Galaxy S25 might not use Snapdragon globally if Samsung’s efforts bear fruit

It was recently reported that Qualcomm could be the sole chipset supplier for the Galaxy S25 series due next year. This would mean that all three Galaxy S25 models will receive the next-generation chipset, apparently called Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, globally. There will be no variants with the Exynos 2500 chipset, according to rumour.

This prospect has already excited many fans, as some were unhappy with Samsung’s decision to reintroduce the Exynos into the mix with this year’s Galaxy S24 series, as the move to Snapdragon only with the Galaxy S23 lineup from last year produced excellent results. However, it seems that Samsung is working to ensure that the Exynos 2500 is used in some variants of the 2025 flagship.

Samsung is desperately trying to increase the output of the Exynos 2500

According to a South Korean report, the reason why any Snapdragon is a possibility for the Galaxy S25 series is because the Exynos 2500’s yields are very low. Yields used to be in the single digit range, which was not ideal. However, Samsung could have made improvements to the process, which increased the yield to 20%.

Although this is a significant improvement, it is still not enough. The report adds that yields must be at least 60% for the chip to enter mass production. Samsung realistically needs to achieve this by the third quarter of this year so that the chipsets can be integrated into the Galaxy S25 units that will be released in the first quarter of 2025. Whether or not this will happen remains to be seen.

Details on the Exynos 2500 are limited at the moment. Some rumors have claimed that it could match or even surpass the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in terms of power efficiency, as it is manufactured using Samsung’s 2nd generation 3nm process. Yet lower yields continue to present the risk that mass production may not be a viable proposition if the minimum yield threshold is not reached in time.