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Samsung appears to be bringing back a regional chipset split for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, reviving the old “geographical lottery” that used to decide whether buyers get an Exynos or a Snapdragon processor. New reports suggest the Snapdragon option will be limited to a few key markets while most regions will see the Exynos 2600 inside the flagship.
Where the Snapdragon S26 Ultra will land
According to the latest leaks, Samsung plans to offer a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 version of the Galaxy S26 Ultra in a small set of countries: the United States, Japan, and China. In those markets, shoppers can expect Qualcomm’s top-tier silicon powering Samsung’s most expensive model.
A blast from the past: Exynos returns to the flagship
For other markets — including South Korea, Europe, and many regions worldwide — the Galaxy S26 Ultra will ship with Samsung’s own Exynos 2600. The report also says the two smaller Galaxy S26 models will be Exynos-only across the globe. That marks the Exynos chipset’s return to Samsung’s top-of-the-line Ultra device for the first time in about four years, reversing the Snapdragon-only stance Samsung held with the S23 Ultra.
Why this regional split matters
It’s not just marketing: chipset choices influence real-world performance, battery life, heat management, and software optimizations. When Samsung previously split chips across regions — as with the S21 and S22 Ultra — fans and reviewers ran side-by-side comparisons to see which version fared better. Expect the same scrutiny this time.
What to watch for
- Performance benchmarks: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs Exynos 2600.
- Battery and thermal behavior in prolonged use.
- Camera processing differences if image pipelines are tuned per chipset.
- Availability and pricing differences between regions.
Samsung seems confident the Exynos 2600 will stand up to Qualcomm’s latest silicon, but the split guarantees fresh comparisons and plenty of debate among smartphone enthusiasts. If you care which chip powers your phone, check the regional specifications before ordering — your next flagship might differ depending on where you live.
Source: sammobile
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