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[QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 42152, member: 636"]
Qualcomm plans to release two different versions of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 chip during 2026. The expensive 2nm manufacturing process forces the company to create cheaper alternatives for phone makers. Premium wafers cost around $30,000 each from TSMC which makes flagship phones extremely expensive. Many smartphone brands cannot afford the highest-end processors for their devices. The chip giant follows Apple's strategy of making both high-end and standard versions.

Digital Chat Station reports that Apple, MediaTek and Qualcomm must raise processor prices because of manufacturing costs. The SM8950 model targets the most expensive smartphones with top performance features. The SM8945 variant offers similar capabilities but with reduced cache memory and slower speeds. Phone manufacturers need budget-friendly options to compete against rivals who make cheaper devices. Qualcomm considers working with both Samsung and TSMC factories to meet demand.

Samsung struggles with low production yields on 2nm technology but hopes to improve later this year. The Korean company wants to reach 50 percent success rates before accepting major orders from chip designers. Rumors suggest Qualcomm discussed making Galaxy processors with Samsung for future products. Phone brands without their chip development teams must accept higher costs or lower profit margins. Customers will ultimately pay more for smartphones as manufacturing expenses continue rising across the industry.
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