Samsung is reportedly preparing a powerful comeback in the chipset race with its upcoming Exynos 2600, which is said to deliver major leaps in GPU and NPU performance.
According to industry insider @Jukanlosreve, the new chip could outperform both Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Apple’s A19 Pro by notable margins.
Exynos 2600 May Power All Galaxy S26 Models
If these reports hold true, Samsung could equip all Galaxy S26 variants with the Exynos 2600, not just the base model as previously rumored. Tipster Ice Universe claims that Samsung plans a 50/50 regional split, where the U.S., China, and Japan will receive Snapdragon-powered models, while Korea, Europe, and other regions will get Exynos versions.
Exynos 2600 Performance Breakdown
Based on leaks from Korean media, the Exynos 2600’s NPU will be six times faster than the one inside the Apple A19 Pro used in the iPhone 17 Pro. It’s also expected to outperform the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 NPU by around 30%.
Even beyond AI capabilities, performance gains look impressive—reports suggest a 14% boost in multi-core CPU performance and a 75% faster GPU compared to Apple’s A19 Pro. When stacked against Qualcomm’s latest flagship, the Exynos GPU could be up to 29% faster.
Samsung’s 2nm Advantage
Samsung’s foundries have reportedly secured production orders for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, likely manufactured using the 2nm GAA process node—the same advanced technology powering the Exynos 2600. This means that even Snapdragon-equipped Galaxy S26 units could still feature Samsung-made chips, albeit under Qualcomm branding.
Galaxy S26 Lineup Updates
Beyond chip rumors, the Galaxy S26 lineup itself is undergoing changes. Samsung is reportedly dropping the “Pro” and “Edge” branding, keeping the focus on the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra models. With the Exynos 2600 leading the charge, Samsung appears ready to challenge its rivals with stronger performance and tighter integration across its flagship lineup.