Samsung may be preparing to make a major comeback in the premium mobile chip market with the Exynos 2700 - its upcoming processor expected to launch with the Galaxy S27 Ultra. If recent leaks prove accurate, this could be the first Exynos chip in years to truly surpass Qualcomm in both performance and energy efficiency.

For several generations, Samsung’s flagship Exynos processors have faced criticism over heat issues, inconsistent performance, and overall inferiority compared to their Snapdragon counterparts. This led to the Exynos 2600 - reportedly powering only limited markets like South Korea in the Galaxy S26 series. But things might take a dramatic turn next year.

Exynos 2700: Powered by Samsung’s next-gen 2nm platform

According to leaked information, the Exynos 2700 - codenamed "Ulysses" - will be built on Samsung Foundry’s newly developed SF2P process, the second generation of its 2nm technology. This marks a shift from the SF2 process used for the Exynos 2600.

The SF2P node is expected to bring significant gains in both performance and power efficiency, offering approximately 12% higher processing power and up to 25% lower energy consumption compared to the previous generation. These gains could be critical at a time when smartphones are more powerful but also increasingly challenged by thermal and battery issues.

Beyond the process node itself, the Exynos 2700 is rumored to reach very high clock speeds. Some CPU cores could hit 4.2 GHz - well above the 3.8 GHz ceiling of the Exynos 2600. This could translate to a major boost in single-core performance, directly impacting user experience in everyday tasks.

Advanced packaging and cooling for sustained power

Samsung is also said to be implementing advanced packaging and thermal solutions in the Exynos 2700. The chip could adopt FOWLP-SbS (Fan-Out Wafer-Level Packaging – Side-by-Side) design, where DRAM sits right next to the CPU die. Both are then covered by a unified copper heat spreader known as a Heat Path Block (HPB).

This design would allow for more direct and even heat dissipation, reducing hotspots - one of the most persistent criticisms of past Exynos chips. If successful, this thermal architecture could allow the Galaxy S27 Ultra to sustain high performance without throttling, even under heavy loads.

At the same time, the Exynos 2700 is expected to support next-generation memory and storage. With LPDDR6 RAM and UFS 5.0 storage, data transfer speeds could double compared to current standards - contributing to an overall performance increase of up to 40%.

Graphics leap with AMD collaboration

The GPU in the Exynos 2700 is also getting an upgrade. Samsung continues its collaboration with AMD through the Xclipse GPU line. The latest iteration of this GPU is said to bring a major leap in graphics processing and ray tracing capabilities - putting the Galaxy S27 on par with Snapdragon-based flagships in gaming and 3D performance.

When combined with a stronger CPU, faster memory, and a more capable GPU, the Exynos 2700 may become one of the most powerful SoCs in the Android ecosystem - at least on paper.

“Benchmark king” if it lives up to the hype

Early leaks suggest the Exynos 2700 could reach approximately 4,800 points in single-core and 15,000 in multi-core scores on Geekbench. Compared to the Exynos 2600's 3,309 single-core and 11,256 multi-core scores, this represents a massive increase of about 40% and 30%, respectively.

For context, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3 in the OnePlus 15 currently posts around 3,493 in single-core and 10,692 in multi-core performance. If Samsung’s chip really delivers those numbers, the Galaxy S27 Ultra could outpace not only its predecessor but also current Snapdragon-powered flagships.

Still, caution is warranted. The source of these leaks doesn’t have a long track record of accuracy, and the Exynos 2600 itself hasn’t officially launched yet. So for now, these numbers remain speculative.

Samsung needs a win

After years of relying on Qualcomm for flagship devices, Samsung is in urgent need of a breakthrough to prove that its in-house chips still have a future. A successful Exynos 2700 could reduce licensing costs and give the company greater control over its hardware ecosystem.

If it succeeds, the Galaxy S27 Ultra equipped with the Exynos 2700 could symbolize a true rebirth of Samsung’s homegrown chip ambitions. But users will have to wait until the device is in hand and tested in real-world scenarios before that dream becomes a reality.

For now, the hope has been lit - but whether it turns into reality remains to be seen.

Hai Phong