Samsung takes charge of graphics with Exynos 2600, Galaxy S26 models launch early 2026

Samsung Electronics has announced that it is developing its first in house mobile graphics processing unit for its upcoming Exynos 2600 processor, a move aimed at reducing its long standing dependence on external technology partners such as AMD and Qualcomm . According to a report by The Korea Herald , the new GPU will power select models of the Galaxy S26 smartphone series, expected to launch in early 2026 , most likely in February , with retail availability from March 2026 .

The Exynos 2600 GPU has been designed by Samsung engineers and optimised for the company’s advanced 2 nanometer manufacturing process. However, the core graphics architecture is still licensed from AMD. This makes the new GPU a transitional step rather than a fully independent solution. Samsung has stated that it plans to completely own both GPU design and architecture by 2027.

The shift is significant for Samsung’s broader semiconductor strategy. By gaining greater control over GPU technology, the company aims to cut licensing costs and improve performance tuning, especially for artificial intelligence tasks. GPUs play a key role in gaming, video processing, camera features, and on device AI, all of which are becoming central to premium smartphones.

Samsung’s push places it among a small group of global companies attempting to control their entire graphics technology stack. Apple already designs its own CPUs and GPUs exclusively for iPhones. Qualcomm develops its Snapdragon chips with in house Adreno GPUs and supplies them to most Android brands. In comparison, companies such as Xiaomi and Vivo rely largely on Snapdragon or MediaTek chips, using only small custom processors for camera or AI support. Samsung, through Exynos, sits between these extremes with partial but growing independence.

The Exynos 2600 also introduces a new thermal management feature called the Heat Path Block, designed to address overheating and performance throttling issues that affected earlier Exynos processors. Samsung hopes this improvement will help restore confidence in its high end chips, which had struggled against Snapdragon counterparts in recent years.

Despite the technological leap, adoption will be limited initially. Manufacturing 2 nanometer chips remains challenging, and as a result, the Exynos 2600 is expected to power only around 30 percent of Galaxy S26 devices. These models will be sold mainly in Europe and South Korea . The top end Galaxy S26 Ultra will continue to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 processor globally.

To support its long term GPU ambitions, Samsung has been investing heavily in talent. The company began hiring senior graphics engineers in the United States in 2023 and recruited John Rayfield, a former AMD vice president of GPU architecture, in late 2025.

In simple terms, Samsung is not fully independent in GPU technology yet, but it is clearly moving in that direction. The Exynos 2600 represents a cautious but important step as the company works towards owning the core technologies that power future smartphones, AI devices, and immersive digital platforms.