Samsung faced delays with the Exynos 2500, but the Exynos 2600 is on track for use in the Galaxy S26 series. According to @Jukanlosreve, though the Exynos 2600 will be employed, its supply may be limited, reminiscent of the Exynos 990’s availability. The Exynos 2600, manufactured on Samsung’s new 2nm SF2 node, offers enhancements such as 12% higher performance and 25% improved power efficiency. It is expected to enter mass production by the end of this year to support the Galaxy S26 launch, scheduled for late January or early February.
Delays have disrupted Samsung’s timeline for the Exynos 2500, but its successor is progressing as planned – it’s becoming increasingly probable that Samsung will utilize the Exynos 2600 for the Galaxy S26 series.
The latest insights come from the trustworthy @Jukanlosreve, who reports, “The Exynos 2600 is definitely back and it will be incorporated in the S26. However, the chip availability is quite limited, so it may mirror the Exynos 990 scenario.”
The Exynos 2600 will be manufactured using Samsung’s SF2, a 2nm Gate All Around (GAA) technology. Below is a timeline of Samsung’s semiconductor nodes from TrendForce:
A roadmap of Samsung’s semiconductor nodes
SF2 employs third-generation GAA technology and promises 12% enhanced performance, 25% improved power efficiency, and a 5% decrease in chip area compared to SF3 (the 3nm node expected for the Exynos 2500).
It is unclear what @Jukanlosreve is referencing with the “Exynos 990 situation.” That chip was deployed in the Galaxy S20 and Note 20 series sold in most regions, except for the US, Canada, and China. This was more about “Qualcomm has patents and costly lawyers” rather than a matter of limited supply. Additionally, the yield from the SF2 node reportedly looks promising (TrendForce noted an “initial yield exceeding 30%”).
In any case, the Exynos 2600 is expected to enter mass production in the last quarter of this year to satisfy the production needs for the Galaxy S26 series – these new flagship devices are likely to launch at the end of January or early February.
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