Samsung accidentally confirms Galaxy Z Flip 8 chip choice

Samsung exclusively used the Exynos 2500 chip in the Galaxy Z Flip 7, making it the first time the company had used in-house processors in any foldable phone. We expected the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 8 to be an Exynos-only affair too, but it now looks like we’re in for a change.

We recently covered Samsung’s FCC filings for its upcoming foldable phones, and we even spotted signs that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 or Wide Fold could be equipped with a Snapdragon processor. We returned to the Galaxy Z Flip 8’s filing today for a closer look and discovered it will indeed use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. Check out the screenshot below, which lists the chip’s SM8850 model number alongside the US Galaxy Z Flip 8 (SM-F776U).

This all but guarantees that the Z Flip 8 will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip in the US. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the phone will have the same chip everywhere. Tipster Ice Universe recently claimed that Snapdragon variants will be available in China and the US at the very least. So it’s possible that most other markets, like Europe and South Korea, could get the Exynos version.

The dual-chip strategy is likely good news for Samsung’s bottom line, as the Exynos 2600 chip is thought to be cheaper than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. And a cheaper chip is important in the wake of skyrocketing RAM and storage costs. However, Qualcomm’s recent chips have typically offered better CPU performance than Exynos silicon, and are also preferred by gaming enthusiasts. But we’re keen to see how the two variants compare in terms of performance, battery life, and camera quality.