SAMSUNG

Exynos 2600: why is Samsung staking its future on this processor?

If you follow the world of smartphones, you know that Samsung's relationship with its Exynos processors has been a real rollercoaster of emotions and expectations. Now, everything indicates that Exynos is back in full force for the future Galaxy S26 line.

However, a strategic decision by Samsung regarding the S26 Ultra model is already raising many eyebrows and putting enormous pressure on the new Exynos 2600. It seems that the future of this line of processors from the South Korean giant is truly at stake.

Apparently, the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will once again have variants with different processors depending on the market. This means that some regions will receive these models equipped with the new Exynos 2600, while others will have the privilege of having Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2. Samsung has been hard at work on the Exynos 2600, a processor that is expected to be manufactured using a 2-nanometer (nm) process, representing a significant technological advancement.

This return comes after a challenging period. Samsung’s semiconductor division (Samsung Foundry) faced considerable obstacles during 2024 before finally managing to stabilize its 3nm manufacturing process. Once it did, the company immediately focused on developing 2nm technology, precisely to have the Exynos 2600 ready in time for the launch of the Galaxy S26. Keep in mind that this renewed focus on Exynos comes after Samsung was forced to equip the entire Galaxy S25 line exclusively with Snapdragon processors, abandoning its initial plans for the Exynos 2500.

The big surprise, and perhaps the biggest cause for concern among the most attentive, is the news that the top-of-the-line model, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, will not use the Exynos 2600 in any region. Instead, Samsung has reportedly opted to equip its most premium model exclusively with Qualcomm's processor.

This is not the first time this has happened. In the past, as with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, this strategy was adopted to, according to the brand, guarantee the “Ultra experience” worldwide and ensure a competitive offering compared to its rivals. Historically, Galaxy phones equipped with Exynos processors have, in some generations, presented inferior performance compared to their Snapdragon alternatives.

If Samsung decides not to use the Exynos 2600 in its flagship model, the S26 Ultra, it seems to indicate that the company itself may not be entirely confident that its new processor is up to par with its main competitor. Additionally, there are rumors in the industry that Samsung's 2nm processors may perform slightly worse than their 3nm counterparts manufactured by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), which could justify this decision.

You might think that for the average user these small performance differences are not easily noticeable in day-to-day life, and you might even have some reason to. However, the issue goes deeper. Samsung has invested huge amounts of money so that Exynos can one day completely replace Snapdragon in its high-end devices. There is a clear vision on the company's part: to see its devices undergo a transformation similar to that which Apple products underwent with the introduction of Apple Silicon, achieving superior optimization and integration of hardware and software.

For this to happen, the Exynos 2600 needs to impress, especially the technical community and specialized critics. It needs positive publicity so that the almost instinctive negative reaction that many users have to the word “Exynos” finally begins to disappear. The news that Exynos will not be present in the S26 Ultra is already, in itself, cause for concern for those who are waiting for this turning point.

What is at stake with the performance of the new processor?...The implications of a possible failure of the Exynos 2600 are vast. If the new processor repeats the problems of some of its predecessors — such as less efficient power consumption, excessive heating problems and performance scores lower than those of its direct competitors — this will only greatly worsen Samsung's difficulties in this area.

In this scenario, the company itself will question the allocation of large resources to the Exynos project, and the public, which does not hesitate to express its discontent, will once again criticize the brand for offering potentially inferior products in some regions for the same price. It is unlikely that the Exynos project will be abandoned any time soon, especially since Snapdragon processors are expensive for Samsung. However, if the Exynos 2600 does not perform as expected, it will certainly mean more difficult times for Samsung Foundry and its credibility in the semiconductor market.

After the developments of the last few years, it seems that the entire future of Exynos depends crucially on its performance next year with the launch of the Galaxy S26 family. If the Exynos variants of the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus prove to be as capable as their Snapdragon counterparts, this could usher in a golden era for Samsung Foundry and the brand's technological autonomy. However, given the decision apparently already made for the S26 Ultra, we can reasonably anticipate that the Exynos 2600 may not yet be the turning point that many are hoping for. We can only wait and, who knows, be pleasantly surprised.

mundophone