New Exynos 2600 benchmarks show unexpected CPU downgrades

Samsung's next-generation flagship processor, the Exynos 2600, has long been in development, with expectations high for its debut in the upcoming Galaxy S26 series. Early benchmark results painted a picture of a remarkably powerful chip, potentially giving rival processors serious competition. However, recent changes in public benchmark data have introduced some uncertainty regarding the Exynos 2600’s final performance.

Geekbench reflects Exynos 2600 performance drop in latest tests

Just hours ago, updated scores for the Exynos 2600 were filed in the Geekbench database. These new scores show a noticeable downgrade in raw processing power compared to previous tests. More specifically, the Exynos 2600 SoC recorded a multi-core score of 10,025 and a single-core score of 3,047 on Geekbench.

To put these figures in context, Geekbench results from late August showed the same chip achieving significantly higher scores: 11,256 in multi-core and 3,309 in single-core tests. Plus, recent reports claimed the Exynos 2600 was poised to surpass its rivals, even suggesting things like CPU power up to 14% greater than Apple's A19 Pro and GPU performance 29% better than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

The latest results paint a different picture. The new scores are now lower than those of the current-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, a chip already available in devices like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which reaches 3,186 and 10,042 in single-core and multi-core on Geekbench tests, respectively.

A visible reason for the change: Reduced CPU clock frequencies

That said, there is a clear technical reason for the drop in scores: a change in the chip's testing configuration. The latest Geekbench entry shows the Exynos 2600 was tested at significantly reduced CPU frequencies compared to earlier versions. Previously, the chip was running with 6x cores at 2.76 GHz, 3x cores at 3.26 GHz, and 1x core at 3.80 GHz. Meanwhile, new tests show a CPU setup with 6x cores at 2.46 GHz, 3x cores at 2.96 GHz, and 1x core at 3.55 GHz.

There are two possible explanations for this clock speed downgrade. In a worst-case scenario, Samsung may have found thermal throttling issues, where the chip consumes more power or generates more heat than is optimal for sustained use. Alternatively, the company could simply be testing the current chip version’s performance at lower frequencies.

Ultimately, it is unlikely that the final version of the Exynos 2600 will reflect the low benchmark results seen in these latest tests, as that would place it far behind its direct competition. Be that as it may, let's hope that Samsung finds the ideal balance between high performance and efficient power use before the Galaxy S26 launches.