Qualcomm isn’t taking kindly to reports that its next flagship smartphone chip is running too hot for Samsung’s liking. The company dismissed claims that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 overheated during internal tests for the Galaxy S27 Ultra, calling the reports inaccurate. The denial comes just a day after reports suggested that Samsung could ditch Qualcomm’s chip in favor of its own Exynos 2700.
Qualcomm is pushing back against overheating claims
Speaking to 9to5Google, a Qualcomm spokesperson directly addressed the reports, saying that recent claims about thermal issues with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 are inaccurate. The company added that it remains proud of its next-generation flagship platform and works closely with smartphone manufacturers to deliver premium experiences.
That’s a pretty clear denial, especially given the timing. The original report by South Korea’s Seoul Economic Daily claimed that Samsung had encountered excessive temperatures and performance losses while testing the chip under sustained heavy workloads.
“Recent reporting on thermal issues related to Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 is inaccurate. We are proud of the innovation and strong momentum behind our next-generation flagship platform and continue to work closely with global OEMs to deliver premium user experiences.” – Qualcomm spokesperson
Qualcomm’s chief marketing officer, Don McGuire, also pushed back against the claims on X, saying there were no systemic thermal issues with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and that manufacturers routinely tune their devices to balance performance and power consumption.
That being said, there’s a small but important catch here: McGuire refers to the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, rather than explicitly naming the higher-end Extreme variant at the center of the original report. Qualcomm’s spokesperson directly addressed the Extreme chip, but the executive’s separate statement leaves room for questions about the difference between the two processors. Neither Qualcomm nor Samsung has published test data that would independently settle the dispute.
Could Samsung instead turn to its own Exynos chip?
The stakes are relatively high for Samsung. As in the original report, the company allegedly found that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 exceeded its temperature threshold during prolonged workloads, reducing its performance. This process, known as thermal throttling, is a protective measure that reduces the speed of a chip when temperatures rise too high. If the reported concerns prove to be genuine, Samsung could consider the Exynos 2700 for the Galaxy S27 Ultra instead. However, neither company has confirmed a processor switch, and the overheating allegations remain disputed.
For Qualcomm, this rumor could not have chosen a worse time. Peak performance makes for flashy slides, but keeping a chip cool during marathon gaming sessions is the real test. Qualcomm has denied the claims, but a statement can only do so much. Until independent tests put the Extreme chip through its paces, the heat is on Qualcomm to prove that its flagship can walk the talk.
RELATED COVERAGE: