Samsung Galaxy S25 to Exclusively Feature Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC

Before the launch of the Galaxy S24 in early January 2024, rumours were swirling about Samsung’s choice of System on a Chip (SoC) for its latest flagship phones. Speculations oscillated between the use of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors exclusively or a mix of Snapdragon and Samsung’s own Exynos chips. Ultimately, the Galaxy S24 Ultra was launched with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, while other variants, particularly those outside the US, utilized Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2400 chipset. This debate seems set to continue with the upcoming Galaxy S25 series, as a new leak suggests that Samsung might rely solely on Snapdragon once again.

A report from the Korean publication Hankyung, citing industry insiders, claims that Samsung will use only Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon chipset for the Galaxy S25 lineup. According to the report, Samsung aims to “maximize” the AI capabilities of the Galaxy S25, which it would achieve through a close collaboration with Qualcomm. This partnership willresult in a custom ‘Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for Galaxy’ SoC tailored specifically for the S25.

Samsung Galaxy S25 to Exclusively Feature Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC

This contradicts earlier rumours from June 2024, which hinted that Samsung was making efforts to incorporate the Exynos 2500 chip into the Galaxy S25 series. There was even speculation about Samsung potentially using a MediaTek chipset for its 2025 flagship, but this seems highly unlikely given the recent developments.

Samsung’s exclusive use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC in the Galaxy S23 series reportedly played a significant role in the lineup’s success, helping to revitalize the sales of its flagship smartphones. The extension of Samsung’s partnership with Qualcomm until 2030 further casts doubt on the future of the Exynos chips in flagship models. Despite this, Samsung did return to using its Exynos 2400 SoC in non-Ultra variants of the Galaxy S24 series in specific markets like Europe and Asia.

While the Exynos 2400 represents a significant improvement over previous versions, its performance and efficiency still lag behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However, Samsung’s semiconductor division is reportedly working on enhancing the yield and performance of the Exynos 2500. The company might consider using its in-house chip in future foldable models like the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. Samsung will launch these devices in the second half of 2025.

See Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: Common Problems and Solutions

Historically, Samsung’s foldable phones have consistently featured Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. Although rumours earlier this year suggested the Exynos 2400 might be used in the Galaxy Flip 6, these turned out to be unfounded.

With the Galaxy S25 series still months away from its official launch, more rumours and leaks about Samsung’s SoC strategy are likely to surface, keeping the tech community and consumers guessing about what to expect from the next flagship Galaxy smartphones.