I need one in my Samsung Galaxy S25

Peek contained in the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, and also you’ll spot an Exynos 2400e processor. Whereas hardly outstanding for international audiences, Exynos on US soil is considerably of a rarity — you’ll have to return to the Galaxy Notice 5 and S6 period for the chip’s earlier appearances.

The US is dwelling turf for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon, and whereas it is perhaps thought of the premium choice for Android smartphones, may the S24 FE open the door to a much bigger return to Exynos within the US? Solely Samsung is aware of for positive, however such a transfer has just a few necessary issues going for it.

We’ve lengthy benchmarked Samsung’s chips in opposition to Qualcomm’s, and though the latter have persistently come out on high lately, we all know that basic efficiency metrics don’t matter fairly as a lot as they as soon as did. Google’s Pixel collection, with its customized Tensor processor, is a primary instance of this. The Tensor G4 contained in the Pixel 9 collection benchmarks a way behind the very best within the enterprise, however that hardly issues when it’s nonetheless quick sufficient to run your most necessary apps and brings distinctive options within the type of bespoke software program.

Nonetheless, we benchmarked the Exynos 2400e and located it to be scorching on the heels of the common Exynos 2400, which is a superb chip within the Galaxy S24 collection and places up a strong battle in opposition to the very best from Apple and Qualcomm. The truth is, it outperforms Google’s Tensor in CPU and GPU benchmarks, so it’s definitely no slouch. The difficulty is extra one in all notion than precise efficiency, owing to years of Exynos enjoying second fiddle to Snapdragon.

After all, what makes Tensor stand out is Google’s AI accelerator {hardware}, which powers its distinctive AI software program options. Samsung has AI {hardware}, too, however we’re but to see the corporate actually lean arduous into any explicit route with Exynos. That might change; it’s leveraging AMD silicon for graphics and has rejigged its whole silicon growth division not way back. Subsequent 12 months’s chipset would possibly inform extra about whether or not Samsung has (lastly) lined its geese as much as construct some extra aggressive and/or attention-grabbing cellular processors.

There’s potential for Exynos to do one thing extra attention-grabbing to make Galaxy stand out. However that’s sufficient wishful pondering; Exynos already has some sensible advantages for smartphones — specifically value.

If we all know something about 2025 flagship smartphones, it’s that they’re prone to price much more. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and different high-end chipsets are reported to be costlier than this 12 months, owing to a mix of a brand new CPU structure and cutting-edge 3nm manufacturing course of. The components may price 20-30% extra. Xiaomi has already polled its followers to see if they’re ready to pay for premium efficiency or will settle for a “lesser” chip to maintain costs the place they’re.

Whereas greater costs is perhaps a tablet we will swallow within the ultra-premium market, it spells unhealthy information for base flagships just like the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. Apple has already raised the value of its iPhone 16 by $30 greater than final 12 months, and nobody actually needs to pay any greater than that — definitely nothing approaching $999 for an entry-level flagship.

Xiaomi isn’t alone in weighing up this kind of determination for 2025 cellular units, however these with customized silicon at their disposal have an out. Identical to the Galaxy S24 FE, the extra liberal use of Exynos chipsets makes a variety of sense for flagship fashions that Samsung needs to maintain as inexpensive as attainable. Samsung is already partly down this highway; international customers obtain Exynos within the S24 and S24 Plus, besides within the US and some different markets. Nonetheless, when you purchase the Galaxy S24 Extremely, it’s Snapdragon for everybody. I don’t assume too many within the US would thoughts if the S25 and S25 Plus used Exynos if that meant protecting costs roughly the place they’re now. World customers appear completely happy sufficient.

Sadly, business insiders don’t appear to have the ability to make their minds up about which chipsets will energy what Samsung telephones subsequent 12 months. Some say it’s Snapdragon for all of the S25 fashions, whereas others level to a minimum of some fashions utilizing Exynos. In relation to foldables, Korean sources recommend Samsung is a minimum of interested by utilizing the Exynos 2500 within the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and/or Galaxy Z Fold 7, which have at all times used Snapdragon thus far. However we’ve heard rumors like this earlier than, they usually haven’t panned out.

Nonetheless, if utilizing Exynos may help Samsung promote the Galaxy S24 FE for simply $650, the S25 and future foldable fashions may stand to learn from a extra aggressive value level, offering Samsung’s next-gen chip is aggressive sufficient.