## Samsung S26 Ultra rumoured to feature Exynos 2600
While the Samsung Galaxy S25 collection boasts the same top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite around the world, that hasn’t always been the case.
With phones like the Galaxy S24 range, Samsung employed a chipset split; US users got the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, while those of us in the UK, EU, and other regions got the Exynos 2400 chipset.
Well, it looks like that might be the case once again for the 2026 Galaxy S26 collection, and reader, I’m concerned.The report comes from Korean news site Yonhap newswhich claims that Samsung is “likely” to use the Exynos 2600 specifically in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.The report doesn’t go into detail about whether this will be a worldwide rollout or specific to some regions, but given Samsung’s previous releases, I’d wager it’d be the latter. The States always get the Snapdragon chipset – but for many other regions around the world, it’s a bit of a gamble.
It’s an engaging prospect if true, especially given how impressive Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset sounds. Compared to the already-powerful Snapdragon 8 elite, Qualcomm claims the new chipset offers a 20% boost to CPU, 23% gains in the GPU department and a 37% jump in the NPU department.
Considering the Snapdragon 8 Elite already offered a massive boost in power compared to the previous 8 Gen 3, there’s some serious power in the new chipset. Well, going by Qualcomm’s numbers anyway; while 8 Elite Gen 5 chips have begun appearing in phones in China, none have been released globally just yet, so I haven’t had the chance to benchmark them myself.
Still, expectations are high for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and for a top-end phone to offer anything but that chipset is going to be a gamble.
Samsung’s Exynos 2600: Can it Finally Close the Gap with Snapdragon?
The performance disparity between Samsung Galaxy phones equipped with Snapdragon processors and those with Exynos chips has been a recurring issue. As reported in February 2024, the Snapdragon-equipped Galaxy S24 demonstrably outperformed its Exynos counterpart in CPU and GPU tests. https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/samsung-galaxy-s24-way-more-powerful-us-than-uk-europe-4437065 This raises concerns about the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung’s flagship device slated for 2026, and whether users outside of North America will once again receive a less powerful version.
Paying upwards of $1000 for a smartphone demands top-tier performance, a standard that may not be met if critically important performance gaps persist between the Exynos and Snapdragon models.
Recent reports suggest Samsung is aiming to address this issue with the Exynos 2600 chipset. According to these claims, the Exynos 2600 will offer a 30% enhancement in Neural Processing Unit (NPU) performance and a 29% boost in GPU power compared to its predecessors. https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/samsung-galaxy-s25-ultra-exynos-2600-chipset-performance-claims-4456999 This could translate to a more responsive and immersive gaming experience,and also faster and more efficient on-device Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing.
Though, skepticism remains. Samsung has previously made ambitious claims regarding Exynos performance that ultimately didn’t materialize. Given this history, a cautious approach is warranted.While the reported improvements are promising, it’s crucial to see self-reliant testing and verification before drawing definitive conclusions. Samsung now has the prospect to demonstrate a genuine leap in Exynos performance and deliver a truly unified flagship experience for all Galaxy S26 Ultra users worldwide.