Samsung hit a development milestone with its upcoming Exynos 2800 processor. This chip, planned for 2027, is expected to be the first from the company with a fully in-house graphics processor. This custom GPU design marks a strategic shift. The move is partly enabled by hiring former AMD Vice President John Rayfield, bolstering the Exynos division. The goal is not just smartphone competition against Apple and Qualcomm, but expansion into other tech like autonomous vehicle software, smart glasses, and robotics by leveraging parallel computing.
The recently announced Exynos 2600 still uses an AMD collaborated GPU called the Xclipse 960. It serves as a precursor to this more independent future. Samsung has reportedly finished the basic design for its second-generation two-nanometer GAA manufacturing process, which will likely be used for the 2800. The company is also developing a refined version of that two-nanometer node, so the final chip could utilize either advanced process. To support this ambitious in-house GPU effort, Samsung is spending heavily on engineering talent in its U.S. semiconductor division, offering annual salaries from roughly two hundred thousand dollars up to nearly seven hundred thousand dollars for top experts.
The first devices expected to use the Exynos 2800 with its proprietary graphics are likely the Galaxy S28 series phones. This custom graphics approach aims to create a unified technology ecosystem across multiple device categories. Performance projections for the new GPU will be clearer after the Exynos 2600 debuts in the Galaxy S26 next year, giving a better benchmark for Samsung's design progress.
The recently announced Exynos 2600 still uses an AMD collaborated GPU called the Xclipse 960. It serves as a precursor to this more independent future. Samsung has reportedly finished the basic design for its second-generation two-nanometer GAA manufacturing process, which will likely be used for the 2800. The company is also developing a refined version of that two-nanometer node, so the final chip could utilize either advanced process. To support this ambitious in-house GPU effort, Samsung is spending heavily on engineering talent in its U.S. semiconductor division, offering annual salaries from roughly two hundred thousand dollars up to nearly seven hundred thousand dollars for top experts.
The first devices expected to use the Exynos 2800 with its proprietary graphics are likely the Galaxy S28 series phones. This custom graphics approach aims to create a unified technology ecosystem across multiple device categories. Performance projections for the new GPU will be clearer after the Exynos 2600 debuts in the Galaxy S26 next year, giving a better benchmark for Samsung's design progress.
