Samsung is preparing the Galaxy S26 lineup for launch early next year, and the latest industry insights suggest that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset will dominate the series. The new flagship trio is expected to include the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 Ultra, with a dual-chip approach returning for select markets.
According to recent statements from Qualcomm’s leadership, around 75 percent of Samsung’s upcoming premium smartphones will run on Snapdragon processors. This indicates that while the Exynos 2600 chipset will be used, its presence will be limited to a few regions, as Samsung continues strong collaboration with Qualcomm for global flagship performance.
The Galaxy S26 family is rumoured to adopt Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for major markets including the US, Japan and China. Meanwhile, the in-house Exynos 2600 could be installed in units sold in regions like Europe and South Korea. This marks a shift from the Galaxy S25 lineup, which relied entirely on Snapdragon chips across all markets for the first time in years.
Benchmark scores also showcase a noticeable performance edge for Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has outscored its rival in both single-core and multi-core results, indicating better efficiency and processing capabilities. Samsung’s Exynos 2600 still shows progress in CPU design with a hybrid core structure, but the competition remains tough.
Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S26 series during a Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25, 2026. Early leaks suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra could feature a 6.9-inch display, a 5,400mAh battery, and a 200-megapixel primary camera. The standard Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus are expected to continue with triple rear cameras and upgraded battery capacities compared to the previous models.
