Even if other S26 models vary, the Galaxy S26 Ultra may stick with this chipset

Excited about the Galaxy S26? Are you already saving money to get that Samsung goodness in about six months (Sammy is expected to drop a new batch of flagship phones at the very beginning of 2026)?

I suspect many of you definitely are, and want to know all there is about the Galaxy S26 lineup: and among the most important questions one can ask is about chipsets:



When it comes to chipsets, sometimes Samsung goes with Qualcomm's Snapdragon silicon for all of its models in a given device family. Like it did with the Galaxy S25 lineup. Earlier, Samsung sometimes offered an Exynos chipset for different markets across the world – so, people got different phones depending on where they live.

Different hardware for different markets is something I'm not thrilled about at all, but I'm not calling the shots over at Samsung headquarters.



Those who are after the Galaxy S26 Ultra might be glad to know that – not that we expected it to be the other way – the maxed-out flagship will most likely utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2.

This is not a prediction, but a credible rumor, and it comes straight out of the S26 Ultra's first firmware file.

The file includes a reference to a chipset labeled "PMK8850". This identifier closely follows the naming convention of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite (model number 8750), which powers the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Based on this pattern, PMK8850 is likely the internal model number for Qualcomm's next high-end mobile processor – probably named the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 is expected to feature a redesigned Oryon CPU architecture. Reports indicate the chip could reach clock speeds up to 4.6GHz in its standard form, and even higher – around 4.74GHz – in a special, customized "for Galaxy" version. This latter version may be the one referenced in the firmware.

Early performance projections show the new chip offering up to 25% better overall speed and significant improvements in graphics performance. Qualcomm is expected to unveil the chip officially in September, so we'll definitely keep you posted on that.

As for the Galaxy S26 Ultra itself, early leaks hint at a large 6.9-inch OLED screen with enhancements in brightness and color accuracy. The camera system may include a 200MP main sensor with a wider aperture for improved low-light performance, and a new 50MP periscope lens offering 5x optical zoom. Memory options could include 12 GB or 16 GB of RAM, with a 5,000mAh battery, which I can't say thrills me.

Not at all, now that we're expecting mid-range phones with 10,000 mAh capacity batteries in the very near future.

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