Qualcomm Accelerates Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 Launch, Intensifying Mobile Chip Race & Impacting Samsung's Galaxy S26 Plans

Photo Credits: GSMArena.com

Qualcomm is seemingly shifting its launch schedule for its top-tier Snapdragon processors, a trend observed over the past few years. Traditionally unveiled in November, the Snapdragon Summit—the event where the chips are revealed—moved to late October for the last two years. Now, whispers suggest an even earlier debut: September of this year with the unveiling of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2. This timing could be particularly significant for Samsung, potentially influencing their choice of chipset for the Galaxy S26 series, especially if their own Exynos 2600 plans experience delays.

A Potential Shift in Samsung's Strategy

Samsung's future with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips is something worth taking note of. The recent history is quite telling. Despite an initial desire to utilize their own Exynos 2500 in some Galaxy S25 models, Samsung ultimately opted for the Snapdragon 8 Elite for the entire S25 lineup. The reason? Yield issues with their 3nm manufacturing process—simply put, they couldn't produce enough Exynos chips to meet demand. This has understandably fueled speculation about a continued reliance on Snapdragon for the Galaxy S26.

Interestingly, things may be looking up for Exynos. Recent reports indicate Samsung’s 3nm yields have climbed to 40%, raising hopes for mass production of the Exynos 2600 by November 2025. This could mean a return to a mixed-chipset strategy, potentially using both Snapdragon and Exynos in different Galaxy S26 models – perhaps reserving the Snapdragon for the top-tier Ultra variant while using Exynos in the other models. Only time will tell what Samsung ultimately decides.

The Race Against MediaTek and the Dimensity 9500

The apparent acceleration of Qualcomm's launch isn't happening in a vacuum. It’s widely believed to be a strategic move to pre-empt the unveiling of MediaTek's Dimensity 9500, also expected in September. Last year, the Dimensity 9400 was announced slightly before the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and Qualcomm seems keen to reverse that order. Both chipsets are slated to be manufactured using TSMC’s advanced 3nm process, setting the stage for an intense competition.

What to Expect from the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2

While detailed specifications remain scarce, here's what we’ve gathered so far:

Enhanced Pegasus Cores: Expect improved performance from Qualcomm’s Pegasus cores, reportedly reaching a clock speed of up to 5GHz during testing.
Increased Cache: The chip is rumored to feature a substantial 32MB of L2 cache.
Next-Gen RAM Support: Support for the latest LPDDR6 RAM is anticipated.
New GPU: A new Adreno 840 GPU is also expected which will deliver a substantial upgrade from its predecessor.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is expected to maintain the ‘2 + 6’ CPU core configuration of its predecessor: two high-performance Prime Cores (clocked up to 4.32GHz, potentially overclocked in the “for Galaxy” variant) and six Performance Cores (capped at 3.53GHz).

Early benchmark data suggests a substantial performance leap – around 25% for the CPU and 30% for the GPU, compared to the original Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Timeline and Market Impact

If Qualcomm's plans hold, we could see the first phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 hitting the market as early as October. Xiaomi, a frequent Qualcomm partner, is likely to be among the first manufacturers to showcase devices featuring the new chip.

Beyond the raw power increase, the faster launch could benefit Android manufacturers in the crucial holiday shopping season, enabling them to better compete against Apple’s September iPhone release. And judging by everything, Samsung may also move its flagship product launch to December to avoid the release gaps experienced in the past. It really seems like the tech giants are in a heated battle for market dominance.