Exynos 2600 Rivals Apple M5 in Shocking Benchmark Results
▼ Summary
– The Exynos 2600 chip, built on a 2nm process with GAA transistors, is reportedly more powerful and energy-efficient, potentially powering Galaxy S26 models in select regions.
– Alleged Geekbench 6 scores for the Exynos 2600 show a single-core result of 4,217 and multi-core of 13,482, which would outperform the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 if verified.
– The benchmark results are unconfirmed, as they are not found on Geekbench’s official data, raising questions about their legitimacy despite claims of matching Apple’s M5 chip in single-core performance.
– Samsung Foundry has improved its yields and competitiveness, though it trails TSMC in the contract foundry market share, with the Exynos 2600 marking a significant advancement from past underperformance.
– A poll indicates that 73.9% of respondents would consider buying a non-Samsung phone with the Exynos 2600, viewing it as powerful and efficient, while others remain skeptical or indifferent.
Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 2600 chipset has reportedly delivered benchmark scores that position it as a serious competitor to Apple’s M5 processor, according to recent leaks. This development marks a potential turning point for Samsung’s semiconductor division, which has historically trailed behind industry leaders. If verified, these results could reshape the mobile processor landscape and signal a major comeback for Samsung’s in-house chip design.
All Galaxy S26 models destined for the United States, China, and Japan are expected to utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. However, speculation is growing that Samsung might equip its premium Galaxy S Ultra variant with the new Exynos 2600, a notion that would have been dismissed outright in previous years. The chip is rumored to be manufactured on an advanced 2nm process node and incorporate Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistor technology. This architecture is designed to minimize current leakage and enhance drive current, promising significant gains in both computational power and energy efficiency.
The Exynos 2600 is said to feature a deca-core CPU configuration arranged in a 1 + 3 + 6 cluster. This setup includes a prime core running at 4.20GHz, three performance cores clocked at 3.56GHz, and six efficiency cores operating at 2.76GHz. A user on the social media platform X, @lafaiel, shared an image purportedly showing the chip’s Geekbench 6 performance, with a single-core result of 4,217 points and a multi-core score of 13,482. These figures surpass earlier leaks and indicate a substantial performance uplift.
It is crucial to approach these numbers with caution, as a search through the official Geekbench database does not currently show these specific results. The absence could mean the data was removed, the scores are fabricated, or the benchmark was never officially submitted. Should the leaked scores prove accurate, the Exynos 2600’s single-core performance would nearly match that of Apple’s M5 chip, potentially making it the fastest smartphone system-on-chip in that category, a title long held by Apple’s A-series processors.
Should the benchmark be legitimate, the implications for Samsung Foundry are considerable. The Exynos 2600’s alleged scores of 4,217 (single-core) and 13,482 (multi-core) would outperform the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which reportedly scores 2,865 and 9,487 in the same tests. This would represent a significant achievement for Samsung Foundry, which currently holds a distant second place in the global contract chip manufacturing market with a 7.3% share, compared to TSMC’s dominant 70.2%.
Public opinion on the Exynos 2600 appears divided. In a recent poll, 73.9% of respondents indicated they would consider purchasing a non-Samsung phone powered by the chip, citing its potential for power and efficiency. Meanwhile, 14.46% expressed skepticism due to past experiences with Exynos processors, and 11.65% stated they are indifferent to the processor inside their device.
Samsung Foundry’s production yields are believed to have improved dramatically. Although the company does not publicly disclose yield figures, issues became apparent in 2022 when Qualcomm shifted production of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 application processor from Samsung to TSMC. Following a minor redesign, Qualcomm released the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and has since relied exclusively on TSMC for its flagship AP manufacturing.
The reported progress of the Exynos 2600 represents a remarkable turnaround for Samsung’s chip division. Between 2019 and 2020, the company disbanded its custom core development team after its “Mongoose” cores consistently underperformed compared to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips in both power and efficiency. For context, Apple’s M5 chip achieves a single-core score of 4,263, just 1.09% higher than the leaked Exynos 2600 result, though its multi-core score of 17,862 remains 32% ahead.
Despite these historical challenges, Exynos processors have made steady progress since 2020, when Samsung faced internal criticism for launching the Galaxy S20 in its home market of South Korea with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 instead of its own Exynos chip. The Exynos 2600 could finally elevate Samsung’s application processors to the same level of acclaim as its widely respected memory and imaging components.
(Source: Phone Arena)
