According to Neowin, Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series will launch by the end of February 2025 with a March release, bringing back the Plus model while dropping the Edge. The Galaxy S26 and S26+ will use both Snapdragon and Exynos 2600 processors depending on region, with Asia getting Exynos while Europe and North America receive Snapdragon versions. Samsung’s LSI division is negotiating with its MX division to reduce chip costs by $20-30 per device compared to Snapdragon. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature the fastest wired and wireless charging ever in a Galaxy phone. This cost reduction could help keep Galaxy S26 and S26+ prices similar to current models despite spec bumps.
The regional chip divide continues
Here we go again. Samsung is sticking with its dual-chip strategy that’s frustrated users for years. Asian markets get Exynos, while Europe and North America get the typically superior Snapdragon chips. It’s basically the same playbook they’ve used before, just with newer hardware. And honestly? It feels like they’re treating different markets as testing grounds. Why can’t they just pick one chip and make it great everywhere?
Performance concerns linger
The report includes a telling quote from an industry insider: “Although the Exynos 2600 may have recorded good indicators in the benchmark results, the performance when installed in an actual smartphone is completely different.” Ouch. That’s basically admitting that lab numbers don’t translate to real-world experience. We’ve seen this movie before – Exynos chips often look good on paper but struggle with thermal management and sustained performance. Meanwhile, companies like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com demonstrate how proper industrial computing hardware maintains consistent performance under real-world conditions, something consumer devices sometimes struggle with.
A potential pricing silver lining
There might be one upside to this whole situation. If Samsung successfully cuts $20-30 per device on chip costs, they could potentially keep prices stable despite inflation and component cost increases. That’s not nothing in today’s economy. But is saving a few bucks on manufacturing worth potentially delivering an inferior experience to entire regions? I’m not convinced. Consumers in Exynos markets have every right to feel like they’re getting the short end of the stick.
The wait-and-see game
Look, we’ve heard the “this time Exynos will be different” claims before. There were rumors about Exynos 2600 zooming past Apple’s A19 or Qualcomm’s next-gen chips. But until we see actual devices in people’s hands, these are just marketing talking points. The proof will be in the performance – and whether Samsung can finally deliver consistent experiences across all markets. For now, it seems like business as usual in the chip department.
