A new leak suggests that the upcoming Redmi K90 could feature a custom Snapdragon SM8845 chipset, offering performance similar to the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Qualcomm is expected to unveil its next-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chipset in October, and many flagship phones will adopt it by the end of the year.
Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi is also preparing to launch the K90 series, and fresh reports hint at unique chipset choices for the lineup.
Redmi K90 Chipset Details
Redmi’s K-series has traditionally launched with two models—a standard and a Pro variant—featuring the previous and latest flagship Snapdragon processors, respectively.
For example, the Redmi K70 had the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, while the K70 Pro used the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The K80 series continued this pattern, with the K80 running on Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the K80 Pro featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
However, a new leak from tipster Digital Chat Station suggests that the K90 series will take a different approach. The K90 and K90 Pro are rumored to use Qualcomm’s SM8845 and SM8850 chipsets, respectively.
The SM8850 is expected to be the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, while the SM8845 is said to be a custom 3nm+ chip designed by Qualcomm in collaboration with Redmi.
This custom chip is built on a fully customized architecture, and early benchmarks suggest it could deliver performance comparable to the Snapdragon 8 Elite (SM8750).
However, its real-world performance is still unknown. The choice of this chipset could be a strategic move by Redmi to keep costs lower while still offering flagship-level power.
Redmi K90 Pricing Speculation
Along with chipset details, leaks also indicate that the K90 series could launch with a higher price tag. The K90 Pro is expected to cost between 4,000 Yuan ($550) and 5,000 Yuan ($685), making it more expensive than previous models.
With the K90 series expected to debut later this year, more details about its specs, performance, and pricing should emerge in the coming months.
