Galaxy Z Flip 8 may ditch Snapdragon again, Samsung bets big on Exynos 2600: Report

Reports indicate that Samsung may use Exynos chips in at least two of the three Galaxy S26 models.

Samsung appears ready to double down on its in-house chip strategy, with new reports suggesting that the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could once again ship exclusively with an Exynos processor when it launches in 2026. If the leak is accurate, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips may be left out of Samsung’s flagship clamshell lineup for a second consecutive year.

Exynos 2600 is expected to be Samsung’s first 2nm mobile processor and a major milestone for its semiconductor division.

By MD Ijaj Khan

Ijaj Khan is a tech journalist and Senior Content Producer at HT Tech, where he translates the fast-paced world of consumer tech, gaming, and AI into stories that spark curiosity and connection. Always on the lookout for the next big trend, he believes technology should be as relatable as your everyday conversations. When he’s not decoding gadgets and innovations, you’ll likely find him hopping across cities, chasing new adventures, and sampling cuisines that tell their own stories.

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According to a report by South Korean publication The Bell, cited by tipster Jukan on X, Samsung plans to power the Galaxy Z Flip 8 entirely with the upcoming Exynos 2600. This would follow the approach taken with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which marked a notable return of Exynos chips in Samsung’s premium foldables after years of mixed strategies across regions.

The Exynos 2600 is expected to be Samsung’s first 2nm mobile processor and a major milestone for its semiconductor division. While Samsung has not officially announced the chip yet, it has begun teasing next-generation Exynos development, signalling confidence in its future roadmap. Early reports suggest that the Exynos 2600 could deliver significant gains, particularly on the graphics side, with claims of up to 29 percent faster GPU performance compared to Qualcomm’s next flagship Snapdragon chip. Its neural processing unit performance is also tipped to outperform both Snapdragon and Apple’s upcoming A-series chips, potentially giving Samsung an edge in on-device AI tasks.

Interestingly, while the Flip series may go all-in on Exynos, Samsung is still expected to use Qualcomm silicon in other foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is widely rumoured to feature a Snapdragon chipset, likely because the larger display and multitasking focus make gaming and sustained performance more critical on the Fold than on the Flip.

This strategy aligns with broader rumours around the Galaxy S26 series as well. Reports indicate that Samsung may use Exynos chips in at least two of the three Galaxy S26 models in several global markets, further reinforcing the company’s renewed push to make Exynos competitive again.

Samsung’s recent Exynos efforts have not always inspired confidence, but reviews of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 suggested that the Exynos 2500 delivered stable performance, even if it still lagged slightly behind Qualcomm in raw power. With the Exynos 2600, Samsung seems determined to close that gap further.

If paired with the rumoured slimmer redesign and refinements to the Flip series, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could become a crucial test case for Samsung’s long-term chip ambitions. For now, all eyes are on whether Exynos can finally shed its troubled reputation and stand tall in Samsung’s most stylish foldable.