It is expected that “Qualcomm” and “MediaTek” will unveil their first 2-nanometer (N2P) processors during the third quarter of 2026, but the price difference may give “MediaTek” a clear advantage.
According to a report by Wccftech, citing Commercial Times, the price of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro processor starts at $300, while the price of the Dimensity 9600 Pro is expected to be about $216, that is, about 28% less.
This comes at a time when Qualcomm confirmed a double-digit increase in the prices of all its products starting next September, which is likely to include its new leading processors.
The pressure is not limited to processors, as DRAM and NAND Flash memory chips are also seeing a rise in prices, which increases phone manufacturing costs.
This has already been reflected in the market, after Samsung raised the prices of the Galaxy S26 series, while Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the upcoming iPhone 18 phones will be more expensive due to the increased cost of components.
MediaTek seeks to exploit these circumstances to enhance its presence in the leading category, after it succeeded in recent years in reducing the gap with Qualcomm in terms of performance and energy efficiency.
The leaks indicate that the company will launch three new processors: Dimensity 9600s, Dimensity 9600 Pro, and Dimensity 9600 Pro Max, while Qualcomm is expected to limit itself to launching only two versions of its new processor.
Observers believe that the continued price difference while providing competitive performance may push more phone companies to rely on MediaTek processors, which may limit the rise in smartphone prices in the coming years.
