Samsung just fired its first big shot for 2026, and it’s none other their own Exynos 2600 SoC has officially entered mass production in Korea. We all knew it was coming this month, but seeing it actually happen is the kind of news that makes tech fans lean in closer.

Now here’s the twist. Forget those earlier reports claiming the Galaxy S26 Ultra would get this chip. Fresh info points to the Exynos 2600 powering the Galaxy S26 Pro, the base flagship expected to launch alongside the S26 Edge and S26 Ultra early next year. That move already sets the stage for some very interesting comparisons.

And this is no ordinary launch. Well to look closely, the Exynos 2600 will Samsung’s first smartphone processor to be built on a 2nm process. Samsung kicked off production early to carefully test and stabilize performance. Right now, the wafer input phase is underway, with the next stage of production set between late October and early November.

And I get it, you might be wondering about Expect around 12 percent faster performance and up to 25 percent better power efficiency compared to the Exynos 2500. That is not just an upgrade. That is a generational leap.

Of course, there is still the Snapdragon question. Reports suggest Europe and Korea will see Exynos-powered Galaxy S26 Pro units, while other regions may stick with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Which makes you wonder. What is Samsung plotting to finally put real pressure on Qualcomm next year?