Galaxy Unpacked Event 2025: Galaxy S26 likely to feature dual-chip strategy

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event 2025 is just a hours away, and the company reportedly is leaning towards a dual-chip plan for its forthcoming flagship handsets, including the Galaxy S26 series.

Several rumours indicated that the Galaxy S26 Pro and Galaxy S26 Edge will be powered by Samsung's Exynos 2600, while the higher-end Galaxy S26 Ultra will be powered by Qualcomm's next-gen chip in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 model.

This strategy adds a regional side note as well. The reports suggest that models featuring the Exynos 2600 will launch primarily in Asia and Europe, while the Snapdragon variants will be dominant in the USA markets.

Meanwhile, there could be some models of the S26 and S26 Edge featuring Snapdragon chips in various regions, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will presumably never come with the Exynos version.

Samsung Galaxy S26 to feature Exynos 2600 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

The Exynos 2600 is particularly significant for Samsung. It will be manufactured on Samsung Foundry's 2nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process, and may be the first of the mobile chipsets to be manufactured on the 2nm process.

According to the leaks, it will likely perform better than Qualcomm's current flagship, helping Samsung's in-house silicon make a much-needed return. Industry analysts have noted how the brand is back on track to becoming confident that Exynos can match or exceed competitors' mobile silicon after years of disappointment.

On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will be manufactured by TSMC using its 3nm process. This regional divide means that there will be Samsung Galaxy S26 buyers who are stuck with a 3nm chipset rather than a 2nm chipset, depending on where they live.

Regardless of how the Exynos 2600 turns out, it will have long-term implications. As its performance could dictate the future of Samsung's System LSI division, the Exynos brand, and potentially its semiconductor fabrication unit. If successful, Exynos could shrink Qualcomm's grip, lower chipset prices, and ultimately make Samsung Galaxy smartphones cheaper.