Samsung says it heard the complaints — and it hopes its next flagship will prove it. With the Galaxy S26 looming, the company revealed a new in-house processor, the Exynos 2600, and used its debut as a promise: this time, the chip will be “refined at the core, optimized at every level,” signalling an attempt to fix many of the performance and overheating issues that plagued prior Exynos chips.
For years, Samsung’s Exynos-powered versions of Galaxy phones — especially outside the U.S. — drew criticism for running hotter, draining battery faster, and lagging behind in performance compared with Snapdragon versions. In response, some markets got Snapdragon chips exclusively, while others tolerated a split-chip strategy that left S-series buyers especially frustrated. That patchwork approach ended with the S25, which used Snapdragon globally — but now Samsung seems ready to try Exynos again, though with a clear pledge to improve.
The new chip is expected to power at least the base Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus models. Meanwhile, the top-end S26 Ultra will likely stick with the proven Snapdragon engine — a compromise that might help Samsung balance performance, efficiency, and user trust. If Exynos 2600 lives up to its billing, buyers could get flagship-level performance along with the efficiency gains of a modern chip. But if the problems linger, Samsung risks repeating the same mistakes.
For potential buyers, the message is cautious optimism. The hints of a revamped chipset show Samsung is at least aware of past complaints and willing to try a comeback. What really matters, though, will be actual performance tests once the S26 ships — whether gaming runs smooth, whether the device stays cool, and whether battery life holds up under real-world loads. On paper, Exynos 2600 could mark a fresh start; in practice, it needs to prove it.
