Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 to Use 2nm Process

Qualcomm is reportedly developing two variants of its next flagship mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series, which could introduce the company's first use of TSMC's advanced 2nm manufacturing process and create greater performance distinctions among premium Android smartphones.

According to leaks from digital tipster Digital Chat Station, the lineup includes a standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, codenamed SM8950, and a higher-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, codenamed SM8975. Both chips are expected to launch in the fall of 2026, powering top-tier Android devices such as those anticipated in 2027 models from manufacturers like Samsung and OnePlus. The shift to TSMC's 2nm process from the 3nm node used in the current Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 promises substantial improvements in power efficiency and transistor density, enabling faster performance without proportionally higher energy consumption.

The processors share a core CPU architecture with a 2-3-3 configuration, featuring two high-performance Oryon prime cores, three additional performance cores, and three efficiency cores. This setup builds on the custom Oryon architecture Qualcomm introduced in recent...