The move is a high-stakes attempt to repair the damage done by its shambolic 3nm rollout and prove it can still compete with TSMC.

Early reports suggest yields are now solid enough for volume production after barely scraping 30 per cent earlier this year. Samsung claims its SF2 process delivers 12 per cent higher performance, 25 per cent better power efficiency, and a five per cent area reduction compared to its 3nm flop.

The new architecture adds backside power delivery, giving chip designers more headroom, similar to the approach Job’s Mob takes with its A- and M-series processors.

For Samsung, the Exynos 2600 is a field test for its foundry’s credibility. Tesla has signed a $16.5 billion (€15.4 billion) deal for 2nm parts, showing there is at least some appetite for a second source alongside TSMC.

Leaked benchmarks reveal a 10-core CPU in a 1+3+6 cluster, with a 3.8GHz prime core and six efficiency cores running at 2.76GHz. Multi-core scores rival a downclocked Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, though the higher core count risks raising power draw.

To tackle this, Samsung is rolling out new packaging and its so-called Heat Pass Block technology, effectively a mini heatsink to keep thermals under control. Fan-out Wafer Level Packaging will also return, while upcoming Galaxy S26 devices may adopt aluminium builds and bigger vapour chambers for better cooling.

The company has teased a major leap in NPU performance but avoided comparisons with the Exynos 2500, leaving benchmark leaks to do the talking. AI marketing spin aside, Samsung needs to show sustained performance improvements if it wants to shake the “inferior Exynos” stigma.

For the past three years, Galaxy S Ultra devices shipped only with Snapdragon, relegating Exynos to cheaper models in selected regions. Analysts now expect the S26 Ultra to carry the Exynos 2600 in some markets, a sign Samsung believes its silicon is finally strong enough to stand beside Qualcomm’s best.

The official reveal is likely in October, ahead of the Galaxy S26 launch cycle. For Samsung, this is less about winning bragging rights and more about proving that its foundry has a future beyond being TSMC’s underperforming understudy.