Qualcomm has officially announced the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is reported to be mass produced on TSMC’s 3nm ‘N3P’ process, but a few months ago, a report was doing the rounds stating that there would be two versions of its recently announced flagship SoC, with the second one likely utilizing Samsung’s advanced 2nm GAA process. It appears that the second variant is still on the cards, with a rumor claiming that this Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 version is in trial production.
Only one Samsung smartphone is rumored to be equipped with the 2nm GAA version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, likely due to lower yields
The Exynos 2600 recently transitioned into the mass production phase, and although the yields were reportedly at 50 percent, it is a significant improvement over the 30 percent figure attained earlier this year. Due to this progress, Qualcomm might have decided to pursue a dual-sourcing approach where it would leverage both TSMC’s and Samsung’s cutting-edge technologies. However, we must mention that back in July, the San Diego firm reportedly dropped Samsung as a foundry partner.
Fortunately, according to @Jukanlosreve, Qualcomm has not canceled any Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 orders on Samsung’s 2nm process, as the SoC on this lithography is currently in the trial production phase. While 50 percent yields might be sufficient for Samsung to begin full-scale manufacturing of the Exynos 2600, it is not financially viable for Qualcomm, as it will mean that out of 10 chipsets manufactured, five will be defective.
It is possible that the trial production will only switch to actual mass production if Samsung can demonstrate to Qualcomm that its yields can reach 70 percent. At this current time, the rumor claims that the 2nm GAA Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will just be found in the Galaxy Z Flip 8, hinting that the TSMC-made version will be found in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the entire Galaxy S26 series.
Even if it is just a single smartphone featuring a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 manufactured by Samsung’s foundry, it is an opportune moment for the Korean giant to demonstrate that its semiconductor prowess is just as capable as TSMC. Of course, we also remind readers to treat this rumor with a truckload of salt, and we will return with more updates.
News Source: @Jukanlosreve
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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