Qualcomm will make history in late 2026 by unveiling its first 2nm chipset, or rather chipsets, because the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is rumored to arrive in not one, but two versions, as the San Diego firm looks to adopt an entirely different strategy, mirroring Apple’s approach. In addition to utilizing TSMC’s next-generation node, there are a truckload of changes expected next year, and if you want to learn more, here are all the specifications, features, and launch details from our rumor roundup.
First Qualcomm 2nm SoC could beat Apple to the punch by adopting a newer lithography - here are what rumors are saying and why this matters?
In late 2026, Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek are expected to unveil their first 2nm chipsets, marking a major shift in the smartphone silicon space. However, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 could one-up the A20 and A20 Pro by utilizing TSMC’s newer ‘N2P’ architecture instead of ‘N2,’ which is the first-generation 2nm process. Initially, we dismissed these claims, with even a tipster refuting the rumors. Gradually, this specific information has started picking up steam to the point that even MediaTek is now rumored to adopt the newer N2P node to have an edge over Apple.
For those who are unfamiliar, N2P offers a minor 5 percent performance improvement over N2, while also enabling chipset makers like Qualcomm to transition their older chipset designs to the new manufacturing process. Since N2P maintains the same N2’s design rules, gravitating the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 requires minimal effort. What this means is that even if Qualcomm successfully tapes out its next year’s flagship SoC on TSMC’s N2 technology, moving it to N2P would not just be advantageous, but also less of a headache. Now the only question that remains is why Qualcomm would want to make the transition?
Apple has reportedly starved the competition from using TSMC’s 2nm N2 wafers, forcing Qualcomm to move to the N2P process for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6
It is no secret that Apple tries to keep its rivals technologically constrained by securing the initial supply of TSMC’s next-generation wafers. On a previous occasion, the Cupertino firm has been reported to have pre-purchased more than half of the Taiwanese semiconductor giant’s N2 shipment, keeping Qualcomm’s and MediaTek’s options limited. Additionally, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is mass produced on the same 3nm ‘N3P’ architecture as Apple’s A19 and A19 Pro, might be a powerhouse of a chipset, but it consumes a tremendous amount of power to maintain an edge against its closest rival.
For instance, in a previous Geekbench 6 analysis, we reported that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 needs to consume 61 percent more power than the A19 Pro just to beat it in the multi-core benchmark. Qualcomm's decision to move to TSMC’s N2P process for that little extra performance could mean it is targeting a higher performance range at the same power consumption. With this approach, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 could achieve a higher multi-core score while maintaining a reduced wattage draw.
Qualcomm is rumored to be preparing two Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 versions, with the biggest differentiation present in the name
As mentioned at the beginning of this roundup, Qualcomm is expected to make its Snapdragon family of smartphone chipsets even more convoluted because there will be a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro and a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 added to the lineup in H2 2026. A previous rumor stated that the ‘Pro’ variant will be treated to exclusive upgrades such as LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 support, along with a more powerful GPU. However, like the A19 Pro and A19 Pro are separated by more than a fair share of differences, given below is a list of exclusive features potentially arriving to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro:
- Higher-clocked performance cores
- Higher number of GPU cores
- Increased SLC (Single Level Cache)
- Combined L2 & L3 cache increase
- Increased memory bandwidth (LPDDR6 is currently limited to 10.7Gbps, the same as the faster version of LPDDR5X)
- Increased EUs (Executive Units)
- Increased ALUs (Arithmetic Logic Units)
These improvements also mean that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will be more expensive to mass produce and will only be reserved for top-tier smartphones designed to compete against the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Fold next year.
New CPU cluster aimed at maintaining performance while doubling down on efficiency
Ever since Qualcomm shifted to in-house Oryon cores with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it has stuck with a ‘2 + 6’ cluster (two performance and six efficiency cores). For the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, a ‘2 + 3 + 3’ cluster could be adopted, maintaining that 8-core CPU configuration but bringing a few changes designed to improve power efficiency. The final three cores could operate at much lower speeds, reducing power draw and, alternatively, allowing Qualcomm to hit a higher frequency on the performance cores.
Given that we have yet to enter 2026, there is a wealth of information surrounding the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 that we currently don’t know. However, one thing is certain; the move to TSMC’s 2nm architecture will usher in a plethora of improvements, accompanied by a significant cost advantage, which is why we can expect to see the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro in the future, as Qualcomm likely wishes to offer more options to its customers.
Expected price
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is estimated to cost $280, but this figure depends on various factors, including overall volume and contracts between individual companies. Considering this number, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 could potentially sell for over $300 per unit, as TSMC’s advanced 2nm wafers are expected to cost approximately $30,000 each. A Weibo tipster, Smart Chip Insider, has also said that the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 will not witness a major price bump, meaning that flagship smartphone manufacturers could adopt the latter in higher quantities.
Pair that with the LPDDR6 RAM price increases, and future flagship smartphones sporting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Dimensity 9600 could become too expensive to entertain an upgrade. We cannot say for certain how expensive Qualcomm’s flagship SoC will be next year, but we are confident that it won’t be a pretty picture.
