Qualcomm and MediaTek are expected to remain on TSMC’s 3nm process, though both companies have likely transitioned to the slightly improved ‘N3P’ node, which delivers better performance and efficiency over the older ‘N3E’ node. While a transition to the new 2nm technology should result in a chipset price hike, a tipster states that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 and the Dimensity 9500 arriving later this year might not be overly expensive, allowing phone partners to keep healthier margins for their flagships. In fact, another component is estimated to pick up in price, which may determine the market’s overall landscape.
New rumor claims that LPDDR5X memory will witness a 5 percent price bump, which may force Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 and Dimensity 9500 flagships to become slightly more expensive
The exact cost or any detail of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 and Dimensity 9500 has not been mentioned by Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station, but TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process improvements should warrant a price bump. Fortunately, according to the latest post on the micro-blogging website, it will not be by much. Some Chinese vendors are estimated to keep their flagships in the 3,999 RMB-4,499 RMB range, which is approximately between $560-$630. It should be noted that the Xiaomi 15, which features the Snapdragon 8 Elite, started from 4,499 RMB in China.
While this is positive news for customers wanting to own the latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 or Dimensity 9500 flagship, and healthy for the industry, the tipster mentions that LPDDR5X RAM will see a price increase of around 5 percent. Since memory is one of the more crucial components in a top-end smartphone, manufacturers could introduce a hike based on how expensive the RAM is. Assuming the rumor is true, it will probably be the first time that next-generation devices’ pricing is determined by something other than the chipset.
Then again, assuming sufficient demand for LPDDR5X RAM exists, Samsung and SK hynix can produce a significantly higher volume that can potentially offset that 5 percent price increase. Additionally, phone partners will slowly move to the faster and more efficient LPDDR6 RAM, which Samsung reportedly aims to accelerate development in the second half of 2026. Of course, treating this news with a pinch of salt is important, and we will return with more updates.
News Source: Digital Chat Station
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