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The Galaxy S25 could come with a MediaTek SoC
- A new report claims that Samsung is considering not only the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and Exynos 2500 for the Galaxy S25 series but also a MediaTek Dimensity SoC.
- This could be a way to counter high pricing on Qualcomm Snapdragon flagship SoCs.
- The report’s sourcing is not very sound, so we advise skepticism as a MediaTek SoC would be a big break in tradition for Samsung flagships.
There’s a very good chance the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 will become one of the top Android phones when it launches, presumably in early 2025. As has been tradition, Samsung’s top flagship sports the latest smartphone SoC, making it a performance powerhouse. There have been years where the company splits up between Qualcomm’s top Snapdragon SoC and its own Exynos flagship SoC, giving us slight performance differences between models and regions. If a new sketchy rumor is to be believed, Samsung could be looking to shake things up even more by adding a third SoC, from MediaTek this time, in the mix.
According to a report from South Korean news publication The Financial News, citing a leaker, Samsung’s chances of using the Exynos 2500 in the Galaxy S25 are “higher than before,” though it is dependent on the SoC’s yield. The report further mentions that using Exynos will help Samsung’s semiconductor business and will also help with price negotiations with Qualcomm.
The report mentions that Qualcomm’s current Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is priced at about $190-200, and Qualcomm could raise the price of the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 by up to 30%, possibly pricing it as much as $260. As a result, Samsung is considering alternatives, like its Exynos 2500 SoC, and is also considering MediaTek Dimensity options.
The report does not specify a good source for this Dimensity rumor, so we advise treating it with a healthy dose of skepticism. It does not specify any specific Dimensity SoC, either. If Samsung does go for a MediaTek SoC, it is likely to opt for an upcoming flagship that would compete well against its upcoming Exynos flagship and Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon flagship.
Opting for a MediaTek SoC would be a massive break in tradition for the flagship Galaxy S series, which has traditionally stuck to Qualcomm and Exynos options. However, this competition would be beneficial to customers in the long run as it would help keep the pricing of flagship phones relatively stable even if certain component makers continue to raise prices in the future. Still, this is a sketchy rumor, so take it with more than a pinch of salt.