The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only member of its family to pack a Snapdragon chip worldwide. | Image by PhoneArena
I don't know about you, but I've really started to dread one inevitable part of the seemingly endless news cycle around every Galaxy S-series release in recent years. I'm talking about the "will they, won't they" questions surrounding Samsung's rumored intentions to reduce its reliance on key high-end Qualcomm components, which almost never come to fruition, instead perennially leading to a split of sorts with the tech giant's homebrewed Exynos chips.
The Galaxy S27 Pro may not be a true Pro outside of the US
If there's one Galaxy S27 series rumor I'm sure the vast majority of PhoneArena readers are already aware of, that's Samsung's expected switch from a three-member S26 lineup this year to a four-model family in early 2027.
In a way, the S26 Ultra will get two sequels of sorts in the S27 Ultra and S27 Pro. | Image by PhoneArena
Yes, the "vanilla" Galaxy S26, the S26 Plus, and the S26 Ultra are all set to receive direct sequels in seven or eight months, but while the failed Galaxy S25 Edge remains unlikely to get a belated follow-up effort, a first-of-a-kind Pro variant is tipped to join the ultra-high-end handset roster with a bunch of Ultra-like features squeezed into a smaller body.
That sounds like an absolute dream for Android power users who tend to prefer compact phones (by "modern" standards), but one thing the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra are unlikely to share in common is a global Snapdragon processor.
Geographically speaking, absolutely. That's because the Galaxy S27 Pro (and the "vanilla" S27, and the S27 Plus) are likely to go the Exynos route everywhere from India to South Korea to the entire old continent, leaving only their US-based owners to enjoy the extra muscle of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.
But will Qualcomm's next big thing hold a massive advantage over Samsung's new in-house flagship chip in terms of raw power? That's obviously impossible to know right now, although certain early signs suggest the Exynos 2700 is a total beast that could well eclipse all the 2027 competition.
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The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is an objectively faster chip than the Exynos 2600 found inside the S26 and S26 Plus in certain markets. | Image by Qualcomm
Still, I'm afraid public perception is not really on Samsung's side here, so no matter how blazing fast the Exynos 2700 will prove (both on paper and out in the real world), most prospective Galaxy S27 Pro buyers outside of the US will be left disappointed by this decision.
For its part, Samsung is expected to do everything right (in theory) for the Exynos 2700, manufacturing the SoC using a state-of-the-art 2-nanometer process and focusing on striking the greatest possible balance between raw speed and energy efficiency.
How else will the Galaxy S27 Pro differ from the S27 Ultra?
This is all purely speculative, of course, as all things can be in July regarding a product family expected to see daylight the following February or March, but the S27 Pro is currently rumored to sport a display with a diagonal of a little under 6.5 inches.
Naturally, the Galaxy S27 Ultra is likely to go big, either matching or slightly exceeding its predecessor's 6.9-inch screen size, but interestingly, the S26 Ultra-exclusive Privacy Display functionality is expected to expand to the Pro member of next year's S27 lineup in addition to the Ultra.
The S27 Pro is expected to be closer in size to the base S26 than the S26 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
Another intriguing similarity between the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra could be a triple rear-facing camera system composed of two 50MP sensors and a primary 200MP snapper, but of course, the smaller of the two devices is also likely to pack a smaller battery with around 5,000mAh capacity.
Samsung's iconic S Pen might prove to be one of the Galaxy S27 Ultra's biggest advantages over its smaller but similarly premium brother, and of course, it remains to be seen if the missing stylus, more compact body, and the inferior different SoC will make the Galaxy S27 Pro affordable enough to find a large audience (at least in Europe and Asia).
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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