Xiaomi 18 Tipped to Launch Without Flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro Chip Due to High Cost

Xiaomi's next flagship lineup is already generating early buzz ahead of its anticipated launch in the second half of this year. With Qualcomm rumoured to unveil a new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series later this year, attention is now turning to how major smartphone brands will integrate these chips into their upcoming devices. A fresh leak from China suggests Xiaomi may opt for a tiered approach with the Xiaomi 18 family, potentially making sharper distinctions between the standard and Pro models in terms of performance and pricing.

Xiaomi 18 Series Could Feature Different Chips When Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro Debuts

According to a new Weibo post and accompanying comments from tipster Digital Chat Station, the standard Xiaomi 18 is expected to feature Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, rather than the more premium Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. The reason, the tipster claims, comes down to cost.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro is reportedly set to carry a significantly higher price tag, making it too expensive for the company to include in the base Xiaomi 18 without further raising prices. Instead, Xiaomi is said to be reserving the top-end Pro chipset for its higher-tier models, with the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max likely to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.

Qualcomm is rumoured to unveil the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 series in September, with Xiaomi's 18 lineup expected to follow shortly after. The existing Xiaomi 17 series, including the base Xiaomi 17 as well as the Xiaomi 17 Pro, Xiaomi 17 Pro Max and Xiaomi 17 Ultra models, are all powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. However, Qualcomm also did not release a "Pro" version of this chip.

Notably, the same tipster previously said Xiaomi is testing two 200-megapixel sensors for a compact 6.3-inch flagship, widely believed to be the Xiaomi 18 Pro. One could be the main camera and the other a telephoto or a periscope unit. If true, Xiaomi 18 Pro may join another Chinese OEM, Oppo, in adopting dual 200-megapixel sensors on upcoming flagships.