Samsung unveils Exynos 2600, world's first 2nm mobile chipset
What's the story
Samsung has unveiled the Exynos 2600, the world's first mobile processor built on a 2nm process. The advanced system-on-chip (SoC) integrates CPU, GPU, and NPU into a single compact unit. This is expected to significantly improve artificial intelligence (AI) and gaming experiences on future Galaxy devices. The new chip will debut next year in the upcoming Galaxy S26 series smartphones.
Technical specifications
The chip has a proprietary octa-core CPU
The Exynos 2600 is Samsung's latest mobile processor for flagship devices, succeeding the Exynos 2500. It is built on Samsung Foundry's advanced 2nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) fabrication technology. The chip has a proprietary octa-core CPU with one C1-Ultra core clocked at up to 3.8GHz, three C1-Pro cores at up to 3.25GHz, and six more C1-Pro cores at up to 2.75GHz each.
Performance boost
Enhanced performance and power efficiency
The Exynos 2600 also features the Samsung Xclipse 960 deca-core GPU based on ARMv9.3 architecture and an AI engine with a 32K MAC NPU. This single integrated chip also supports ARM's Scalable Matrix Extension 2 (SME 2), an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) extension that can accelerate AI/ML-based applications and improve matrix operation support. This improvement is said to enhance overall CPU computing performance by up to 39%, while boosting power efficiency at the same time.
AI advancements
Exynos 2600 promises significant AI performance improvement
Samsung claims the Exynos 2600 offers a whopping 113% improvement in generative AI performance over its predecessor, the Exynos 2500. It also promises up to a 50% boost in ray-tracing performance. The chip also features Samsung's own Exynos Neural Super Sampling (ENSS) technology, which uses AI-based resolution upscaling/frame generation technologies to enhance gaming experiences.
Heat management
Advanced thermal management and display support
To address the thermal challenges of Exynos chipsets, Samsung has introduced a technology called Heat Pass Block. This innovation optimizes the heat-transfer path for more efficient heat dissipation, making it as effective as a heat sink and reducing thermal resistance by up to 16%. The Exynos 2600 also supports on-device displays with a maximum resolution of 4K or WQUXGA at refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
Camera capabilities
Exynos 2600 supports high-resolution camera setups
Samsung says the Exynos 2600 can power on-device displays with up to 4K or WQUXGA resolution at refresh rates of up to 120Hz. Galaxy smartphones powered by this chip will support single cameras with resolutions of up to 320MP or dual-camera setups with a combination of a 64MP and a 32MP sensor. It also enables single-camera video recording at resolutions of up to 108MP at frame rates of up to 30fps, as well as 8K 30fps encoding/decoding.