Samsung announces 2nm Exynos 2600 in time for Galaxy S26 series: What's new

Built on a 2nm GAA process, Samsung's new Exynos 2600 flagship processor promises gains in AI, gaming and efficiency and is expected to power select Galaxy S26 models

Samsung has unveiled the Exynos 2600, its next-generation flagship mobile processor and the world’s first smartphone chip built on a 2nm architecture. Built on Samsung’s 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) process, the chip is said to offer improved on-device AI processing, overall performance and power efficiency. The new Exynos 2600 is said to compete with upcoming flagship processors from Qualcomm, MediaTek and Apple in 2026 built on a similar architecture. 

 

While Samsung has not confirmed specific devices yet, the Exynos 2600 is expected to power at least some models of the Galaxy S26 series.

Samsung Exynos 2600: Details

The Exynos 2600 is a deca-core processor based on Arm’s latest v9.3 architecture and uses Samsung’s new custom C1 CPU cores. The chip features one prime C1-Ultra core clocked at up to 3.8GHz, three high-performance C1-Pro cores running at 3.25GHz, and six efficiency-focused C1-Pro cores at 2.75GHz. Samsung claims the new CPU structure delivers up to a 39 per cent improvement in overall CPU performance compared to the previous-generation Exynos flagship.

 

On the graphics side, the Exynos 2600 integrates the new Xclipse 960 GPU. According to Samsung, the GPU offers twice the compute performance of its predecessor and delivers up to a 50 per cent improvement in ray tracing performance. The chip also introduces Exynos Neural Super Sampling (ENSS), an AI-based upscaling and frame generation technology designed to deliver smoother gameplay under limited power budgets.

 

For AI tasks, Samsung said that the upgraded NPU delivers a 113 per cent increase in generative AI performance compared to the previous Exynos chip, enabling larger and more complex AI models to run directly on the device. The chip also introduces additional on-device security features, including hardware-backed hybrid post-quantum cryptography.

 

Other notable changes include improved thermal management with Samsung’s new Heat Path Block (HPB) technology and support for cameras up to 320MP. 

Exynos 2600 to power Samsung Galaxy S26 series?

Samsung has not confirmed which devices will use the Exynos 2600. However, the company has stated that the chip has entered mass production, suggesting that it could power select Galaxy S26 series smartphones expected to launch in 2026. As with previous Galaxy S-series launches, Samsung may offer Exynos 2600-powered models in select markets, while other regions could get smartphones powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

 

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S26 series at its next Galaxy Unpacked event which will likely be in January, 2026. 

2nm chips from other chip makers: What to expect

Qualcomm and MediaTek are both expected to introduce their own 2nm chips in 2026, manufactured by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) rather than Samsung.

 

According to reports from China’s Commercial Times, both Qualcomm and MediaTek are accelerating their adoption of TSMC’s 2nm process, with plans to use the more advanced N2P node. Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon flagship and MediaTek’s anticipated Dimensity 9600 are both tipped to use this process, potentially offering gains in performance and efficiency over current 3nm-based chips.

 

Apple is also expected to move to 2nm with its A20 and A20 Pro chips, although reports suggest Apple may initially stick to TSMC’s standard N2 node rather than N2P.