QUALCOMM

Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 phones price may increase, $620 starting price expected

Qualcomm is expected to launch the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in October of this year. Reliable sources suggest that the significant increase in TSMC’s wafer costs will lead to a price trend for flagship phones equipped with this advanced chip. This shift has sparked intense discussions on Chinese social media platforms.

In October 2023, Vivo unveiled the Vivo X100 with a starting price of 3,999 Yuan (~$550). In the same month, the Xiaomi 14 debuted with the same starting price. The Dimensity 9300 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipsets power the Vivo X100 and Xiaomi 14, respectively.

Citing information obtained from supply chain sources, a Chinese tech blogger claimed that the starting price for Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 smartphones will be around 4,500 Yuan. The blogger posed a question: “If the Dimensity 9400 mobile phone starts at 3,999 Yuan, will you still purchase a Snapdragon 8 Gen4 mobile phone?” Responses from netizens varied, with some remaining loyal to their choice and others expressing hesitation.

The increased cost of mobile phone chips has always been substantial. For instance, the purchase price of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 might be around $200, roughly equivalent to 1,500 Yuan (~$207). The Redmi K70 Pro, equipped with this chip, is currently priced at 2,999 Yuan (~$415) for the 12GB+256GB version, demonstrating excellent cost performance. However, with the rising cost of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, future models like the Redmi K80 Pro, if equipped with this chip, might exceed current price ranges, negatively impacting their competitiveness and potentially affecting sales.

It appears that the increased cost is primarily due to the adoption of an advanced 3nm process node for manufacturing the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. While this technology promises higher performance and lower power consumption, it also significantly raises production costs. The increase in the number of EUV lithography tools has notably driven up the production costs of each wafer and chip. For consumers, this means they may have to pay more for enhanced performance and user experience.

The Dimensity 9400 powered phones, such as the Vivo X200, X200 Pro, and Oppo Find X8, are expected to launch in October of this year. In the same month, the Xiaomi 15, 15 Pro, and OnePlus 13 equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip may go official. The iQOO 13, the Realme GT 7 Pro, and the Redmi K80 Pro are also expected to debut with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 before the end of this year.

mundophone