Clearing Exynos Inventory? Galaxy S26 FE May Reuse Older Chip

[Financial News] Samsung Electronics is expected to equip its upcoming "Samsung Galaxy S26 Fan Edition (FE)" smartphone, slated for release in the second half of this year, with its older mobile application processor (AP), the Exynos 2500. As component costs rise sharply, especially memory prices, speculation is growing that the company has opted for a "recycled chip" strategy to ease cost pressures.
According to industry sources on the 4th, a Samsung Electronics smartphone with the model number "SM-S741U" recently appeared on the benchmark site Geekbench. Given Samsung’s product naming conventions, the device is highly likely to be the Samsung Galaxy S26 FE.
The listing shows that the device is powered by the Samsung Exynos 2500 (model number S5E9955) chipset, a processor known as the Exynos 2500. The Exynos 2500 is an AP designed by Samsung’s System LSI Division and manufactured by its Foundry Business Division, and it has already been used in the foldable phone Galaxy Z Flip7. By contrast, this year’s Samsung Galaxy S26 series adopted the next-generation Exynos 2600 chip.


Performance appears to have improved to some extent. On Geekbench 6, the device scored 2,426 points in single-core and 8,004 points in multi-core tests, roughly 15% and 8% higher, respectively, than the Galaxy Z Flip7, which uses the same chip. Industry observers attribute this to better heat dissipation made possible by the larger form factor.
Market reactions, however, are mixed. Some argue that a certain level of performance compromise is inevitable, given that the FE line is positioned as a value-for-money flagship. Others point out that consumer distrust remains high over the repeated use of Exynos chips in Samsung’s premium lineup. With memory prices having surged three to four times over the past year, increasing component costs, analysts say Samsung may be doubling down on cost-cutting in its AP choices.
Overall specifications are expected to be slightly upgraded from the previous model. The phone is likely to feature a 6.7-inch Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 8GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, a 4,900mAh battery, and 45W fast charging. The camera setup is expected to include a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide, and an 8-megapixel telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, along with a 12-megapixel front camera. Both the front and rear cameras are expected to support 4K video recording at 60 frames per second.

solidkjy@fnnews.com Gu Ja-yoon Reporter