The Exynos chipsets went through a tough phase last year. The Exynos 2500 struggled with poor yield rates, forcing Samsung to opt for the Snapdragon 8 Elite across the entire Galaxy S25 line, regardless of the region. However, things may improve next year, as Samsung is putting its full effort into enhancing the Exynos 2600, set to power the Galaxy S26 series.
Samsung has set up a dedicated team to improve Exynos 2600 for the Galaxy S26 series
According to FNNews, Samsung Electronicsโ Semiconductor Division has established a dedicated task force to focus on the Exynos 2600. The stakes are high, as the company hopes the chip will power next yearโs Galaxy S26 series. Samsung is pouring significant effort into ensuring the Exynos 2600 plays a key role in the S26 lineup. The prototype is expected to enter mass production as early as May. Hence, a final decision is expected by the end of the year on whether the Exynos 2600 will power the Galaxy S26 series.
Notably, the Exynos 2600 will be built using a 2nm (SF2) process. According to the report, the 2nm Exynos 2600 is showing higher yield rates compared to its predecessor. For context, the Exynos 2500โs yield rate was as low as 20%. This means only 2 out of every 10 chipsets were up to snuff. Thatโs one of the toughest hurdles in chip manufacturing.
Additionally, this follows earlier reports suggesting Samsung intends to have the Exynos 2600 ready for the Galaxy S26 series as a response to rising chip costs. With TSMC increasing prices for its 3nm and 5nm chips, in-house production becomes more appealing. Considering rumors of a price hike for the Galaxy S25 due to the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, Samsung likely wants to avoid another price increase for the Galaxy S26.
The big question now is whether Samsung will go all-in on the Exynos 2600 for the Galaxy S26 series. Or if the chip will only power select models in specific markets? The latter is a classic strategy Samsung has tried in the past.
