The mobile technology landscape is bracing for a massive leap in processing power. Renowned tech leaker Digital Chat Station has just unveiled the first concrete details regarding Qualcomm’s next-generation flagship processors. Expected to debut as the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, these groundbreaking 2nm chips are confirmed to be the driving force behind the highly anticipated Xiaomi 18 series and the POCO F9 Ultra.
TSMC’s 2nm Architecture Unveiled
The leak details two distinct versions of the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, currently known by their model numbers: the premium SM8975 and the standard SM8950. Both are built on TSMC’s cutting-edge 2nm (N2P) node, promising unprecedented efficiency and thermal management.
Here is the technical breakdown of the leaked configurations:
SM8975 (Expected as Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro)
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Fabrication: TSMC 2nm
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CPU Architecture: 2+3+3 core cluster
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GPU: Adreno 850 with 18MB GMEM
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Memory Support: 4×24 LPDDR6 or 4×16 LPDDR5X
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Cache: 8MB System-Level Cache (LLC)
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Note: This is the uncompromised tier, fully supporting next-gen LPDDR6 RAM and maximum cache allocation.
SM8950 (Expected as Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6)
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Fabrication: TSMC 2nm
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CPU Architecture: 2+3+3 core cluster
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GPU: Adreno 845 with 12MB GMEM
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Memory Support: 4×16 LPDDR5X
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Cache: 6MB System-Level Cache (LLC)
Industry insiders also note that MediaTek’s upcoming Dimensity 9600 flagship processor is expected to position itself strategically between these two Qualcomm variants in terms of raw performance.
Market Impact and Price Adjustments
While the TSMC 2nm process will yield incredible performance-per-watt benefits, the manufacturing costs for the SM8975 are reportedly massive. Coupled with ongoing global chip shortages, consumers should expect a noticeable price increase for the Xiaomi 18 series and POCO F9 Ultra upon their release. Because the premium SM8975 is so expensive to produce, there is also a possibility that some base models may revert to using an upgraded version of the previous generation’s architecture (SM8850) to keep costs manageable.
Xiaomi’s Strategy for the Future
Despite the rising hardware costs, Xiaomi remains dedicated to delivering a seamless and heavily optimized user experience. The integration of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 with Xiaomi HyperOS 4 aims to maximize battery life and system fluidity, ensuring users get exactly what they pay for.
