The Galaxy S26 may have a surprise under the hood
There have been conflicting rumors about the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 processor, which may power Samsung's next year flagship series, the Galaxy S26 . Rumor has it that the chip may be manufactured by both TSMC and Samsung. And now, a reputable tipster is chiming in, reiterating this claim. Digital Chat Station is now claiming on Weibo that the so-called SM8850s chipset has not been cancelled yet. Reportedly, this model number could stand for the Samsung-made Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 chip. Meanwhile, the standard, TSMC-made Snapdragon chip is reportedly sporting model number SM8850. In a follow-up comment, DCS also claims that the processor manufactured by Samsung would be cheaper than the one coming from TSMC.
If this rumor turns out to be true and Qualcomm indeed goes with this dual-sourcing strategy, it's highly likely that the Galaxy S26 phones may come with the chip made by Samsung. This would be good news for the pricing of the phones, which could ensure Samsung doesn't have to raise prices for the S26 lineup as much. Meanwhile, a cheaper Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 could also be used for base flagships from other brands, including Xiaomi and Honor, which would allow for price freezes in different areas. But of course, many of you probably know that Samsung's chip manufacturing has traditionally lagged behind TSMC. Unfortunately, we've seen previously that chips made by Samsung lag in performance and efficiency. So it's likely that the TSMC-made Snapdragon chip may be technically better performing than its Samsung twin brother. It's also likely, though, that Samsung manages to catch up to TSMC and its chip to be comparable to the TSMC-made one too.
Meanwhile, we've previously heard that Samsung may offer the in-house Exynos 2600 to some Galaxy S26 models. From all it seems, Samsung appears not to have made its final decision about the processor powering these phones just yet. Samsung's main competitor, Apple, has been making its own processor for iPhones for quite a while, and Apple's processors are top-notch, powerful, and efficient.So, I do hope that Samsung takes its time and makes the right call here. Whether it's its own chip, one from TSMC, or its in-house Exynos, what matters most to users is having a phone that runs fast, stays cool, and doesn't drain the battery too quickly. If Samsung can pull that off while keeping prices down, that's a win for everyone. Let's see how it all plays out – fingers crossed for a smart choice that keeps the Galaxy S26 series strong and competitive!
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