Samsung Hires Former AMD Veteran to Lead Exynos Work in Austin

Samsung’s recent unveiling of the Exynos 2600 was quickly followed by a move that’s as significant as the chip itself. The company appointed former AMD executive John Rayfield as Senior Vice President of the Samsung Austin Research Center (SARC) and the Advanced Computing Lab (ACL). Both groups sit at the core of Samsung’s Exynos development, particularly in graphics and advanced silicon design.

Samsung taps John Rayfield to lead its Austin Research Center and Advanced Computing Lab

Rayfield reportedly assumed the role in November. Even more, the SARC and ACL will remain the primary innovation hubs for future Exynos chips. His appointment signals a renewed push on GPU performance and internal IP development. These are some areas where Samsung has struggled to keep pace in recent years.

Samsung is positioning the Exynos 2600 as a major step forward, built using 2nm process. The chip features the Xclipse 960 GPU, which Samsung claims delivers up to 50 percent better ray tracing performance than the Exynos 2500. It also introduces ENSS, an upscaling technique designed to improve image quality without a proportional increase in power use.

We probably won’t have to wait long to see the Exynos 2600 in action

The upcoming Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ may use the Exynos 2600 in select regions. The Galaxy Z Flip 8, expected to launch in summer 2026, is also likely to feature the chip, which is built on a 2nm process. The Xclipse 960 was developed entirely within Samsung’s internal teams.

Rayfield’s background aligns with that goal. Before joining Samsung, he served as VP of Computing and Graphics at AMD and previously held senior roles at Intel, including work on client AI initiatives. He was also involved in AMD’s Ryzen AI PC push alongside Microsoft. Now, it’d be interesting to see how he shapes the fate of Exynos chips.