One of the biggest draws for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is its extremely powerful processor - Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 instead of the Exynos 2600. However, this advantage might quickly turn into an epic liability if Samsung can't manage to tame down the veritable inferno that is generated by Qualcomm's latest flagship chip.
The problem with equipping the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is that the flagship chip runs too hot
The OnePlus 15 is one of the first smartphones equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Unfortunately, the device suffers from overheating issues, especially when running tests like 3DMark Wild Life Extreme. For most day-to-day operations, however, the OnePlus 15's vapor chamber, with claimed 2x heat dissipation capabilities, is able to do its job fairly well.
The problem lies with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, which can consume an insane 22W of power when under stress. For comparison, Ultrabook-class CPUs typically consume this much power.
Also, do note that a gaming laptop with an Intel Core i9-14900HX processor typically consumes 15W of power when idle, while reaching ~62 degrees. Those devices, however, have a dedicated cooling fan running at 6,000RPM.
The problem apparently lies with the CPU architecture of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, which consists of:
- 6 Oryon Phoenix M Performance CPU cores clocked at 3.63 GHz
- 2 Oryon Phoenix L Prime CPU cores clocked at 4.61 GHz
Some have been quick to blame the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5's lack of efficiency CPU cores as the proverbial casus belli. However, the lack of e-cores does not constitute a problem on its own. After all, the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 also does not have any efficiency cores.
Instead, check the clocked frequency of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5's six performance cores. While the final CPU core configuration of Samsung's Exynos 2600 chip is yet to emerge, a recent internal benchmark test - leaked by a reputable source - showed that the prime core on the Exynos 2600 was clocked at a frequency that was just 4.6 percent above the performance cores used in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5!
These are insane numbers. It is hardly a surprise, therefore, that Qualcomm’s latest flagship chip was recently shown consuming a board power of 19.5W, vs. the A19 Pro's 12.1W, for the same benchmark test.
As such, given the fact that Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S26 Ultra with only a 1.2x larger vapor chamber, it remains probable that the device will encounter thermal issues. Do note that Samsung will launch the S26 Ultra with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip throughout the globe, and without any regional SoC-related differentiation.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 might finally allow the Exynos 2600 to shine
Of course, if the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra does end up suffering from thermal issues, it would give Samsung's in-house Exynos 2600 the perfect opportunity to shine.
For the benefit of those who might not be aware, the Exynos 2600 abandons Samsung's FinFET transistors in favor of the new Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors, which leverage vertically placed, horizontal nanosheets as gates that cover the channel on all four sides, thereby reducing any current leaks and improving the drive current, which allows for a more powerful and efficient chip.
What's more, the Exynos 2600 is built on Samsung's 2nm process, which should further improve its efficiency profile.
According to Samsung, its 2nm Exynos 2600 is:
- Up to 5 percent more powerful when compared with the 3nm Exynos 2500.
- Up to 8 percent more efficient vs. the Exynos 2500.
- And takes up an area that is around 5 percent less than the one occupied by the Exynos 2500.
According to ETNews, the Exynos 2600 delivers satisfactory performance due to features such as Heat Pass Block (HPB). As per the latest available estimates, Samsung's yield on the Exynos 2600 has risen from ~30 percent to around 60 percent now.
Moreover, according to a recent ZDNET report, the Exynos 2600 has already achieved stable yields, with major gains in efficiency and thermal controls, to the tune of around 30 percent, and a significantly bolstered NPU for improved AI performance.
Finally, as we noted earlier this week, Samsung's Mobile Division (MX) has negotiated a very attractive per-unit price for the Exynos 2600 chips from its LSI division. Apparently, the LSI division will equip the base Galaxy S26 and the S26+ with its Exynos 2600 chips at a $20-$30 discount to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
This should help Samsung's struggling mobile division pad its margins, and allow for a more compelling case later on to go entirely in-house, especially if the Exynos 2600 manages to hold up against the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and that too without any major thermal issues.
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