Samsung is reportedly enhancing its Exynos chip technology. The company has developed a Heat Pass Block (HPB) to improve cooling in its Exynos 2600 processor, which has demonstrated promising performance metrics. The Exynos 2600 is anticipated to power the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, although some models may still utilize Snapdragon chips.
Recent performance evaluations of the Exynos 2600 have yielded impressive results on Geekbench and 3DMark. Samsung’s approach to cooling involves integrating a Heat Pass Block (HPB), designed to more effectively dissipate heat from the application processor (AP). This method diverges from traditional heat spreaders by positioning the HPB, a copper heat sink layer, directly within the chipset stack.
The standard chipset architecture involves a package-on-package configuration, where the RAM is situated above the application processor, encompassing the CPU, GPU, NPU, and other components. The Heat Pass Block introduces an additional layer consisting of a copper heat sink. While similar to conventional heat spreaders found in contemporary designs, the HPB offers a distinct advantage.
Heat spreaders are typically implemented after the package-on-package structure is assembled. The HPB’s strategic placement closer to the heat source allows for more efficient heat extraction. This proximity is intended to facilitate superior thermal management compared to traditional methods.
Manufacturing of the Exynos 2600 will utilize Samsung’s 2nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process. The chip is slated for inclusion in the Galaxy S26 series. The possibility remains that certain Galaxy S26 Ultra models may incorporate a Snapdragon processor. The precise chip distribution strategy, like the Z Flip7 (Exynos in all markets) is not yet confirmed.
Samsung is projected to finalize quality assessments of the Exynos 2600, coinciding with an official unveiling of the chip. The anticipated release timeframe for the Galaxy S26 series is late January or early February.
