Qualcomm-backed research finds buyers 3x likelier to pick Snapdragon and pay 16% more, pressuring Samsung’s Exynos 2600 strategy for the upcoming Galaxy S26.
© RusPhotoBank
New research commissioned by Qualcomm suggests consumers strongly favor Snapdragon-powered smartphones. The survey indicates that users are three times more likely to pick devices with a Qualcomm SoC and are willing to pay, on average, a 16% premium if their next phone carries a Snapdragon chip. The message is hard to miss—and it complicates Samsung’s push to trim costs while promoting its in-house Exynos 2600 slated to debut with the Galaxy S26 lineup.
Although Korean outlets did not disclose the survey size or the research firm, even a hypothetical base of 1,000 participants would underscore how firmly the Snapdragon name has taken root with buyers. At the same time, Samsung is contractually required to use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in 75% of all Galaxy S26 models; breaching that deal would bring significant penalties. Were it not for this agreement, the company from Seoul would likely move fully to Exynos next year.
The poll also found that 84% of respondents view Qualcomm as the leader in mobile chipsets. And while MediaTek continues to build strength in the mid-range, Snapdragon remains the reference point for shoppers considering top-tier Android phones—brand perception that often settles a purchase before the spec sheet does.
For Samsung, that is a painful reality: years of attempts to field competitive flagship Exynos chips have struggled to convince users, eroding trust. The Exynos 2600 looks more promising than its predecessors, yet repairing the brand’s reputation may take time—especially if Qualcomm’s rivals cannot match its stability and performance. Reputations tend to move more slowly than product roadmaps.