Galaxy S26 Ultra May Run on Samsung’s Exynos 2600 Chip

Samsung looks set to launch the Galaxy S26 Ultra with its in-house Exynos 2600 chipset, at least in some regions. Reports suggest the new Exynos processor could power the entire S26 lineup, though certain markets may still receive Snapdragon variants. If true, this will mark the first time since 2022 that Samsung has fitted the Ultra model with its own Exynos chip, signaling a major return for the company’s flagship processor.

Exynos may make a grand return with the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung has reportedly begun mass production of the Exynos 2600 for the Galaxy S26 series. While the company doesn’t plan to go all-in with the in-house processor, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powering the new flagships in markets like the US, Japan, and China, the Exynos variants will be sold in most other regions, including Europe. More importantly, even the Ultra model may feature the Exynos 2600 in some markets.

Manufactured using Samsung Foundry’s 2nm process technology, this chip features redesigned CPU, GPU, and NPU architecture. According to internal tests, its NPU performance exceeds Apple’s A19 Pro, powering the iPhone 17 Pro Max, by over six times. The Exynos 2600 also outperforms the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite by about 30%. GPU performance is up to 75% better than Apple’s and 29% better than Qualcomm’s latest.

In terms of CPU, the new Exynos chip delivers a 14% higher multi-core performance than the A19 Pro. Samsung has emphasized AI computation, video processing, and overall system control, giving it a clear edge in AI-powered tasks. With Exynos 2600, the company is positioning itself to compete head-to-head with Apple and Qualcomm, combining high-performance hardware with AI-focused innovation.

Reintroducing Exynos to the Ultra flagship lineup will also help Samsung save billions in chip expenses. Qualcomm’s flagship offerings are costly, driving up the manufacturing cost of Galaxy phones. Hopefully, the Exynos 2600 will live up to expectations, delivering the kind of performance Samsung’s Ultra flagships are known for. More details should surface in the coming weeks.