New rumors suggest that the upcoming Redmi K100 Pro Max will utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, similar to its predecessor from 2025. However, there is concerning news regarding its pricing. The starting price for the K100 Pro Max is expected to be CNY 4,000, approximately $585.
While this price may not seem excessive outside of China, it's important to note that the K90 Pro Max, which featured the same chipset, launched last year at a price of CNY 3,199 ($467). This indicates a significant price hike without any upgrade to the SoC. Additionally, previous reports had suggested that the K100 Pro Max might start even higher at CNY 5,000 ($731), leaving uncertainty about the final price.
Redmi K90 Pro MaxThe primary reason for this price increase appears to be the ongoing RAM crisis, exacerbated by AI data centers consuming a large portion of production capacity. Without new investments in production facilities or a potential decline in AI spending, the outlook for smartphone pricing may remain grim.
Source (in Chinese) | Via
