Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 price leak suggests new phones will be even more expensive
Don't expect flagship Android phones to get any cheaper
💰 Expect to pay more for the latest high-end Android smartphones
📈 Chipset prices for Qualcomm and MediaTek have increased by 20%
😥 The cost could be passed down to the consumer
💪 Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 powered the most recent lineup of Android flagship phones
According to a new price leak, the next range of smartphones powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could be more expensive. A Chinese source has suggested that Qualcomm and MediaTek chip prices have increased, which could result in more expensive Android devices.
As spotted by Android Authority, Weibo user Digital Chat Station posted that Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and MediaTek Dimensity 9300 could be 20% more expensive than their predecessors due to the cost of TSMC’s 3nm manufacturing process.
MediaTek’s chip reportedly costs $155 while Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is said to cost $190. That’s approximate pricing and could fluctuate up or down, but it still suggests manufacturers like Samsung, ZTE, and Xiaomi will have to charge more for future devices.
The news follows a Xiamoi executive admitting that smartphone manufacturing costs continue to rise. Redmi general manager Wang Teng Thomas asked users on Weibo whether consumers would be comfortable with downgrading to keep prices the same, or upgrading to a higher spec and paying a little more.
To balance out the cost increase, consumers are being offered longer contracts. An 18-month phone contract used to be seen as excessive, but now a 36-month contract is often the only way carriers can recoup the cost of flagship phones.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can be found in the best Android phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Z Fold 6, and OnePlus 12. Expect the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 to follow suit.
Qualcomm recently announced the new Snapdragon X Plus 8-Core, which promises top AI performance for $700. The company’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors have also been widely adopted by several manufacturers.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.