Samsung's latest flagship processor continues to face challenges as new benchmark results highlight the ongoing struggles with the company's in-house chipset development. The Exynos 2500, which was originally intended to power the Galaxy S25 series, has surfaced in performance tests that reveal concerning gaps compared to competing solutions from industry leaders.
Manufacturing Challenges Force Strategic Changes
The Exynos 2500's troubled development cycle has already cost Samsung significantly. Poor manufacturing yields below 30% forced the company to abandon plans for including the chip in the Galaxy S25 series, resulting in approximately USD 400 million in losses. Instead, Samsung opted to use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite across the entire Galaxy S25 lineup, marking a departure from the company's traditional dual-chipset strategy.
Technical Specifications and Architecture Details
Recent leaks from social media user Abhishek Yadav reveal the Exynos 2500's complete specifications. The processor features an unusual 10-core CPU configuration arranged in a 1+2+5+2 setup. This includes one ultra-high performance core running at 3.30GHz, two performance cores at 2.75GHz, five additional performance cores at 2.36GHz, and two efficiency cores operating at 1.80GHz. The chipset also integrates Samsung's Xclipse 950 GPU, developed in collaboration with AMD, and supports 12GB of RAM in tested configurations.
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| Benchmark results of the Samsung Exynos 2500 processor showing a disappointing performance compared to competitors |
Benchmark Performance Falls Short of Expectations
Geekbench 6 testing reveals disappointing results for Samsung's flagship processor. The Exynos 2500 achieved 2,012 points in single-core performance and 7,563 points in multi-core testing. These scores place it significantly behind current flagship competitors, failing to breach the 8,000-point threshold in multi-core performance despite its 10-core architecture.
Competitive Landscape Highlights Performance Gap
When compared to rival processors, the Exynos 2500's limitations become apparent. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite delivers approximately 3,200 points in single-core and 10,400 points in multi-core tests. MediaTek's Dimensity 9400 achieves around 2,900 points single-core and 9,200 points multi-core. Even Apple's A18 Pro, with 3,400 points single-core and 8,500 points multi-core, outperforms Samsung's offering. Notably, Xiaomi's recently announced XRING 01 processor also surpasses the Exynos 2500 with 3,008 points single-core and 9,509 points multi-core.
Future Implementation Strategy
Despite these performance concerns, Samsung plans to implement the Exynos 2500 in upcoming devices. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is expected to be the first device featuring this processor, while the more premium Galaxy Z Fold 7 will reportedly use the superior Snapdragon 8 Elite. This strategy allows Samsung to reduce component costs for mid-tier foldable devices while reserving premium processors for flagship models.
Manufacturing Process Challenges Continue
The disappointing results raise questions about Samsung's 3nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) manufacturing process. While the company has reportedly improved yields for future processors like the Exynos 2600, the performance characteristics remain uncertain. The current results suggest that Samsung's foundry technology may still lag behind TSMC's 3nm process, which powers many competing flagship processors.
Industry Implications and Future Outlook
These developments highlight the ongoing challenges Samsung faces in competing with established processor manufacturers. The company's substantial investment in chipset development and manufacturing has yet to yield products that can match the performance and efficiency of competitors' offerings. The situation underscores the technical complexity of modern processor design and the critical importance of manufacturing process maturity in achieving competitive performance levels.