Exynos 2600 Is Considered ‘Premature’ To Be Used In All Galaxy S26 Models; Initial Production Volume Is Only 15,000 Wafers, Possibly Due To Poor Yields

Omar Sohail
Samsung's Exynos 2600 initial production has reached 15,000 wafers only
Not a bad start for the Exynos 2600, but there is a massive room for improvement remaining / Image credits - Samsung
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Samsung may have commenced mass production of the Exynos 2600 to utilize in its Galaxy S26 series, but the company’s 2nm GAA yields continue to raise questions, mainly due to the inconsistent figures that we have been stumbling across. When the report first materialized on the Korean giant successfully initializing full-scale production of its upcoming flagship SoC, the yields were at 50 percent, but now, an update claims that the initial wafer count is only 15,000 units, with an industry source calling the Exynos 2600 ‘premature.’

Based on the latest wafer production information, the Exynos 2600 yield on Samsung’s 2nm GAA process is 50 percent

Even though Samsung’s yield targets have been raised to 70 percent, Dealsite’s report on Exynos 2600’s initial wafer production count means that the 2nm GAA chipset will only be available to be outfitted in 30 percent of Galaxy S26 shipments. Previously, when the Exynos 2600’s impressive internal test results showed that the SoC ran circles around the A19 Pro and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a small detail mentioned that half of Galaxy S26 shipments would feature the chipset.

Related Story Galaxy S27 Ultra Could Finally Address Endless Customer Complaints Of Older Flagships As Samsung Plans Three Upgrades Next Year

Unfortunately, based on the latest figures, it appears that the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will make up the majority of the Galaxy S26’s configurations, with Samsung still needing to improve its Exynos 2600 yields. Also, since we are on the subject of configurations, an industry source familiar with Samsung’s plans called the first 2nm GAA chipset too ‘premature’ to be utilized in all three flagships. Earlier, an analyst stated that the Galaxy S26 Ultra would also be treated to the Exynos 2600, but looking at the latest details, that claim could not be further from the truth.

In addition to the Exynos 2600, Samsung also aims to begin pilot production of Tesla’s AI6 on the same 2nm GAA node, with a company representative saying that ‘our goal is to increase yields to 50% by then,’ pretty much confirming that the next-generation lithography’s progress is nowhere near as ideal as previously projected. However, a person familiar with the semiconductor sector says that both the Exynos 2600 and AI6 will be important references and will allow Samsung to secure customers such as Qualcomm.

As it so happens, the San Diego firm is apparently evaluating the 2nm GAA samples of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but it is likely that, due to the lower yields, Qualcomm will take a step back from placing orders. Fortunately, Samsung has plenty of time to improve and compete with TSMC in the future.

News Source: Dealsite

Omar Sohail Photo

About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.

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