Snapdragon 8: Price Hike Imminent, Budget Windows Chip on the Horizon

Get ready to pay more for premium Android phones. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, set to power high-end Android devices, will see a significant price jump, potentially costing 25-30% more than its predecessor. This means device manufacturers could be shelling out around $190-$200 per chip.

The price hike is attributed mainly to Qualcomm's adoption of TSMC's cutting-edge 3nm process technology (N3E node). While this advanced technology enables faster performance and improved energy efficiency, it comes at a premium. Kuo suggests this move makes the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 one of the first 3nm chips to enter Android devices, following Apple's adoption of the technology in its iPhone 15 Pro.

Qualcomm has confirmed an October launch for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. However, this price increase could translate to higher price tags for consumers looking to purchase devices powered by this new chip.

In a bid to make Snapdragon technology more accessible, Qualcomm is also developing a budget-friendly chip for Windows laptops, codenamed "Canim." While current Snapdragon-powered laptops start at $999, this new chip aims to bring the price down to $599 without compromising performance.

The "Canim" chip is expected to offer comparable AI capabilities to the existing Snapdragon X Elite, boasting 40 TOPs of AI performance. However, consumers will have to wait until late 2025 for this more affordable option.