Exynos 2600-Powered Samsung Galaxy S26 Phones May Lag In Performance
Fresh details indicate a mixed bag of performance for some Galaxy S26 devices.
Samsung is preparing to launch its first 2nm processor, the Exynos 2600, in 2026. The chipset is anticipated to power select variants of the Galaxy S26 series, potentially in certain regions rather than globally.
A recent leak has provided the most detailed insight into the Exynos 2600’s CPU specifications to date. If accurate, these details indicate a mixed bag of performance for some Galaxy S26 devices.
Exynos 2600: Strong But Not Leading Performance
Reliable tipster Ice Universe has stated that the Exynos 2600 utilises a 2nm process and includes a 10-core CPU with a tri-cluster architecture: one prime core reaching up to 3.9GHz, a cluster of six performance cores at 3.25GHz, and three efficiency cores at 2.75GHz.
If true, these clock speeds will trail those of rivals like the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and MediaTek Dimensity 9500. However, they exceed the reported 3.78GHz peak of Google’s Tensor G5. CPU performance depends on multiple factors beyond clock speed, including core architecture, cache size, and efficiency. Assuming similar underlying specs, the Exynos 2600 could deliver strong but not leading single-core performance.
For graphics, the leak indicates an AMD JUNO-based GPU clocked at approximately 985MHz. This is expected to be branded as the Xclipse 960, continuing Samsung’s collaboration with AMD’s RDNA architecture.
The GPU reportedly supports Vulkan 1.3. Of note, Vulkan 1.4 is now available, offering features like Host Image Copy for improved data streaming and sustained rendering performance — benefits that could enhance mobile gaming, such as faster load times. Adopting only Vulkan 1.3 may limit Exynos 2600’s gaming capabilities.
With the Galaxy S26 series launch expected in January, Sammy lovers won’t have to wait long to get an accurate picture of the phones’ performance straight from the horse’s mouth.
