Samsung will have a hard time convincing everybody Galaxy S26 Ultra with Exynos 2600 is great

Up until five minutes ago, we were happily expecting the Galaxy S26 Ultra – Samsung's next best flagship – to drop with Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 (a.k.a. Snapdragon 8 Gen 5) on board. You know, Qualcomm's upcoming top-shelf chipset.

However, we might find ourselves in a very different reality come January 2026, when the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected. We might get the phone with the Exynos 2600, Samsung's upcoming in-house chipset.

At first glance, one could say that their disappointment is immeasurable and their day is now ruined.

Why?

Let's see if there's room for panic.

Exynos vs. Snapdragon in Galaxy S Ultra phones

For the last three Galaxy S Ultra models from the S23, S24 and S25 families, Qualcomm's silicon was virtually mandatory. Samsung sometimes packs different chips for the same Galaxy S phone, depending on the country it's sold in. While some markets got the Snapdragon treatment, others paid the same price for a device with Exynos inside.

While those who got the Qualcomm silicon didn't complain, others weren't on cloud nine with the Exynos.

The main frustration comes from performance and efficiency differences: Snapdragon versions often run faster, handle heat better, and deliver longer battery life. Meanwhile, Exynos models have a history of lagging behind in benchmarks and efficiency.

You can see why some might panic – and they could be right up to an extent.

Here comes the obligatory "but…", since the story isn't as black and white as it might seem.

Exynos 2600 might have an ace (or two) up its sleeve

The Exynos 2600 is shaping up to be quite different from its predecessors. It's expected to be manufactured on Samsung Foundry's advanced 2 nm process, putting it a generation ahead of today's 3 nm Snapdragon 8 Elite. On paper, that should mean greater efficiency and more raw power.

Samsung's past struggles with Exynos chips are no secret – they often ran hotter and fell behind Snapdragon counterparts. But this time, early benchmarks suggest a turnaround. Geekbench listings show the Exynos 2600 scoring 3,309 in single-core and 11,256 in multi-core, edging out the Snapdragon 8 Elite and even surpassing Apple's iPhone 16 Pro in multi-core performance. Compared to Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, it's nearly neck and neck.

There are new tricks on the hardware side too. A redesigned thermal system called the heat path block is reportedly built in to keep things cooler under load.

And for graphics, Samsung has shifted gears: instead of leaning on AMD, it has brought in talent from Huawei to help create its first fully in-house GPU. This debut version might not crush the competition out of the gate, but it lays a foundation for Samsung to improve quickly in future generations.

Tough times ahead for Samsung's marketing team

Even with impressive numbers on paper, Samsung faces a steep uphill climb in convincing regular consumers that the Exynos 2600 is just as good as, or even better than, a Snapdragon.

Tech-savvy users already know the historical reputation of Exynos chips, but the real challenge lies with the wider audience – people who have only heard whispers that "Snapdragon is better". For them, the name recognition alone carries weight, and many will assume that an Exynos-based phone is automatically a downgrade.

Samsung's marketing team will need to simplify the story without drowning people in technical jargon. Talking about nanometers and core counts won't land with casual buyers. Instead, they'll have to emphasize real-world benefits: smoother gaming, longer battery life, cooler operation, and no compromises on camera performance.

Even then, skepticism will linger, especially in regions that previously felt short-changed by Exynos models. The company will need more than charts and graphs – it will need hands-on proof, glowing reviews, and consistent performance in daily use to win over hesitant buyers.

In short, Samsung's biggest obstacle isn't the Exynos 2600 itself, but the perception that Exynos equals second best.

If rumors turn out to be true…

Of course, everything we've seen so far is based on leaks, rumors, and early benchmarks.

Nothing is set in stone until the Galaxy S26 Ultra officially arrives in early 2026. The Exynos 2600 might live up to the hype, or it might stumble once it's in the hands of millions of users. But if it really matches the Snapdragon 8 Elite in performance, power efficiency, and stability, then Samsung could finally break the stigma.

That would make the S26 Ultra a truly powerful flagship — and maybe, just maybe, a chance for Samsung to keep prices steady instead of introducing yet another hike.

Now, wouldn't that be nice?