Samsung's latest Exynos 2600 intends to tackle your issues regarding the Exynos-equipped Galaxy S26 models.

      Samsung is anticipated to introduce its next-generation flagship Galaxy S26 series early next year. Recent leaks indicate that these devices might feature the company's proprietary Exynos 2600 chipset. Ahead of the Galaxy Unpacked event, the South Korean tech giant has officially announced the SoC and detailed its primary specifications.

      The Exynos 2600 will compete against Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and includes several significant enhancements. It marks the first smartphone SoC manufactured using a 2nm process, surpassing the 3nm node of Qualcomm's most recent Snapdragon chip.

      New CPU, GPU, and NPU promise significant performance improvements

      Samsung has integrated a new 10-core CPU into the chip, utilizing Arm's latest v9.3 architecture with C1 Ultra and C1 Pro cores. It features one C1 Ultra core operating at 3.8GHz, three high-performance C1 Pro cores at 3.25GHz, and six additional C1 Pro cores at 2.75GHz. According to Samsung, this revamped CPU offers a 39% performance increase over the Exynos 2500.

      The SoC is equipped with a new built-in NPU, which reportedly enhances generative AI performance by 113% compared to previous versions, allowing for the support of larger and more intricate on-device models. On-device privacy has significantly improved through “virtualization security and hardware-backed hybrid Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC),” marking another first for a mobile SoC.

      The Exynos 2600 also features a new Xclipse 960 GPU that promises to deliver double the computing capability of its predecessor, the Xclipse 950, and 50% enhanced ray-tracing performance. Additionally, it integrates Samsung's Exynos Neural Super Sampling (ENSS) technology for AI-driven resolution upscaling and frame generation, producing up to three times smoother gaming performance.

      New ISP enables higher-resolution cameras and smoother video recording

      To enhance camera capabilities on upcoming devices, the Exynos 2600 incorporates a new ISP capable of supporting cameras up to 320MP and capturing 108MP images without shutter lag. It also permits video recording at 8K 30fps or 4K 120fps with HDR.

      The ISP is equipped with an AI-based Visual Perception System that can recognize fine details such as blinking and process them in real-time while cutting power consumption by 50%. Video quality is also expected to improve significantly due to the ISP’s Deep Learning Video Noise Reduction (DVNR) system, which minimizes noise in low-light video recordings.

      New thermal design aims for consistent performance

      To alleviate issues with inadequate thermal management, a common limitation of earlier Exynos chipsets, Samsung has introduced a new Heat Path Block (HPB) technique that enhances heat dissipation through the use of “High-k EMC.”

      This innovation is a first for mobile SoCs and is expected to promote higher sustained performance by reducing thermal resistance by up to 16%, which allows for quicker internal heat dispersion and helps maintain the SoC’s temperature.

      Other notable specifications include support for UFS 4.1 storage and LPDDR5X DRAM, up to 4K 120Hz display output, HDR10+ video playback, and HDR gaming. The Exynos 2600 does not include a built-in wireless chip and will likely rely on an external connectivity and modem chip for enabling 5G, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

      It remains to be seen how these enhancements will perform in real-world scenarios when the Exynos 2600 is released alongside the Galaxy S26 series next year.