The Samsung Galaxy S25's chipset woes could be solved by an unlikely silicon player

Samsung Galaxy S24 on a yellow background
The Galaxy S24 (left) and Galaxy S24 Ultra (right) (Image credit: Future / Samsung)

Samsung is no stranger to equipping its Galaxy smartphones with different chipsets in different regions, but the company has traditionally stuck to a two-chipset approach on occasions where it’s been unable to offer the same chips across the board (see the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S24 lines).

With the Samsung Galaxy S25 line, however, Samsung is reportedly considering adding a third chipset into the mix. Specifically, the smartphone giant could use a MediaTek chip – presumably the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 – in certain regions, owing to alleged production issues with its own Exynos 2500.

This tip comes from Korean news outlet FNN (via Digital Trends), and builds on earlier reports claiming that Samsung is no longer on track to manufacture enough Exynos 2500 chipsets in time for the Galaxy S25’s assumed January launch. It was previously thought that Samsung might be forced to use Qualcomm’s as-yet-unannounced Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset in every Galaxy S25 model to abate these production concerns, but FNN reports that the high price of that particular chipset could see Samsung turning to MediaTek for help.

We’d take this rumor with a hefty pinch of salt, not least because seasoned Samsung tipster Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will “likely” be used in every Galaxy S25 model globally. That said, the situation may have changed for Samsung in the few weeks since Kuo made that claim. 

What’s more, Samsung was already rumoured to be equipping its upcoming Galaxy Tab S10 Plus tablet with the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus chipset, so it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of possibility for the company to do the same with the Galaxy S25 in certain regions.

As for what those regions will be, we suspect that Samsung will use a mix of MediaTek and Exynos chipsets in Galaxy S25 models offered across Europe, India and South Korea (if indeed FNN’s report turns out to be accurate).

As with the Samsung Galaxy S24 line, the US market will likely remain Qualcomm-exclusive across the board, and it’s also worth noting that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, specifically, will surely be offered with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in every region.

For US readers, then – or indeed anyone who’s planning on picking up the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – this news should be of little consequence. But if you live outside of the US and are waiting patiently for the standard Galaxy S25 or Galaxy S25 Plus, it’s worth keeping tabs on this rumor if you’re overly concerned about the chipset set to power your future smartphone.

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Axel Metz
Phones Editor

Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.  Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

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