Samsung Electronics began mass production of its Exynos 2600 processor earlier than anticipated, betting that improved manufacturing yields will finally allow its chips to compete in flagship smartphones after years of setbacks.
The Korean tech giant started wafer production late in September using its SF2 process, the first application of its 2-nanometer Gate-All-Around technology. Chips are expected to exit fabrication between late October and early November, according to industry sources on September 29.
The accelerated timeline reflects manufacturing yields that climbed to approximately 50% from just 30% in the first quarter, though the figure remains well below industry leader TSMC’s reported 60% for comparable processes. Samsung’s previous 3-nanometer effort languished at similar yield levels even after three years of production.
The Exynos 2600 will likely power Galaxy S26 models sold in South Korea and Europe when the flagship lineup launches early next year, while North American and Chinese variants will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. Samsung’s mobile division had to abandon its Exynos 2500 entirely for the S25 series due to poor yields.
The SF2 process delivers 12% better performance and 25% improved power efficiency compared to Samsung’s prior generation technology. Whether those gains translate into sustained production volumes and customer confidence remains uncertain given Samsung Foundry’s troubled track record at advanced nodes.
