Qualcomm is expected to launch two flagship chips this year: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, but according to Chinese tipsterdigital chat station(Digital Chat Station) revealed on Weibo that the latest mobile phone (Xiaomi 18 series) of the company that releases the first chip every September will not be equipped with the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. The reason is simple: too expensive.
Xiaomi 18 new machine confirmed not to be equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chip
As is the case every year, Qualcomm is expected to release two new flagship SoCs in September this year:
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6（SM8950）: Standard Ultimate Edition
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro（SM8975）: Top flagship version
The key difference between the two is that Gen 6 Pro has exclusive LPDDR6 memory support, a full-blooded GPU, and maximized cache configuration. In other words, Gen 6 Pro is the true “full-spec” flagship chip, while the standard Gen 6 is a castrated version.
TSMC’s 2nm process is too expensive, and the entire industry is crying out for pain
Why is it so expensive even for big manufacturers like Xiaomi? The root cause is that this year’s flagship chip has switched to TSMC’s 2nm process, and wafer costs have increased significantly. Coupled with the 90% price increase of DRAM and NAND Flash in the first quarter of 2026, under dual pressure, even leading brands like Xiaomi have to rethink their cost structure.
For reference, the current single cost of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is estimated to be about US$280 (approximately NT$8,960), and the Gen 6 Pro will only be more expensive.
Xiaomi 18 series product line forecast
According to the currentBreak the news, Xiaomi 18 series is expected to be released in September, and the product line is as follows:
- Xiaomi 18: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 (standard version chip)
- Xiaomi 18 Pro: May be powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 or MediaTek Dimensity 9600
- Xiaomi 18 Pro Max: Same as above
- Xiaomi 18 Ultra: The only model that may be equipped with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, expected to be released by the end of the year
In other words, none of the three models launched in September will use the top-of-the-line Gen 6 Pro, and only the subsequent Ultra version will be exclusive.
Not only Xiaomi, but the entire Android flagship market is turning
This is not a problem unique to Xiaomi. It has been previously reported that Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will only be reserved for the “ultra-high-end” (ultra-large cup) product line, and most Android flagship phones will only be equipped with the standard version of Gen 6. In addition, vivo is also expected to launch the X500 series (skipping the X400 name) in September, equipped with Dimensity 9600 chip, and will also be available in standard version, Pro and Pro Max. The OPPO Find X10 series has also been revealed to use Dimensity 9600.
In addition, there are also rumors of camera upgrades for Xiaomi Mi 18. The standard version will be equipped with a periscope telephoto lens, which may use the same 50-megapixel f/3.0 specifications as Xiaomi Mi 17 Pro.
point of view
Qualcomm divides its flagship chips into “standard version” and “Pro version”. On the surface, it is a product line segmentation, but in fact it reflects the industry impact caused by the soaring cost of TSMC’s 2nm process. When even a brand like Xiaomi, which is famous for its “cost-effectiveness”, cannot bear the cost of Gen 6 Pro, it can be expected that the prices of this year’s Android flagship mobile phones will continue to rise. For consumers, this means that the word “flagship” may have to be redefined. The chip equipped with the Xiaomi Mi 18 Pro Max purchased in September is actually not Qualcomm’s strongest chip. The real “full-blooded flagship” may have to wait until the Ultra version at the end of the year, and the price will definitely not be cheap.
Source: KOCPC Chinese