Summary
- Dubious report claims Samsung could use a MediaTek chip in the Galaxy S25.
- This would be in addition to using Exynos and Snapdragon SoCs.
- Samsung should prioritize Snapdragon over Exynos and MediaTek for top performance.
After years of using Exynos and Snapdragon chips in its flagship phones, Samsung went all-in with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for the Galaxy S23 series in 2023. For the Galaxy S24 this year, the company returned to its old ways, using a subjectively inferior Exynos 2400 on the non-Ultra models outside the US. Rumors surrounding the Galaxy S25 keep yo-yo-ing about Samsung going all-Snapdragon or a mix with Exynos in some markets. A dubious report now claims the company is considering using a MediaTek SoC in its next flagship smartphone.
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A report from The Financial News claims that besides its in-house Exynos 2500 SoC, Samsung is considering using MediaTek’s Dimensity chip in the Galaxy S25 series next year (via SamMobile). This move would put the company in a better position to negotiate with Qualcomm, which purportedly plans to raise prices of its upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chip by 25-30%.
Additionally, it could give the Korean giant a way to compensate for the Exynos 2500’s rumored low yields instead of opting for the more expensive Snapdragon SoC.
Samsung has never used a three-SoC mix on its flagship phones and has never equipped its premium phones with a MediaTek chip. Given the lack of other leaks to corroborate this report, it is better to take it with a pinch of salt for now. Plus, the Galaxy S25 lineup is more than six months away from launch, so there’s ample time for things to change.
Samsung should go all-in on Snapdragon
Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon chips deliver the best performance and power efficiency mix. This explains why almost all of our favorite Android phones use the latest and greatest Snapdragon chip available. While MediaTek SoCs have improved in the last few years, they still trail their Snapdragon competitors in performance and power consumption.
Given the excellent performance and power efficiency of the last few flagship Qualcomm chips, Samsung should ditch Exynos and MediaTek and use Snapdragon SoCs across its entire Galaxy S25 lineup for the best user experience. But if the company has to choose, opting for a mix of Snapdragon and Exynos SoCs rather than incorporating MediaTek into its next flagship Galaxy S lineup would be better.
