Not everyone wants bleeding-edge Pro chips, and this reader survey proves it

This year, consumers are facing economic pressure like we haven’t seen in a long time. With the AI boom, shortages and demand are affecting component fees and, therefore, smartphone prices. This underscores the need for OEMs to develop and seek out more affordable components than ever.

Of course, there are two sides to this coin. This year, it seems like we’re getting two flagship Snapdragons, one “extremely expensive” product with a Pro moniker reserved for Ultra devices, and a standard yet still plenty pacey option. Undoubtedly, it’s a development that gets enthusiasts talking, but may also benefit consumers. In theory, we can now have the benefits of chip makers chasing even more processing grunt with higher-tier chips, while providing loads of performance at a lower price for those who want and need far less.

But what are your thoughts on this split? Would you consider buying a “Standard” Snapdragon over the “Pro” alternative? We asked readers this very question in a recent survey, and the results are in.

This poll garnered just over 1,800 votes, and most respondents are apparently minding their wallets this year. 52.7% of voters would rather opt for Snapdragon’s standard offering over the Pro-tier silicon should they become available later this year, suggesting that readers believe modern chips are sufficiently powerful.

This sentiment is certainly echoed by some commenters. Reader liivsoo.hans writes: “That’s what I told people at SD 845 times. We don’t need more power.”

I’m not so sure a 2017 chipset can hold a candle to modern hardware, but would the average consumer notice? I’m not so sure.

For some consumers, a smartphone is more than just the sum of its FLOPs. Commenter Darth Vader highlights the need for more balanced devices. They write:

We don’t need just more CPU power, but a balanced device with 120Hz screen, good enough GPU, more RAM for on-device AI and a pair of good lenses. Something like iPhone 17 but cheaper.

But, of course, there are enthusiasts in our readership. 31.7% would opt for the Pro silicon instead, which is still a substantial portion of the population. As mentioned, the need for more processing power might not be ideal for every user, but if you’re pushing the limits of emulation and smartphone-as-a-PC applications, there’s no such thing as too much power.

Notably, 15.6% of respondents wouldn’t purchase either chip or aren’t sure which they’d choose. There are certainly mountains of options available in the market, up and down the pricing and performance ranges.

Notably, Qualcomm hasn’t yet outlined its plans for its 2026 chips, so there’s no telling if we’ll get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 Pro and a standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 6 later this year. Either way, we’ll have to wait and see just how drastically the price crunch will affect the price of this silicon, and now, even more confusing, the company’s naming scheme could get.