SEOUL, Sept. 3 — Samsung has ordered motherboards for a Galaxy S27 Ultra powered by its in-house Exynos 2700 chip, a move that would end the Ultra line’s four-year run as a Snapdragon-only flagship if it reaches launch, according to a MoneyToday report covered by GSMArena, SamMobile, and Digital Trends this week. The report marks a potential turning point for Samsung’s top-tier device. The last Exynos-powered Ultra was the Galaxy S22 Ultra in 2022, according to SamMobile.
Since then, every Ultra model has shipped exclusively with Qualcomm silicon in all markets, per the same reporting. What makes the timing notable: development on the Snapdragon version was reportedly near completion when Samsung placed the Exynos order, according to insiders cited by GSMArena.
The original plan called for the S27 Ultra to ship exclusively with Qualcomm’s chip in every market. Samsung has not confirmed the reports, and the phone remains months from launch, per Digital Trends.
Two-track strategy
MoneyToday reports that Samsung’s MX mobile division and its System LSI chip-design unit coordinated on the Exynos motherboard and worked to secure sufficient chip supply. An anonymous insider cited by MoneyToday and relayed through GSMArena said adding an Exynos version this late in the Snapdragon development cycle is unusual and signals “high expectations for the proprietary AP.” Samsung is not reportedly dropping Qualcomm. MoneyToday describes a “two-track” approach in which Snapdragon Ultra development continues alongside the new Exynos variant.
The regional split mirrors earlier Exynos generations. U.S. units are expected to keep the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, while Korea is consistently named as an Exynos market across reporting from SamMobile and Digital Trends.
GSMArena additionally reports that Europe could also receive Exynos Ultra units, though that detail has not surfaced elsewhere.
What the chip can do
The Exynos 2700 was already expected to power most of the standard Galaxy S27 lineup outside the U.S. before the Ultra story broke, per SamMobile and Digital Trends. Internal testing reportedly showed the Exynos 2700’s multi-core CPU performance running 19% ahead of the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, and 9.5% ahead of a higher-end “Pro” variant that remains an industry rumor rather than an announced Qualcomm product, according to MoneyToday.
The practical upshot for buyers: if the reports hold, Samsung fans outside the U.S. could soon have a choice in flagship silicon for the first time in years. Watch for Samsung’s official confirmation in the coming months, along with any word on whether the Exynos Ultra expands beyond Korea and Europe.
