Samsung’s 2nm Exynos 2600 is expected to ship in January–February 2026 with the Galaxy S26 series, and yes—it’s positioned to compete directly with 3nm chips like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and Apple’s A18 during the same launch window.
Release Timing
- Mass production began in September 2025, ahead of schedule.
- The Galaxy S26 series, including the S26 Pro and S26 Ultra, is slated for global launch in early 2026, likely January or February.
- The Exynos 2600 will power most S26 Pro and Ultra models outside the US and China, where Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 will be used instead.
Competitive Positioning
Samsung is clearly aiming to reclaim ground lost during its troubled 3nm Exynos 2500 rollout, which was scrapped for the Galaxy S25. The Exynos 2600 is:
- Built on Samsung’s first commercial 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) node, dubbed SF2.
- Offers 12% better performance, 25% improved efficiency, and 5% smaller area than its 3nm predecessor.
- Features a 10-core CPU using ARM’s new C1 cores and an Xclipse 950 GPU based on AMD RDNA architecture.
Samsung is betting that 2nm leadership—even with lower initial yields—will help it leapfrog TSMC’s 3nm offerings and match Apple and Qualcomm in flagship performance.
Strategic Implications
- Direct competition: The Exynos 2600 will go head-to-head with:
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 (3nm TSMC)
- Apple A18 (likely 3nm TSMC)
- Regional split returns: Samsung will use Exynos in Europe, Korea, and other markets, while Qualcomm remains in the US and China.
- Foundry credibility test: Success of the Exynos 2600 could restore trust in Samsung Foundry and attract external customers like Tesla and Nintendo.
If Samsung nails thermal stability and sustained clocks, this could be its most competitive Exynos launch in years. Want to riff on how SF2’s backside power delivery might affect chiplet integration or ATP flows? |
