Initial tests reveal Samsung's 2nm Exynos 2600 chip has high power consumption, trailing Qualcomm in performance and efficiency. Learn more about the findings.
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Initial tests of Samsung's new 2nm Exynos 2600 chip have revealed surprisingly poor energy efficiency. Despite promised architectural improvements and a shift to more advanced lithography, the processor appears significantly more power-hungry than competing Qualcomm solutions.
In enthusiast-led comparative testing, the Exynos 2600 inside the Galaxy S26 showed peak power consumption around 30W. For context, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the OnePlus 15 stayed at roughly 21W while delivering higher Geekbench 6 scores: 3641 in single-core and 10,902 in multi-core tests, compared to the Exynos's 3271 and 10,745 respectively.
The difference was also evident in practical scenarios. During a large archive decompression test, the Exynos 2600 consumed up to 7.8W, while Qualcomm chips used under 5W and completed the task faster. This detail matters because it suggests potential issues under sustained loads: higher energy use could lead to thermal throttling and reduced performance.
Overall, the picture is straightforward: despite Samsung's move to a 2nm process and GAA architecture, the company currently trails TSMC in energy efficiency. Experts note that the situation might improve with future generations, including the upcoming Exynos 2700, but for now, the gap with Qualcomm remains substantial.