However, for manufacturers interested in utilizing this chip, a considerable expense will need to be accounted for.
A very expensive chip
According to insider Abhishek Yadav, the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is expected to cost more than $300 per unit, marking a substantial increase compared to the previous generation. The current 8 Elite Gen 5, in fact, costs about $240-280 per unit. OEMs will need to increase the budget dedicated to purchasing chips or, alternatively, they will need to focus on the "base" version, which is less powerful (especially on the GPU side according to early information) compared to the Pro variant. The performance gap is not yet known and could be significant enough to push smartphone manufacturers to choose the Pro version for flagship models.
This price increase will contribute to making high-end smartphones more expensive, following the hikes in memory costs in recent months. Naturally, the actual cost per unit for Qualcomm's chip will vary based on commercial agreements with the particular customer. Those placing larger orders (like Samsung) might receive a discount on the unit price. Price increases for end users could be inevitable. More details on this matter are expected to emerge in the coming weeks.
As per reports, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will cost more than $300.
For reference, here are the estimated costs of previous Snapdragon flagship SoCs:
- 8 Gen 1: $120–130
- 8+ Gen 1: $120–130
- 8 Gen 2: $160
- 8 Gen 3: $170–200
- 8 Elite: $220+
-- Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) May 12, 2026