Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra Could Feature 2nm Exynos Chip as Firm Prioritises Closing Gap With TSMC: Report

Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra, the next major flagship model after the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, may finally mark the return of the company's in-house Exynos SoC to its Ultra-branded handsets as Samsung's 2nm chip output is expected to improve. The company's chip division has reportedly been working on continuous improvements in yields, and industry analysts believe 2027 could be the turning point. With better efficiency, higher usable output, and stronger production capacity, Samsung may be ready to equip even its top-tier Ultra model with an in-house chipset again, a move it has avoided for several generations.

Improved 2nm Yields Boost Chances of Exynos in Galaxy S27 Ultra

According to a report from Yonhap News Agency (in Korean) citing Counterpoint Research, Samsung's 2nm yield is expected to rise sharply by the end of next year, reaching a level that makes Exynos viable for the purported Galaxy S27 series. The company's monthly 2nm production capacity is projected to grow by 163 percent, climbing from roughly 8,000 wafers in 2024 to about 21,000 wafers by the end of 2026. 

This expansion is said to be tied to yield stabilisation and the scaling of new facilities, including Samsung's semiconductor fabrication plant in Texas. If these claims are true, then the Galaxy S27 series could feature an Exynos chip on all models in the lineup.

In contrast, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will reportedly continue to rely solely on Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. Samsung's current 2nm yields reportedly remain too low to support the heavy demand of its Ultra lineup, and the performance and efficiency gap between Exynos and Snapdragon still exists, according to the report.

As a result, Qualcomm is expected to supply 70 to 75 percent of all S26 series chipsets, keeping the Ultra on Snapdragon for another year. Some regional variants of the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ may also use Snapdragon SoCs.

However, this could change in 2027. According to the report, higher 2nm yields would let Samsung produce more Exynos chips reliably and in larger volumes. With more usable chips coming off the line, Samsung could depend less on Qualcomm and strengthen its pricing position by using more of its own hardware in flagship phones.

Improved output would also help Samsung Foundry recover from past issues, such as weak 3nm yields and the cancellation of the Exynos 2500 for the Galaxy S25 series. As yields stabilise and production expands, Samsung is expected to rebuild trust with clients and start closing the gap with TSMC in advanced chip manufacturing.