Xiaomi 18 Series to Be the First Phones with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6

Xiaomi is reportedly preparing to become the first smartphone brand to launch devices powered by Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chipset in the Xiaomi 18 series. According to recent rumors, the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max could debut shortly after Qualcomm officially unveils its next-generation flagship processors later this year.

Qualcomm has already confirmed that its annual Snapdragon Summit will take place from September 22 to September 24, where it is expected to introduce the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 lineup. Several smartphone brands, including Xiaomi, vivo, and Oppo, are planning flagship launches around the same time. However, Xiaomi is said to be leading the race.

Xiaomi 18 Series to Be the First Phones with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6

The Xiaomi 18 lineup will include three smartphones:

• Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
• Xiaomi 18 Pro
• Xiaomi 18

The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is expected to focus heavily on photography. Reports suggest it will feature two 200MP cameras, including a main sensor with a large 1/1.28-inch LOFIC sensor for improved image quality.

The Xiaomi 18 Pro could introduce a larger rear display. It may also include a Privacy Display feature, although details about this technology remain limited.

Meanwhile, the standard Xiaomi 18 is expected to offer a slightly larger 6.4-inch display and a massive 7,200mAh battery, making it an attractive option for users who prioritize battery life.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Details

Qualcomm is expected to introduce two flagship chipsets in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 family:

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6
• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro

Both processors are rumored to be built using an advanced 2nm manufacturing process. However, it remains unclear whether Samsung or TSMC will handle production.

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The chips are expected to feature Qualcomm’s next-generation Oryon CPU architecture with a 2+3+3 core layout.

The standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 is rumored to include:

• Adreno 845 GPU
• 12MB of on-chip graphics memory
• 6MB of last-level cache (LLC)

The higher-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could offer:

• Adreno 850 GPU
• 18MB of graphics memory
• 8MB of LLC

Reports also suggest Qualcomm is developing a standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 chipset for more affordable flagship devices.

Different Chips for Different Models

The report claims Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro could cost around $300 per chip, making it significantly more expensive than previous generations.

To manage costs, Xiaomi is expected to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro only in the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max. The Xiaomi 18 Pro and the standard Xiaomi 18 are likely to feature the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 instead. A future Xiaomi 18 Ultra could also receive the Pro version of the chipset.

Launch Timeline

The Xiaomi 18 series is not expected to launch all at once. Current reports indicate:

• Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max could launch in September, becoming the first smartphones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series.
• Xiaomi 18 is expected to arrive in October.

If these rumors prove accurate, Xiaomi will once again be the first company to introduce smartphones featuring Qualcomm’s newest flagship processor, following last year’s Xiaomi 17 series, which debuted with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.