Galaxy Z Flip 7 May Get Exynos 2500: Samsung's Chip Strategy Twist
A hot rumor has just been thrown into the technology pool, and that is the belief that Samsung's next foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip 7, may use their in-house developed Exynos 2500 chip. Given all the whispers hinting at a flagship Galaxy S25 line moving all-in with Snapdragon, a question comes to mind: what's Samsung playing at?
Exynos 2500: Under the Hood Rumors
A tipster whispered that the Exynos 2500 will not be a full-scale architectural update compared to the Exynos 2400 but more of an evolution. It's tipped to retain that 10-core configuration, but with a number of key changes, such as:
- Refreshed CPU Cores: Expect ARM's most recent CPU designs, possibly including a super-fast Cortex-X925 as the prime core, running at as much as 3.30GHz. That may account for a good performance increase-even if the core count is remaining the same.
- Xclipse 950 GPU with RDNA 3.5: Sticking with AMD for graphics, Samsung has integrated the more recent RDNA 3.5 architecture into the Xclipse 950 GPU. This may signal increased graphics performance and power efficiency. Rumors hint at an 8-core GPU at 1.30GHz.
- Memory and Storage: The Exynos 2500 will reportedly support fast LPDDR5X RAM (quad-channel, 9.6Gbps) and UFS 4.0 storage-the current top-tier standards for fast memory and storage access.
- AI Boost: A Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with a claimed 56TOPS suggests a focus on on-device AI processing, which is increasingly important for smartphone features.
- Camera and Video Prowess: Support for up to 320MP cameras and 8K video recording (60FPS for decoding, 30FPS for encoding) shows it's ready for high-end multimedia tasks.
Exynos 2500 specifications for the Z Flip 7
— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) January 25, 2025
3.3GHz ARM Cortex-X925 1core
2.75GHz ARM Cortex-A725 2core
2.36GHz ARM Cortex-A725 5core
1.8GHz ARM Cortex-A520 2core
L3 Cache 16MB
9.6Gbps 16bit Quad-Channel LPDDR5X Memory
UFS4.x STORAGE
1.3GHz Samsung Xclipse 950 GPU (AMD…
Why Exynos for the Flip 7? Cost and Strategy Speculation
So, why might Samsung choose Exynos for the Z Flip 7 while seemingly favoring Snapdragon for the S25? Here's some food for thought:
- Cost Optimization: This could be strategic in managing the production cost for the Z Flip 7 and consequently may offer it at a more competitive price. It is still quite niche, and cost will be one of the important variables.
- Supply Chain Flexibility: This would allow Samsung to use both Exynos and Snapdragon to provide more flexibility in its supply chain and limit its dependence on one chip vendor.
- Targeted Performance: Maybe Samsung thinks that the Exynos 2500 is perfectly adequate for the target audience and form factor of the Z Flip 7, even if it might not quite reach the raw power of the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
Performance Expectations: Where Will Exynos 2500 Stand?
While the specs sound good on paper, the big question is real-world performance. Early whispers suggest the Exynos 2500 might still trail behind the top-dog Snapdragon 8 Elite and the upcoming MediaTek Dimensity 9400 in raw power. However, that would probably still offer a very smooth and responsive experience for normal smartphone tasks and even gaming. We can't say much until we see some benchmarks and real-world tests.
Conclusion: A Foldable with a Twist?
Which, if true, would make the Galaxy Z Flip 7 with the Exynos 2500 one of the more interesting things Samsung has done in a while. This would be another strategic shift in the way Samsung handles its foldable lineup, adding value while remaining on in-house silicon for those models. For the time being, though, this is purely speculative. We'll continue to keep ears out as more leaks and official announcements come in through the expected launch timeframe.
Source: Tipster @Jukanlosreve
