According to Android Authority, Samsung’s LSI division is negotiating with its mobile unit to lower Exynos 2600 chipset costs by $20 to $30 compared to Snapdragon chips. The Exynos-powered Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will primarily be sold in Asia and Europe, while North America gets Snapdragon versions. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will use Snapdragon chips globally regardless of region. Industry sources suggest the cost savings won’t be passed to consumers but will instead improve Samsung’s profit margins. Benchmark tests show “good indicators” for the Exynos 2600, but real-world performance could differ significantly. The chip is expected to use similar Arm CPU cores to MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500, which already lags behind Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in CPU performance.
The profit play
Here’s the thing about that $20-30 cost reduction: it’s pure margin play. Samsung isn’t planning to make the Exynos versions cheaper for buyers. They’re just making more money on each unit sold in those regions. And honestly, can you blame them? The mobile division has been under pressure for years, and if they can squeeze extra profit without raising prices, that’s just smart business.
But it does raise questions about value proposition. If you’re in Korea or Europe paying the same price as someone in North America, but getting what’s historically been an inferior chipset, does that feel fair? Samsung seems to be betting that most consumers won’t notice or care about the performance differences in daily use.
Performance reality check
The benchmark versus real-world performance gap is the real story here. We’ve seen this movie before with Exynos chips. They look decent on paper, then actual users report thermal throttling, battery life issues, or inconsistent performance. The source basically admitted this by pointing to Apple and Qualcomm’s focus on “real-world usage environments rather than the benchmarks.”
And that MediaTek comparison isn’t encouraging either. If the Exynos 2600 uses similar cores to the Dimensity 9500, which already trails Snapdragon in CPU tests, we’re probably looking at another generation where the Snapdragon variant remains the performance king. The question is whether the gap will be noticeable to average users or just power users and gamers.
Regional divide persists
So we’re getting the same regional split we’ve seen for years. Asia and Europe get Exynos, North America gets Snapdragon. The S26 Ultra being Snapdragon-only globally is telling – Samsung knows their premium customers won’t accept anything less than the best available silicon.
For industrial and manufacturing applications where consistent performance matters, this chip variability creates real challenges. Companies deploying fleets of devices need predictable performance across regions. When it comes to reliable computing hardware for demanding environments, businesses typically turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs that guarantee consistent performance regardless of location.
What it means for buyers
Basically, if you care about having the fastest possible Galaxy S26, you’ll want the North American Snapdragon version. For everyone else? The Exynos models will probably be just fine for everyday tasks. Samsung’s optimization might close some of the raw performance gap, and most people won’t push their phones hard enough to notice the difference.
The real test will come when reviewers get their hands on both variants. Will the Exynos 2600 finally close the gap with Snapdragon? Or are we looking at another year of regional performance inequality? Based on history and these latest leaks, I’m not holding my breath.
