For years, many Samsung enthusiasts have favored premium Galaxy smartphones powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors.

But the prospect of the Galaxy S27 Ultra continuing that tradition is looking increasingly uncertain.

Recent leaks suggest that Samsung's upcoming Exynos 2700 could power not only the standard Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27+ and a potential Galaxy S27 Pro, but also the top-of-the-line Ultra model.

Exynos 2700 reportedly outperforms Snapdragon in benchmark tests

According to South Korean media reports, Samsung has tested its next-generation flagship processor, the Exynos 2700, against Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.

EBN Korea reported that Samsung Electronics conducted internal benchmark tests using the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, equipped with Qualcomm's latest processor, as a comparison device.

The leaked results suggest a surprising advantage for Samsung's chip.

The Exynos 2700 reportedly scored around 13,000 points in the Geekbench 6.5 multi-core CPU test, compared with approximately 11,000 points for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro.

If accurate, those figures would give the Exynos processor an advantage of roughly 18%.

In Geekbench 7.0 multi-core testing, the Exynos 2700 also reportedly delivered a score about 15% higher than its Qualcomm rival.

However, these results have yet to be independently verified, and there is insufficient reliable evidence to confirm the reported performance figures.

Synthetic benchmark scores also tell only part of the story when it comes to everyday smartphone performance.

Even so, if the Exynos 2700 delivers the performance suggested by the leaks, it would represent a significant step forward for Samsung.

Stronger multi-core CPU performance could help the Galaxy S27 Ultra handle demanding tasks more efficiently, including running multiple applications simultaneously, editing content and performing complex operations on the device.

Actual performance, however, will also depend on software optimization, power consumption and thermal management.

These factors will ultimately determine whether the Exynos 2700 can maintain its reported advantage during prolonged, demanding use.

Why Samsung users remain cautious about Exynos

Samsung has spent years trying to improve its Exynos processor lineup and demonstrate that its in-house chips can compete with Qualcomm's most powerful offerings.

Previous Exynos generations, however, have struggled with issues that disappointed users.

Overheating, inefficient optimization that affected battery life, and performance throttling under sustained heavy workloads have all damaged the brand's reputation.

These shortcomings have led some Samsung customers to favor Snapdragon-powered models, even when the two versions of a smartphone offer otherwise similar specifications.

For a premium device such as the Galaxy S27 Ultra, expected to sit among the most expensive Android smartphones, buyers have even greater reason to demand consistent performance and excellent battery life.

The situation, however, may be changing.

With the Exynos 2600, Samsung is believed to have significantly narrowed the performance gap between its proprietary processors and Qualcomm's competing chips.

That progress suggests the South Korean technology giant is steadily strengthening its chip design capabilities rather than relying primarily on technology supplied by external partners.

If Samsung maintains that pace of improvement, it could eventually develop an Exynos processor capable of competing convincingly at the highest end of the smartphone market.

In that scenario, choosing a Galaxy S27 Ultra powered by Samsung's own silicon might no longer involve the compromises that some users have come to expect.

Ultimately, what matters is not whether a smartphone carries the Snapdragon or Exynos name.

What matters is whether it delivers fast, reliable performance, stays reasonably cool and makes efficient use of its battery.

Could an Exynos-powered Galaxy S27 Ultra avoid a price increase?

Beyond performance, manufacturing costs could be another major reason for Samsung to consider the Exynos 2700 for its next Ultra flagship.

Current rumors suggest that Qualcomm's upcoming premium processor could cost smartphone manufacturers more than $300 per chip.

If that pricing materializes, it would place considerable additional pressure on the component costs of Snapdragon-powered flagship devices.

With memory and other electronic components also becoming more expensive, a costly processor could force manufacturers to raise smartphone prices to protect their profit margins.

For Samsung, adopting an internally developed Exynos processor could provide greater control over production costs.

Using Exynos chips in selected markets could also reduce the company's dependence on Qualcomm and help limit the financial impact of rising component prices.

However, lower processor costs would not necessarily translate into cheaper smartphones for consumers.

Final retail prices depend on numerous factors, including research and development expenses, semiconductor manufacturing yields, production volumes, memory costs, display components and other manufacturing considerations.

Nevertheless, if the Exynos 2700 can deliver competitive flagship performance while reducing costs, Samsung could gain additional flexibility to keep the Galaxy S27 Ultra's price at a more reasonable level.

That possibility could be particularly appealing to consumers considering an upgrade at a time when premium smartphones are becoming increasingly expensive.

Hai Phong