Last year, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 was available exclusively with the Exynos 2500 chipset – this included markets like the US that traditionally see Snapdragon-based devices. We’ve already heard that its sequel will not repeat this strategy and will use a mix of Exynos and Snapdragon chips instead. Now a report from Korean publication The Bell has drawn the borders on the global map that divide the Exynos regions from the Snapdragon regions.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 will use the Exynos 2600 in South Korea and Europe. Every other region is getting a Qualcomm chip, though we still don’t know which – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5? Snapdragon 8 Gen 5?
An insider from Samsung’s MX division (which makes the phones) said: “The Galaxy Z Flip series is a product line where customers prioritize design and portability over top-tier performance. Performance sensitivity is lower compared to the Fold series, so the burden of applying in-house APs is relatively lighter.”
The Galaxy Z Fold8 and the new Galaxy Z Fold Wide will use Snapdragon chips. The Exynos 2600 costs less than the Snapdragon flagship chip, so this is Samsung trying to improve the MX division’s margins, which are suffering due to the higher component costs caused by the RAM and flash memory shortages. This move will also boost Samsung’s LSI (chipset design) and foundry businesses.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 CAD-based renders (image source)
Plus, the Exynos 2600 chip is easy to procure since there isn’t much competition for it – the only other customer is Samsung MX again with the Galaxy S26 and S26+. These two use the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy in North America, China and Japan and the Exynos 2600 everywhere else. The S26 Ultra uses the Snapdragon chip in all markets.
The Exynos 2600 didn’t perform as well as the Snapdragon in our Galaxy S26 review and battery life was disappointing as well. This doesn’t bode well for the Galaxy Z Flip8, which is not getting a battery upgrade nor a charging upgrade. It promises a new hinge design for a crease-free display, but that’s about it since the camera hardware will be the same as last year.
Samsung is expected to unveil three foldables – Galaxy Z Flip8, Z Fold8 and Z Fold Wide – next month. The rumored date is July 22.
By the way, that same Samsung MX insider also said: “As prices for electronic components are rising across the board, the scope of Exynos application will expand further in new products scheduled for release next year”. In other words, expect to see the Exynos 2700 in the Galaxy S27 and S27+.
