I’ve been tracking Samsung’s “will-they-won’t-they” relationship with their own chips for years, but this latest move is a massive gamble. I noticed a report from Wccftech and The Elec that clarifies exactly why Samsung is so determined to push the Exynos 2600 into your next phone: they simply can’t afford Qualcomm anymore.
After spending a staggering 3 trillion won (nearly $2.2 billion) just to put Snapdragon chips in the S25 series, Samsung is hitting the “Exynos” button to save their profit margins—and your wallet.
The Cost Crisis: Why Qualcomm is Getting Too Expensive
Samsung went “All-Snapdragon” for the S25, and it cost them a fortune. With the next-gen Snapdragon 8 Ultra (Qualcomm’s 5th-gen elite chip) moving to a 2nm process, the price tag is expected to skyrocket even further.
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The Problem: Samsung has to choose between making almost zero profit or hiking the Galaxy S26 price to levels we’ve never seen.
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The Solution: Bring back the in-house Exynos 2600 to balance the books.
Why it matters: When one company (Qualcomm) has a monopoly on high-end performance, prices go up. By developing their own 2nm tech, Samsung is trying to regain leverage. If they succeed, it keeps the Galaxy S-series from becoming a $1,500 “basic” flagship.
Hardware Milestone: The 2nm Gamble
The Exynos 2600 isn’t just another chip; it’s a milestone. It is set to be the first SoC built on the 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) process.
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The Rollout: Currently, Exynos is expected to power about 25% of Galaxy S26 units.
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The Future: Samsung wants that number to jump to 50% by the time the Galaxy S27 rolls around with the Exynos 2700.
Performance vs. Profits
Here is the catch: industry insiders say market sentiment is still split. While the 2nm tech sounds great on paper, early feedback suggests some users still aren’t sold on the daily “Exynos experience” compared to Snapdragon’s raw power and efficiency.
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S26 & S26+: Expect to see the Exynos 2600 in many regions.
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S26 Ultra: Likely staying with Snapdragon to keep the “Ultra” performance reputation intact.
The Bottom Line
Samsung is stuck between a rock and a hard place. They need to stop the “Snapdragon Tax” that’s draining their billions, but they have to prove to you that an Exynos-powered phone is just as good as the one your friend bought in a different country.
I’ll be watching the early benchmarks for the 2nm GAA process very closely. Are you willing to give Exynos another chance if it keeps the phone’s price steady, or is Snapdragon a dealbreaker for you?
