Qualcomm and Samsung prepare next-generation flagship processors

Ahead of the Snapdragon Summit 2026, leaks suggest Qualcomm is shifting its flagship strategy by introducing two high-end processors: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. The latter, potentially replacing the previously rumored 'Pro' designation, is expected to feature superior hardware, including an Adreno 850 GPU, LPDDR6 memory support, and UFS 5.0 storage. Both chips are rumored to be manufactured using TSMC’s 2nm process.

Simultaneously, reports indicate that Samsung’s upcoming Exynos 2700 may challenge Qualcomm’s dominance. Internal testing reportedly shows the Exynos 2700 outperforming the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 in several key areas, including a 19% lead in Geekbench 6.5 multi-core CPU performance and significant advantages in GPU efficiency under a 2.5W power cap. The Exynos chip, built on Samsung Foundry’s 2nm SF2P process, also shows improved on-device AI processing speeds.

These developments will likely dictate the hardware landscape for next-generation flagship smartphones. Rumors suggest the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra and S27 Pro may utilize the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 globally, while standard Galaxy S27 and S27+ models may rely on the Exynos 2700 in most markets, though regional variations in China, Canada, and the US remain possible.