Updated
Updated · Notebookcheck.net · Aug 20
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro Sample Surfaces for $42 Before Sept. 22 Debut
Updated
Updated · Notebookcheck.net · Aug 20

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro Sample Surfaces for $42 Before Sept. 22 Debut

3 articles · Updated · Notebookcheck.net · Aug 20

Summary

  • A Shenzhen seller briefly listed a desoldered Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro engineering sample on Xianyu at CNY300, or about $42, before the post was removed.
  • Package markings shown in the photos read SM8975-100-BC, which the report says points to an LPDDR5X engineering-sample revision and aligns with Qualcomm's unannounced flagship model number.
  • Two lot codes suggest the chips were packaged at Amkor sites in Korea and Japan in late December 2025 and early January 2026, implying working test silicon by year-end; OEM samples reportedly started shipping on Feb. 3, 2026.
  • The images also appear to show Qualcomm using an internal heat spreader similar to Samsung's Exynos 2600 approach, though likely smaller because the package must support both LPDDR6 and LPDDR5X.
  • Qualcomm has not confirmed the chip, and the report says the listing's origin, functionality and lot-code interpretation cannot be independently verified.

Insights

Why is a cutting-edge $300 Qualcomm AI chip being sold in bulk for just $42 on the gray market?
Could the integrated heatsink on this leaked Snapdragon sample mean next-gen AI smartphones will face unprecedented overheating issues?
Is this massive supply chain leak a genuine security failure, or a calculated hype-building stunt for the Snapdragon Summit?