The price of memory chips and processors is through the roof, but the latest rumor gives us some hope. As Qualcomm and MediaTek are scheduled to launch their first 2nm ‘N2P’ chipsets in the third quarter of 2026, one of the competitors could offer a lot of bang for the buck and potentially lead to cheaper smartphones.
MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro expected to be 28 percent cheaper than Qualcomm's alternative
The new Dimensity 9600 Pro could be 28% cheaper than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. | Image by Gemini
According to the latest rumors from Wccftech, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could start at $300 per unit, skyrocketing smartphone prices even higher.
As per reports, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro will cost more than $300.
For reference, here are the estimated costs of previous Snapdragon flagship SoCs:
• 8 Gen 1: $120–130 • 8+ Gen 1: $120–130 • 8 Gen 2: $160 • 8 Gen 3: $170–200 • 8 Elite: $220+ • 8 Elite…
Qualcomm has admitted that starting from September, all of its products will become more expensive by double-digit percentages, and this apparently includes the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.
MediaTek, on the other hand, will be offering a cheaper Dimensity 9600 Pro, which, according to Commercial Times, could start at $216, 28 percent cheaper than the Snapdragon.
Would you buy a MediaTek-equipped Galaxy flagship?
DRAM and NAND flash memory prices are already high
RAM and NAND memory is getting more and more expensive, and AI is to blame. | Image by Samsung
Smartphone brands are already under a lot of financial stress from DRAM and memory manufacturers. Samsung increased the prices of the S26 family, and Tim Cook announced that the upcoming iPhone 18 series will be more expensive, as Apple can't keep the same prices anymore.
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Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable. We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable
- Tim Cook, Apple CEO, June 2026
Having to dish out $300 on a chipset alone will crush the budgets on many smartphone brands, so big price hikes are expected for the next generation of flagships. However, MediaTek could capitalize on Qualcomm's woes and offer a cheaper alternative.
Expect more MediaTek-equipped phones in the future
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is rumored to start at $300. | Image by Gemini
MediaTek has been upping its game lately, offering chipsets with comparable performance to its Qualcomm rival. The latest rumor suggests that the company will offer three models of its upcoming flagship Dimensity 9600 chipset.
There will be a regular Dimensity 9600s model; a Dimensity 9600 Pro, which is supposedly comparable to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 but cheaper; and a top-of-the-line Dimensity 9600 Pro Max, probably reserved for ultra-premium devices.
Qualcomm, on the other hand, is expected to offer at least two models of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, a vanilla one and a Pro.
The cheaper MediaTek silicon, along with the more flexible portfolio with three models on board, means we might start seeing more and more phones equipped with MediaTek chips.
Does the chipset brand matter?
Yes and no. We've been through the Exynos conundrum and know that chip brand could make a difference both in performance and in efficiency.
But MediaTek has been up there with Qualcomm in the past couple of generations, offering a solid alternative in flagship phones and midrangers.
The company has a golden opportunity to solidify its positions and gain market share, as for most people, the end price of a smartphone is much more important than the chipset brand inside.
What do you think about this? Would you buy a Galaxy phone equipped with a MediaTek processor if it were cheaper?
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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