Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could power Samsung’s entire Galaxy S25 lineup globally after Exynos stumble

It’s only been a few months since Samsung launched the Galaxy S24 lineup, but we’re already hearing plenty of details about next year’s Samsung Galaxy S25 series. One issue with the current S24 models is they use different processors in various regions. Some areas get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipsets in all models of the S24 series, while others have the Exynos 2400 processor in the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+.

However, Samsung may change this for the S25 series, as analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests Samsung might go back to using only Snapdragon chips for the full Galaxy S25 lineup.

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This isn’t the first time Samsung will use the latest Qualcomm chipset for every Galaxy S series model. In 2023, the Galaxy S23 series featured the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset in all regions. However, the Galaxy S24 series returned to the norm, with the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ being sold with the Exynos 2400 in most regions, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in key markets like the US, Canada, China, Taiwan, and Japan.

However, it seems like the company is going back to the 2023 strategy. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, “Qualcomm will likely be the sole SoC supplier for the Samsung Galaxy S25.” However, this change doesn’t seem to be intentional; rather, it’s due to manufacturing issues on Samsung’s side. The report suggests Samsung may not use its Exynos 2500 chipsets due to lower-than-expected yields from its 3nm production process.

In simple terms, Samsung has struggled to produce enough working 3nm chips, so it will rely on Qualcomm’s SoCs for the Galaxy S25 series instead.

Although details about the Exynos 2500 are scarce, the shift to Snapdragon-only chipsets for the Galaxy S25 series appears to be a positive move. Historically, Qualcomm-based Galaxy flagships have been praised for their superior performance and efficiency compared to Exynos variants. With the Galaxy S25 series using only the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, users in all regions can expect a similar, consistent, and high-performance experience.

The switch to Snapdragon-only for Galaxy S25 may drive up prices

However, there is a potential downside to the switch to Snapdragon-only chipsets. Reports suggest the Galaxy S25 series may see a price hike due to the increased cost of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chips. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the new chips could be 25-30% more expensive than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is priced between $190–$200. This would put the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in the range of $237.50–$260.

While it’s unclear how Samsung will handle this increase, it’s unlikely the company would absorb the cost, which could result in higher prices for all Galaxy S25 series models.

It’s worth noting that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipsets are rumored to be built on TSMC’s second-generation N3E node, which is a 3nm process. As a matter of fact, it’s the same node Apple used for the M4 chipsets in its latest iPad Pro lineup. However, the price of manufacturing is higher, and that could trickle down to the customers, meaning that not only the Galaxy S25 series, but all flagship smartphones using this chipset, could have slightly higher prices.

In addition to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 on all variants, Samsung is expected to introduce significant camera upgrades to the Galaxy S25 lineup. According to tipster Ice Universe, the Galaxy S25 Ultra may feature an upgraded 50MP 3x telephoto lens and a new 50MP ultra-wide lens. Even though the telephoto lens will have the same 3x zoom, an upgrade to a higher megapixel count is expected to improve overall picture quality.

Moreover, Samsung is also rumored to launch a new foldable device alongside the Galaxy S25 series next year.

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