Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 series is once again making headlines, with fresh rumors suggesting a comeback of the company’s in-house Exynos chipset. While this year’s Galaxy S25 lineup exclusively used Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (also dubbed Snapdragon 8 Elite), that may not be the case in 2026.
According to recent leaks, Samsung is planning to power at least some models of the Galaxy S26 family with the Exynos 2600 SoC. However, due to continuing yield and production challenges, these Exynos-powered devices might be limited to European markets only.
Exynos Returns – But Why Europe Again?
Historically, Samsung has shipped Exynos variants of its flagship phones to Europe, while North America and other regions received Snapdragon chips. This trend has often led to criticism from European customers, who have pointed out noticeable differences in performance, power efficiency, and thermal management between the two processors.
If the rumor holds true, Europe may once again receive the “short end of the stick,” as early reports suggest that the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 is expected to outperform the Exynos 2600 in most benchmarks and real-world usage scenarios.
A Costly Setback for Samsung’s Chip Division
One key reason for the push to bring back Exynos chips is financial. Samsung’s System LSI division, responsible for developing the Exynos processors, reportedly suffered a $400 million loss after the Exynos 2500 was scrapped from the S25 series lineup due to low production yields.
With that kind of loss on the books, it’s no surprise that Samsung wants to recover and re-establish its chipmaking capabilities—even if that means starting with a smaller launch in select markets.
What This Means for Galaxy Fans
For Samsung enthusiasts, especially in Europe, this development might feel like déjà vu. While Samsung continues to improve its Exynos chips with each iteration, they still lag behind Qualcomm’s Snapdragon line in various performance metrics.
That said, it remains to be seen how the Exynos 2600 will perform in real-world conditions. Samsung might surprise us with a major leap forward in efficiency and power, but for now, Snapdragon still seems to be the safer bet.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 could be a pivotal launch for Samsung’s chip strategy. As the company attempts to bounce back from the Exynos 2500 setback, all eyes will be on the performance of the Exynos 2600 and how it stacks up against Qualcomm’s latest offering. Until official details surface, take these rumors with a grain of salt—but stay tuned for more updates as we inch closer to the Galaxy S26 launch.
