TL;DR

• The Exynos 2600 chipset expected in some Galaxy S26 models doesn’t have an integrated modem.
• Instead, Samsung confirmed that the processor has an external modem.
• An external modem is typically less efficient than an integrated design.

Some Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus models are expected to arrive with an Exynos 2600 chipset instead of a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. Samsung has already announced this new Exynos processor, but this chip differs from recent Exynos chips in a big way.

Tipster Erencan Yilmaz on X and Korean outlet The Elec both report that the Exynos 2600 processor lacks an integrated modem. Instead, the tipster claims the processor has an external Exynos 5410 modem.

A Samsung Semiconductor official subsequently confirmed to Android Authority that the Exynos 2600 uses an external design:

The Exynos 2600 has an external modem, not an integrated one.

By offering an external modem, Samsung’s new processor would buck a recent trend. The Exynos 2500 used in the Galaxy Z Flip 7 has an integrated modem, which means the modem is built into the processor. Meanwhile, the Exynos 2200 processor in some Galaxy S22 models also utilizes an integrated design.

We have seen a few chipsets over the years with external modems, such as 2020’s Snapdragon 865. So why is this a big deal?

An external modem is typically less efficient than an integrated design, which can mean shorter battery life on your phone. In saying so, the Exynos 2600 is the first smartphone chip built on a smaller 2nm process compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5’s 3nm design. So it’s possible Galaxy S26 models equipped with the Exynos 2600 won’t experience a significant drop in battery life if they have a more efficient SoC to help offset a thirstier modem. Another major factor to consider is the modem’s manufacturing process, as a smaller design would also improve efficiency in the event of an external modem.

Space constraints are another potential reason why a chip designer might opt for an external modem over an integrated design. A larger chip is typically more expensive to produce, so Samsung Semiconductor may have decided to slice off the modem to keep manufacturing costs down. The Exynos 2600 indeed packs plenty of tech, including a 10-core CPU with big and medium cores, an upgraded AMD GPU with “neural super-sampling” tech, a powerful NPU, and Heat Path Block tech to improve cooling.

Nevertheless, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the Exynos-equipped Galaxy S26 variants to see whether its endurance suffers, particularly when it comes to mobile connectivity.

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