Samsung May Have a Bold Plan to Equip Galaxy S26 Ultra with Exynos 2600

Samsung’s Exynos chips could make a shocking return to Ultra flagships next year. The Korean media reports that the company plans to equip the Galaxy S26 Ultra with its 2nm Exynos 2600 processor. The chip has reportedly entered mass production ahead of its debut early next year.

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Galaxy S26 Ultra could run on Exynos 2600, at least in some regions

After years of poor show, Samsung’s in-house Exynos processors are starting to regain credibility with notable improvements in power efficiency and performance. The upcoming Exynos 2600 is expected to push things further, potentially rivaling the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

So far, the consensus has been that Samsung will equip the Galaxy S26 Edge and S26 Pro with this new chipset in select markets. The Ultra model has always been expected to exclusively run on Snapdragon worldwide. However, Daishin Securities analyst Park Kang-ho claims the Ultra model could also adopt the Exynos 2600.

If true, this would mark the first time in years that Samsung’s Ultra flagship comes with an Exynos chip. The last instance was the S22 Ultra in 2022, which shipped with the Exynos 2200 in Europe, while the rest of the world got the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. Since then, every Ultra has been Snapdragon-exclusive.

Park argues that this shift could help Samsung revive its foundry business. Expanding the use of its own application processors would reduce reliance on Qualcomm and improve profit margins. He expects this move to drive continued earnings recovery in 2026. However, given the track record of Exynos chips over the years, shipping the Galaxy S26 Ultra with the Exynos 2600 would be a bold and risky move.

While Samsung may be confident that its first-gen 2nm Exynos 2600 can hold its own against the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, it can’t build trust overnight. Users haven’t forgotten the efficiency and thermal problems that plagued older Exynos chips.

The Exynos 2500 has proven itself reliable in the Galaxy Z Flip 7, but Samsung might be wiser to keep its Ultra models Snapdragon-exclusive a little longer. Instead, the company could use the Exynos 2600 in the S26 Edge and S26 Pro to gradually restore consumer confidence. Will Samsung risk putting the Exynos 2600 in the Galaxy S26 Ultra? It’s the biggest question before launch in early 2026.