Samsung announces Exynos 2600 chip based on 2nm architecture ahead of Galaxy S26 series launch

Samsung has officially announced the Exynos 2600, its next-generation flagship smartphone processor, ahead of the expected launch of the Galaxy S26 series. The new chip marks a significant step for Samsung Semiconductor, as it is the world’s first smartphone system-on-chip built using a 2nm Gate-All-Around manufacturing process.

The company says the shift to 2nm is aimed at improving performance efficiency and thermal behaviour, areas where earlier Exynos chips faced criticism. The Exynos 2600 is expected to power select Galaxy S26 series smartphones in certain markets, though Samsung has not confirmed specific models yet.

The Exynos 2600 features a 10-core CPU based on Arm’s v9.3 architecture. Samsung has adopted a revised core layout that removes traditional low-power cores entirely, instead relying on a mix of high-performance and efficiency-focused cores.

The CPU configuration includes one prime C1-Ultra core clocked at 3.8GHz, three high-performance C1-Pro cores running at 3.25GHz, and six efficiency-focused C1-Pro cores operating at 2.75GHz. According to Samsung, this setup delivers up to 39 percent higher CPU performance compared to the previous-generation Exynos 2500. Support for Arm’s SME2 instructions is also included to improve on-device machine learning workloads.

On the graphics side, the Exynos 2600 integrates the Xclipse 960 GPU. Samsung claims the new GPU offers double the compute performance of its predecessor, along with up to 50 percent better ray tracing performance. The chip also introduces Exynos Neural Super Sampling, which uses AI-based upscaling and frame generation to improve gaming performance while managing power consumption.

AI processing is handled by an upgraded NPU, which Samsung says delivers a 113 percent increase in AI performance over the previous flagship Exynos chip. This is designed to support more advanced on-device generative AI features while strengthening data privacy.

The integrated ISP on the Exynos 2600 supports camera sensors up to 320MP and enables zero shutter lag for 108MP photography. Video features include 8K recording at 30fps and 4K at up to 120fps with HDR support, along with Samsung’s APV codec.

To address long-standing heating concerns, Samsung has introduced Heat Path Block technology, which uses High-k EMC materials to reduce thermal resistance by up to 16 percent. The Exynos 2600 supports LPDDR5X memory, UFS 4.1 storage, HDR10+ playback, and 4K displays at up to 120Hz, and is currently in mass production.