Samsung Working on 2nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Samples Supplied

It looks like Qualcomm will introduce a 2nm variant of its latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. Samsung is reportedly working on this advanced version using its SF2 process. If true, this will be a major return for the Korean foundry and serve as a secondary supplier alongside TSMC.

Samsung’s 2nm process could power Qualcomm’s flagship chip

Qualcomm’s latest flagship mobile chip, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, is already powering Xiaomi 17 devices, with more phones to adopt it in the coming months. Built on TSMC’s 3nm node, the chip delivers 20% faster performance than the previous generation, Snapdragon 8 Elite. It features an octa-core CPU with two Oryon V3 Phoenix L cores at 4.6 GHz and six Oryon V3 Phoenix M cores at 3.62 GHz.

However, Qualcomm also reportedly plans to introduce a Samsung-made flagship mobile chip. According to a report from Newdaily, Samsung Foundry recently supplied Qualcomm with samples of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. The Korean firm used its in-house 2nm process (SF2) technology to make those samples. The outlet further said the American chipmaker will release the advanced chip next year.

Samsung’s SF2 process is more advanced than the 3nm process, with higher transistor density and improved power efficiency. It uses a Gate-All-Around (GAA) structure, which controls the flow of electricity better than the FinFET design. As a result, the 2nm Qualcomm mobile chip should offer improvements in performance and power consumption.

Note that sending the sample to Qualcomm does not mean that Samsung has secured a contract to mass-produce the chip. Qualcomm will check power efficiency, performance, heat, yield, and reliability over several months. Hopefully, Samsung will pass all the quality tests and move on to the production stage.

So, will Samsung use this 2nm Qualcomm chip in its upcoming flagship Galaxy phone? An earlier report suggested that Samsung may adopt the chip in the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8, expected in the second half of 2026. Meanwhile, the next-gen Galaxy S26 series may use the 3nm Qualcomm chip, alongside the Exynos 2600 in some models in select markets.