The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is not affordable for everyone—LPDDR6 and UFS 5.0 memory will cost more

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipset will be Qualcomm's next flagship chip, featuring support for LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 storage. Smartphone makers can expect maximum performance from their devices, but the only problem is that these features will only be available in the highest-end flagship models. According to Digital Chat Station, these devices will be limited in number, and some are already being tested. The limited number of smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is due to the fact that the combination of LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 storage will cost manufacturers significantly more than the chipset itself.

Insiders aren't disclosing exact figures, but according to recent rumors, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 costs $280 to produce, and since the upcoming chipset will use TSMC's newer 2nm "N2P" architecture, the unit price could easily exceed $300. If smartphone manufacturers switch en masse to LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 storage, component costs will skyrocket. Fortunately, Qualcomm is preparing an alternative in the form of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, which is expected to be used in higher volumes due to the price difference.

This will allow manufacturers to use older memory standards to maintain higher profitability, while Qualcomm will offer a choice and not put its partners in a bind when they are forced to equip their flagship devices with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, LPDDR6 RAM, and UFS 5.0 storage.

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