seniorspectrumnewspaper – The Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 has made its first appearance on Geekbench. Confirming earlier leaks and sparking new discussions about its performance. Paired with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge (model SM-S947U). This new chip shows notable gains over its predecessor, though not yet running at full potential.
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According to the Geekbench 6.4 listing, the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 scored 3,393 in single-core and 11,515 in multi-core tests. This represents a modest 10% uplift in single-core performance compared to the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Which scored 3,087 and 8,571 respectively. However, this sample is not running at full boost clock. The CPU reportedly held steady at 4.0 GHz during the test, well below its intended peak of 4.74 GHz. That suggests future versions of the chip could post significantly better scores.
The chip continues to use a 6+2 CPU layout, with efficiency cores now capable of reaching up to 3.63 GHz. It also includes support for the SME (Scalable Matrix Extension) instruction set. Adding new capabilities for AI workloads and heavy computation. The Galaxy S26 Edge in the benchmark listing was equipped with 12 GB of RAM and running an early version of Android 16, possibly with One UI 8.0.
With its scheduled unveiling by Qualcomm set for late September, this early performance glimpse shows the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 has the potential to be a strong upgrade for flagship devices. However, it also raises concerns for Samsung’s in-house silicon.
Snapdragon Gains Spotlight as Exynos 2600 Struggles to Compete
The early success of the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 puts pressure on Samsung’s Exynos 2600, which had already shown up in previous Geekbench listings. While it was the first to appear, its performance results were less promising, especially when compared to this new Snapdragon chip—even when the latter is underclocked.
Samsung’s Exynos 2600 had been positioned as a next-gen alternative for the Galaxy S26 series. But with the Galaxy S26 Edge appearing on Geekbench running a Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, it now seems likely that the full S26 lineup could adopt Qualcomm’s silicon globally. This shift would mirror previous decisions by Samsung to favor Snapdragon chips in most markets due to consistent performance and efficiency advantages.
For consumers, this is largely positive news. Devices powered by Snapdragon chips typically offer better thermal control, improved battery life, and more robust gaming performance. However, for Samsung Foundry and its Exynos division, it signals continued difficulty in competing against Qualcomm’s top-tier offerings.
The lackluster performance of the Exynos 2600 may further delay Samsung’s efforts to re-establish its chips as flagship-class contenders. If Qualcomm maintains its edge, Samsung could continue to rely on external partners for premium chipsets well into future generations.
With the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 official launch just weeks away, more definitive benchmark results and hardware announcements are expected soon. Until then, the early performance lead already casts a long shadow over Samsung’s next Exynos release.
