A cheaper Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 could help solve phone price hikes (maybe)

Credit: Qualcomm TL;DR Qualcomm is rumored to be preparing a new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 model (SM8850-1-AB) to live alongside three existing variants. The new chip will offer near-standard benchmark performance at a lower cost, targeting phones under 4,000 CNY (~$600). Phone makers may turn to this refreshed SoC amid rising RAM and component costs that are driving up the price of next-gen chips and phones.

We’re almost done with major flagship launches for this generation, which means we’re also inching closer to the launch of the next generation of flagship processors. Qualcomm is expected to launch the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro at the Snapdragon Summit in September, but the company could have one more surprise in tow. A new leak suggests Qualcomm may keep the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 around by launching a refreshed variant.