Samsung Galaxy S26 Won't Get Snapdragon Globally — Exynos 2600 to Power Next Flagship, Report Claims

Samsung may be preparing to split its flagship smartphone strategy once again.

According to a report from South Korean news outlet, the upcoming Galaxy S26 Pro will feature Samsung's in-house Exynos 2600 chip in Europe, South Korea and parts of Asia, while China and North America are expected to receive the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 variant.

The development signals a potential return to regional chipset divides, sparking debate among consumers and analysts about performance parity.

Exynos 2600 Powering Just One Galaxy S26 Version

The Bell reported that Samsung has commenced the widespread manufacture of the Exynos 2600. The newest processor, it is claimed, will only feature in a single device within the Galaxy S26 range: the Galaxy S26 Pro (the standard option).

The South Korean corporation began the extensive manufacturing process sooner than expected, apparently because production yields had already surpassed the 50 percent mark. This crucial development means that half of the processed chips are successfully passing the necessary quality tests.

The Exynos 2600, a chip developed by Samsung's System LSI division, is being manufactured using Samsung Foundry's initial 2nm process node, designated as SF2. This manufacturing approach marks the company's third generation to utilise the Gate All-Around (GAA) transistor architecture.

The SF2 technology is claimed to deliver 12% greater performance while also being 25% more power efficient than the SF3 process, which is its second-generation 3nm design.

Samsung has recently begun the wafer input stage for the Exynos 2600, with the fab-out—the point at which chip wafers exit the factory upon completing every step—expected to occur in late October or early November. The company is closely monitoring mass production to ensure that both the chip and its manufacturing method are stable.

The Global Split: Who Gets Snapdragon, Who Gets Exynos?

Considering Samsung's past behaviour, the Exynos 2600 model will likely be featured in the European and South Korean versions of the Galaxy S26 Pro. It might also be present in a few Asian nations. For the remaining markets, particularly China and North America, Samsung is expected to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for the Galaxy processor across the Galaxy S26 line-up.

It is expected that the Galaxy S26 Edge and Galaxy S26 Ultra models will use the Snapdragon processor globally. We must wait and see how the Exynos 2600 compares when facing Apple's A19 and A19 Pro, MediaTek's Dimensity 9500, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

AMD's RDNA Meets Arm's C1: What It Means for Graphics

The Exynos 2600 utilises the identical Arm C1 CPU cores found in the Dimensity 9500, but its GPU employs AMD's RDNA architecture instead of the Arm Immortalis design.

Given that its rival processors are fabricated using TSMC's 3nm method, it will be noteworthy to observe if the Exynos 2600 manages to be more power-efficient than these competing chips.

It needs to deliver exceptional results to bridge the gap with its rivals and reassure users who prefer the consistency of the Snapdragon platform. All eyes will be on those early benchmarks to see if Samsung's gamble on its advanced 2nm process truly pays off.