Samsung is preparing for a significant shift in its chipset strategy with the launch of the Galaxy S26 in 2026. After the company almost canceled the Exynos 2500 for the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung plans to reintroduce the Exynos chipset, potentially closing the performance gap with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon. The Exynos 2500, which was intended for the S25 series, couldn’t match the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s performance, leading to its cancellation.
The Galaxy S25 series will now rely exclusively on Snapdragon processors. However, sources indicate that Samsung aims to feature the Exynos chipset prominently in the Galaxy S26 series. Samsung is expected to begin mass production of its 2nm process next year, with hopes to revive its Mobile AP business by integrating Exynos chipsets into the 2026 flagship models.
This move follows Apple’s adoption of TSMC’s 3nm process, giving it an edge over competitors. The Exynos 2500 could still be used in the Galaxy Z Flip 7, expected next year. Despite this, there’s no official confirmation yet from Samsung’s Exynos division.
The failure of previous Exynos chips has impacted Samsung’s profits, emphasizing the importance of diversifying its chipset suppliers and maintaining competitive performance. For now, Samsung is focused on launching the Galaxy S25 series.
Performance disparity between Exynos, Snapdragon chipsets
Although the Exynos 2500 won’t debut with this series, the groundwork is being laid for a potential resurgence with the Galaxy S26. A new benchmark for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus has revealed it using an Exynos 2500 chipset, contrary to prior leaks that suggested only the Snapdragon 8 Elite would be utilized. This discrepancy has sparked concern among potential buyers, especially given that the scores achieved by the Exynos model lag behind those with the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
The benchmark, spotted online, lists the S25 Plus with 12GB of RAM and records a single-core result of 2,358 and a multi-core result of 8,211. In comparison, the Snapdragon 8 Elite versions of the device typically achieve 3,160 and 9,941 in single and multi-core tests, respectively. These figures indicate that although the Exynos variant performs reasonably well, it falls short of its Snapdragon counterpart.
It’s important to note that this benchmark refers to a model intended for Europe, which means that U.S. buyers might still receive the Snapdragon variant. Historically, Samsung has used different chipsets for different regions, with Snapdragon models often reserved for the U.S. market. Additionally, the benchmark could stem from an older prototype that Samsung has since abandoned, leaving room for hope that all final production models will feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Even if the Exynos 2500 does appear in some regions, Samsung is likely to equip the premium Galaxy S25 Ultra with the Snapdragon 8 Elite universally. Thus, buyers opting for the top-tier model should still have access to the highest performance chipset. The official chipset details for the Samsung Galaxy S25 line will likely be confirmed soon, as the phone is expected to launch on January 22.
