Qualcomm is launching two flagship chips at once this September

By: Anton Kratiuk | today, 12:57

Qualcomm will unveil not one but two flagship mobile chips at its Snapdragon Summit 2026, running September 22–24 in Maui, Hawaii. Expected to be called the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Gen 6 Pro, both are reportedly built on TSMC's 2nm process — the same node Apple is using for its own silicon. If the pricing leaks are accurate, the Pro variant alone could add $150–$200 to the retail price of high-end Android phones by early 2027.

Two chips, one strategy shift

Qualcomm has historically released a single flagship chip per year. This split into a standard and a Pro tier mirrors what Apple does with its A-series and M-series chips — a move that gives phone makers more room to build distinct product lines rather than squeezing into one spec sheet. The company teased the announcement on X with the slogan "When Two Changes the Game," framing it as the next step in what it calls its "agentic AI era."

Leaked specs, reported by Notebookcheck, point to a clear gap between the two chips. The Pro (SM8975) is expected to pack an Adreno 850 GPU, 18MB of graphics memory, LPDDR6 RAM support, and a peak clock speed of up to 5GHz. The standard Gen 6 (SM8950) steps down to an Adreno 845, 12MB of graphics memory, and LPDDR5X — still a meaningful upgrade over today's chips, but without the headroom of the Pro.

The price question

The part that matters most to buyers: the Gen 6 Pro is expected to cost OEMs — the phone makers — over $300 per unit, according to Android Authority. That compares to roughly $220+ for the current Gen 5. Counterpoint Research estimates that combined chip and memory cost increases could push retail prices up $150–$200 per device, per TechTimes.

The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra is widely tipped as the first phone to use the Pro chip globally. OnePlus is expected to launch a Gen 6 device in China in Q4 2026, though US and UK availability is realistically a Q1 2027 story, per Gagadget EN.

What to watch for in September

Qualcomm hasn't officially confirmed chip names, specs, or pricing — everything above comes from credible leaks ahead of the September event. What's confirmed is the date and the dual-chip direction. Whether the performance jump from 3nm to 2nm justifies a significantly higher price tag on mainstream flagships is the question buyers will need to answer heading into 2027's Android season.