What you need to knowReports claim that Samsung’s Exynos 2600, which could power the Galaxy S26 in certain regions, might deliver a small ~$20 to ~$30 price drop.The overseas publication adds that there are concerns about the chip’s true smartphone performance, despite it being developed on the 2nm process.Older rumors have said that not every region would see the Exynos 2600, as it could only hit European and (potentially) South Korean consumers.
Again, rumors are painting an Exynos-powered Galaxy S26 rather than a Qualcomm Snapdragon; however, a new report claims this might help with its costs.
To start the week, South Korean publication Chosun Biz reported that Samsung’s interest in an Exynos 2600-powered Galaxy S26 could reduce its cost for consumers by ~$20 to ~$30 (via Jukanlosreve on X). Supposedly, there’s some severe pressure being felt by Samsung’s System LSI and its Foundry Division to produce a quality chip that can bring in worthwhile earnings.
It adds that both sides are taking an “aggressive” approach with the Exynos 2600 after its previous plans for the 2500 on the S25 fell through.
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There’s another side to this potential Exynos 2600 application, and that concerns its actual performance for smartphones—especially ones that are supposed to be flagships. The publication cites an alleged insider who claimed, “Exynos 2600 is reportedly showing strong numbers in benchmark tests, but the performance it delivers when actually installed and running in a smartphone is a completely different matter.”
This has reportedly become so much of an issue that people are beginning to worry about the chance for “performance discrepancies” between Galaxy S26 devices with the Exynos 2600 and those with the next Qualcomm Snapdragon.
Concerned or confident?
(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)
The performance of the Exynos 2600 continues to be a real brain teaser for people, which takes us back to previous rumors. A report from mid-October claims that the Exynos 2600 could surprise consumers by making the Galaxy S26 a real snappy device. The chip has allegedly received upgrades to bring it into contention with Apple and Qualcomm, as it appears “faster” and “graphically stronger” than its competitors, per those October rumors.
Fast-forward to mid-November, and we’re seeing some varying sentiments, as analysts are reportedly concerned about its real-world application on the Galaxy S26.
Those rumors from October held speculations that the Exynos 2600 was ~75% graphically and potentially ~14% better in multi-core performance over Apple’s A19 Pro. The true performance of the chip (and phones) will be revealed in 2026, so we’ll have to settle for these accusations for the time being.
Also, like Samsung’s previous Exynos behavior, every region might not see the 2600 chip. It seems that consumers in Europe and potentially South Korea may see it, leaving Qualcomm to the U.S. and others. As always, take things with a pinch of salt. The Galaxy S26 has been rumored to see a slightly later debut in February 2026.