A previous leak revealing that there could be potentially six versions of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro has been clarified by new findings showing the block diagrams of Qualcomm’s first 2nm chipset. To minimize the confusion, the San Diego firm is prepping just two variants, one with LPDDR5X RAM support, while the top-end one will offer LPDDR6. However, don’t count out Qualcomm introducing binned models of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, because the way its handset business is hurting, it’ll need to adopt the “Apple” approach.
Top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro may also offer Qualcomm the flexibility of UFS 5.0 support, but only the most premium of flagships will adopt it
We’ve already reported that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will provide support for both LPDDR5X and LPDDR6 memory, as shown in the block diagrams that were shared by Reptalica on X. Overall, its a standard layout of a smartphone chipset, with perhaps the only unique additions are the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro having UFS 5.0 support, along with boasting sufficient processing power to drive handsets with tri-fold form factors.
One interesting bit of information shared by Reptalica, which we’ve mentioned above, is the introduction of more binned versions. Qualcomm isn’t a stranger to bringing less capable variants of its flagship SoCs, and this year may not be any different. With the non-binned Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro having an 8-core CPU cluster, the binned version could ship with a 7-core configuration, along with lower CPU and GPU clock speeds.
Based on a previous estimate, the non-binned version can cost upwards of $300, and seeing as how memory costs are crushing a smartphone maker’s ability to generate meaningful profits, moving to binned versions might be the only respite available for the foreseeable future. This means that only the most premium of smartphones, like the Galaxy S27 Ultra, could sport the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, while others will either opt for the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 or a binned version.
In addition to this approach, Qualcomm is expected to have a massive lineup of high-end SoCs available for its partners to choose from, with the current Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 staying on as a cheaper alternative, with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 expected to succeed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.
News Source: Reptalica
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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