Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Could Mark Return to Exynos Chipset After Four-Year Hiatus

Potential Chipset Shift for Samsung’s Flagship

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra might represent a significant departure from the company’s recent chipset strategy, with reports indicating the device could feature a Samsung-made Exynos processor for the first time since the Galaxy S22 Ultra. According to sources familiar with the matter, this would mark the end of a four-year period where Samsung exclusively used Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipsets in its premium Ultra models across all markets.

Potential Chipset Shift for Samsung’s Flagship
Exynos 2600 Production Timeline
Historical Context and Market Strategy
Reported Performance Improvements
Regional Variations Likely to Continue
Waiting for Official Confirmation

Exynos 2600 Production Timeline

Industry analysts monitoring Samsung’s supply chain suggest the company is preparing to begin mass production of the Exynos 2600 chipset as early as November. While previous rumors had indicated the standard Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus models would feature the Exynos 2600 in markets outside the United States, the latest reports from Korean media outlet Yonhap News claim the Ultra model will also adopt this chipset globally.

Historical Context and Market Strategy

Samsung’s use of Exynos chipsets has followed an irregular pattern in recent years, with the company increasingly relying on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors for its premium devices. Technology analysts note that while some non-Ultra Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus models outside the U.S. featured Exynos chips, the Ultra variants have consistently utilized the latest Snapdragon chipsets worldwide since the Galaxy S22 series.

Reported Performance Improvements

The potential switch back to Exynos represents a substantial gamble for Samsung, particularly given historical performance gaps between Exynos chips and their Qualcomm counterparts. However, the report states that the new Exynos 2600 might address these concerns with significant performance enhancements. Sources indicate the chipset’s neural processing capability is reportedly six times higher than Apple’s A19 Pro, which could provide substantial benefits for generative AI applications.

According to the analysis, CPU performance is said to be approximately 15% higher than the A19 Pro, while GPU performance shows even more dramatic improvements of up to 75% in certain benchmark tests. When compared to Qualcomm’s newly-announced Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the Exynos 2600 allegedly offers 29% better GPU performance and 30% improvement in neural processing unit capability, though the report notably omits specific CPU comparison data.

Regional Variations Likely to Continue

Market observers suggest that U.S. consumers will probably remain unaffected by these potential changes. Samsung has historically maintained Qualcomm chipsets for its flagship Galaxy S series in the American market, and industry insiders indicate this regional strategy will likely continue with the Galaxy S26 series regardless of global chipset decisions.

Waiting for Official Confirmation

Technology experts caution that these reports remain unconfirmed by Samsung and that definitive performance comparisons will only be possible when the Galaxy S26 series launches, expected in early 2026. Until then, consumers and industry watchers will need to monitor additional leaks and official announcements to verify these potential changes to Samsung’s chipset strategy.