Samsung recently pulled back the curtain on its next-generation flagship processor, the Exynos 2600 . This is the world’s first smartphone chip built on a 2nm process. Its modern manufacturing process promises some seriously impressive numbers. However, a closer look at the Exynos 2600 architecture reveals a design choice that is sparking quite a bit of debate among tech enthusiasts: an external 5G modem that could lead to worse energy efficiency.
For years, Samsung has championed the “System-on-Chip” (SoC) approach. In other words, the CPU, GPU, and modem all live on a single piece of silicon. This setup is generally the gold standard for mobile efficiency. After all, data doesn’t have to travel far, which keeps power consumption low and heat in check. With the Exynos 2600, Samsung is breaking that tradition by opting for an external modem, likely the Shannon 5410.
Will the Exynos 2600 drain Your Galaxy S26 battery? External modem raises concerns
Why would Samsung move away from an integrated design? The answer seems to be a matter of real estate. Modern mobile chips are becoming incredibly crowded. Manufacturers pack in increasingly more powerful AI engines and graphics cores. By moving the modem outside the main chip , Samsung freed up valuable space on the 2nm die.
This extra room allowed engineers to beef up other areas. On paper, the results are impressive. Compared to its predecessor, the Exynos 2600 boasts a 39% jump in CPU performance and a massive 113% increase in NPU power for AI tasks. To keep things cool, Samsung even added a “Heat Path Block.” The latter is essentially a copper-based heatsink attached directly to the chip.
The real-world battery question
The performance gains look great in a lab. However, the move to an external modem creates a new challenge: energy efficiency. When the modem sits on a separate chip, the phone has to use more energy to move data back and forth between the processor and the cellular hardware. So, while the advanced 2nm process and the new cooling tech are designed to save power, those gains might be cancelled out by the extra energy the external modem requires.
For future Galaxy S26 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 users , this could mean that while the phone is faster and stays cooler under pressure, the battery life might not see the leap many were hoping for.
A familiar strategy
Interestingly, Samsung isn’t the only one taking this path. Apple has famously used separate modems for the iPhone for years. The Cupertino giant has managed to maintain excellent battery life—mainly in Pro models. However, Android and iOS work in fundamentally different ways. Apple’s mobile OS is considerably more aggressive with background processes compared to Android. So, we’ll have to see how Samsung manages to compensate for the potential loss in energy efficiency.
Overall, the Exynos 2600 represents a bold gamble. Samsung is prioritizing raw computing power and manufacturing simplicity while developing its own chips in high-end Galaxy devices. Whether this trade-off results in a world-class flagship experience or another chapter in the Exynos efficiency saga will depend on how well Samsung can bridge the gap between its new 2nm powerhouse and its external companion.
