Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series, launched today, exclusively features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset worldwide. This decision stems from production challenges with Samsung’s own Exynos 2500 SoC, which was initially intended for certain markets. Consequently, the Exynos 2500 is now slated to power the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip7.
Samsung plans to reintroduce its Exynos processors with the Galaxy S26 series. Reports indicate that the Exynos 2600 SoC pre-production is progressing smoothly, with yields exceeding 30% in test production. If this trend continues, mass production is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of this year, aiming for inclusion in the Galaxy S26 devices, which will launch in January 2026.
The Exynos 2600 will be manufactured using Samsung’s SF2 2nm process, anticipated to stabilize for production in the latter half of 2025. This advanced process is projected to enhance performance by 12%, improve power efficiency by 25%, and reduce chip size by 5% compared to the 3nm SF3 process.
Samsung’s System LSI division is reportedly dedicating substantial resources to ensure the timely mass production of the Exynos 2600 to avoid repeating the delays experienced with the Exynos 2500. Another year of production issues could significantly impact the company’s non-memory business, potentially leading to a substantial operating deficit.
