Samsung Galaxy S25 May Use Only Snapdragon Processors Amid Exynos Production Issues

Contrary to earlier expectations of a mixed chipset strategy, Samsung may equip its entire Galaxy S25 series with Snapdragon processors.

Initial reports suggested the standard and Plus models would use Exynos chips, while the Ultra would feature a Snapdragon processor. However, sources in Korea indicate low production yields for the Exynos 2500 may prevent Samsung from manufacturing sufficient quantities for the anticipated January 2025 launch.

This could force the company to rely solely on Snapdragon chips across the entire S25 lineup.

A report from Business Korea suggests Samsung is facing challenges with its 3nm chip production process, citing “low yield” without specifying figures. Chip manufacturing always involves some degree of waste due to the process of cutting rectangular chips from circular wafers. Furthermore, not all chips meet quality standards, leading to variations in yield across production lines.

If Samsung opts for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 (potentially marketed as Snapdragon 8 Elite) for the Galaxy S25 series, it would represent another setback for its semiconductor division. Samsung has already lost key contracts with Nvidia and Apple who now rely on TSMC for their AI-focused chips.

As for a launch date, the Galaxy S25 series is expected to debut around the usual time frame in February 2025. The lineup will include the S25, the S25+, and the S25 Ultra. Rumor has it that the vanilla model’s days are numbered since the Korean phone maker is planning to cancel it entirely in 2026 with the Galaxy S26 series.