Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro Launch Date and Xiaomi 18 Update

Key Takeaways

1. Qualcomm plans to launch two versions of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 platform to address rising component costs.
2. The new chipsets are expected to be announced in September, similar to previous years.
3. Qualcomm will introduce two ‘Elite’ chipsets: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.
4. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will feature LPDDR6 RAM, enhanced cache, and a full-power GPU.
5. Xiaomi 18 smartphones are expected to be the first devices to use these new chipsets.

According to recent sources, Qualcomm is planning to divide its top-tier chipsets this year due to increasing costs of components. Specifically, several Chinese informants have suggested that Qualcomm is working on launching two versions of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 platform later this year to replace devices like the Poco F8 Ultra and OnePlus 15 (current price: $899.99 on Amazon).

New Chipset Announcements Expected

In a post on Weibo, Digital Chat Station has indicated that Qualcomm is set to reveal its new flagship chipsets in September, similar to the announcements of Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 back in September 2025. Unlike the previous year, Qualcomm is expected to introduce two ‘Elite’ branded chipsets, with the SM8950 and SM8975 reportedly being developed as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, respectively.

Specifications of the New Variants

Additionally, the leaker has suggested that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will be the sole variant boasting LPDDR6 RAM, an ‘maxed-out cache’, and a ‘full-power GPU’. They also anticipate that Xiaomi 18 smartphones will be the first to feature both Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipsets. Currently, Digital Chat Station believes that the standard Xiaomi 18 will be the only model using the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, however.

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