Samsung Electronics Co. plans to equip its Exynos 2800 application processor with a fully proprietary graphics processing unit by 2027, ending years of reliance on Advanced Micro Devices Inc. for mobile graphics architecture.
The Korean chipmaker’s System LSI division is developing its own GPU design and architecture after spending three years licensing AMD’s RDNA technology for its Xclipse graphics line, according to Korean media reports. The shift represents Samsung’s attempt to match Apple Inc.’s vertically integrated chip strategy and gain tighter control over its AI roadmap.
Samsung faces considerable execution risk. Its Exynos processors have consistently trailed Qualcomm Inc.’s Snapdragon chips in performance benchmarks, forcing the company to abandon its own silicon for premium Galaxy handsets in some years. The recently announced Exynos 2600, while featuring a Samsung-designed GPU layout, still relies on AMD’s underlying architecture.
The company has been recruiting aggressively, reportedly offering experienced GPU engineers between ₩500 million and ₩1 billion ($338,000 to $690,000) in compensation. Former AMD Vice President John Rayfield joined Samsung earlier this year to lead the effort.
Beyond smartphones, Samsung intends to deploy its proprietary graphics across smart glasses, humanoid robots, automotive systems, and AI-specific chips. Whether the company can overcome its troubled Exynos history remains an open question as rivals continue advancing their own mobile silicon.
