Galaxy S26 Benchmarks Reveal the Challenge Facing Exynos 2600

With the Galaxy S26 series expected to launch on February 25, 2026, the countdown has effectively begun. New leaks are arriving at a faster pace, and the latest Geekbench listing for the Galaxy S26 provides an early snapshot of its performance. More importantly, it puts the spotlight on a familiar debate: whether Exynos 2600 can finally match Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Early Galaxy S26 benchmarks set the baseline for the Exynos 2600

Samsung is gearing up to launch the Galaxy S26 series with two different chipsets. While the Ultra model might run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 globally, the Galaxy S26 and S26+ look set to feature the Exynos 2600 in some markets. The Korean firm expects the new Exynos chip to perform at a comparable level to its Snapdragon counterpart.

We don’t yet have the full picture, but a recent Geekbench run of the Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S26 offers a clear benchmark for what the Exynos 2600 will need to match. The device posted 3,815 in single-core and 11,555 in multi-core tests. These figures set a very high bar, especially in single-core performance. If Exynos is to compete this generation, it has little room for error.

Single-core performance deserves attention because it plays an outsized role in the everyday responsiveness of the phone. It influences app launches, UI fluidity, and how fast the handset feels over time. Multi-core scores, meanwhile, matter more for sustained and specialized workloads.

Unfortunately, the outlook isn’t particularly encouraging for the Exynos 2600. Noted tipster Ice Universe believes Samsung’s in-house chip will struggle to reach the Snapdragon’s levels. Current estimates place its theoretical single-core ceiling at around 3,500, leaving a noticeable gap in the very area that defines day-to-day responsiveness.

There are also concerns that the Exynos 2600 could trail Qualcomm’s chip on the GPU side, further widening the performance divide. That doesn’t mean it will be a weak processor, but it highlights the challenge Samsung continues to face when matching Qualcomm at the very top end. Much will depend on how narrow that gap ultimately is. If it remains significant, Samsung will have a tough time justifying its decision not to go all-in with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for the Galaxy S26 series.