Samsung Brought Major Cooling Upgrade to Exynos Galaxy S26

Samsung’s Exynos 2600 brings a big leap in thermal management thanks to the Heat Path Block (HPB). But there is more to the story than just this copper-based thermal component. A fresh report suggests that the Korean firm has also introduced a redesigned Tailored 3D Thermal Interface Material (3D TIM) to further improve cooling performance in the Exynos-powered Galaxy S26 models.

3D TIM and HPB offer more efficient heat dissipation in Galaxy S26

TIM plays a key role in smartphone cooling systems. It sits between the processor and the heat sink, such as a vapor chamber, to fill air gaps that naturally occur. Samsung has been advancing this layer with a custom approach called Tailored 3D TIM. Last year, the Galaxy S25 series also adopted the TIM solution, delivering additional improvement in thermal efficiency.

With the introduction of HPB in the Exynos 2600, Samsung appears to have also made design changes to the Tailored 3D TIM. This applies to Exynos-powered Galaxy S26 units. While HPB sits on top of the AP die (chip) and already improves heat management, the company refines TIM to further improve overall thermal performance.

“The combination of the 3D structured Taylor TIM and HPB has significantly improved heat dissipation performance compared to the previous generation,” said a Samsung official. “The 3D TIM widely diffuses heat and releases it evenly from the front and back, protecting internal components and ensuring the sustainability of AP performance.”

Samsung’s internal tests show better results as well. The AP chip temperature dropped by about 1.18°C, and the back of the device became about 0.73°C. These figures are compared to the older 2D TIM. It is worth noting that even a 1-degree drop is important in smartphones because of the very small internal spaces.

The report notes that the maximum surface temperatures of the base Galaxy S26 model and Galaxy S26 Ultra are comparable (when both use the Exynos 2600). This suggests that the latest compact Galaxy S flagship model can offer solid thermal performance even with a smaller internal space and a smaller vapor chamber.