Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra tipped to use Snapdragon processor despite overheating concerns

Published Nov 6, 2026, 9:36 PM EST Jade Bryan is a Feature Author at Android Police with over a decade of tech reviews and news reporting experience, stretching back to the Symbian era and the early days of Android. He covers the breadth of the mobile industry, specializing in operating system deep-dives, app testing, and hardware analysis. In his spare time, you can find him tinkering with his Android devices and wearables, seeking ways tech can improve daily life. He also enjoys playing MMORPGs, traveling, or feeding stray cats and dogs. Sign in to your Android Police account Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S27 series has been leaking for several months, and with 2027 more than a month away, the leaks are picking up even more steam. A new chatter has surfaced, hinting that Samsung will continue its dual-chip strategy next year. Accordingly, the Galaxy S27 Ultra and Galaxy S27 Pro will use the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 SoC, while the base and Plus could stick with in-house Exynos silicon. This contradicts early reports that Samsung is considering shifting to Exynos after Qualcomm's next mobile flagship SoC showed poor efficiency and thermal performance. Two-chip strategy in 2027 The fresh report comes from prolific South Korean leaker yeux1122, who published it on the outlet Naver (via SamMobile) and detailed the strategy in South Korea. The source says Samsung is picking the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, Qualcomm's new mobile SoC announced a couple of months ago, for the Galaxy S27 Ultra. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S27 Pro is said to settle on the non-extreme Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 SoC. It wasn't mentioned whether Samsung will also apply the same choice in other markets. The Galaxy S26 series, including the base models, runs exclusively on Snapdragon chips in the US, while the rest of the market reserves Snapdragon for the Ultra. The choice is said to be due to cost, since the Extreme Gen 6 is more capable and powerful, and more expensive than the standard processor. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27+ are expected to run on Samsung Exynos 2700. Overheating woes won't deter Samsung The new development contradicts a Seoul Economic Daily report that Samsung is considering ditching Snapdragon for the Exynos 2700 in select markets, including South Korea and Europe. Internal benchmarks showed promising results for the Exynos 2700 chip, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite-based chip was reportedly marred by overheating issues. Sources indicate Samsung was considering the Exynos variant as an alternative. However, Qualcomm quickly refuted the report. Qualcomm CMO Don McGuire responded on X, saying the claim is "100% NOT accurate" and added, "There are no systemic thermal issues with the 8 Elite Gen 6." However, this doesn't mean that an Exynos-powered Galaxy S27 Ultra or S27 Pro won't happen. We might see it materialize in other regions or perhaps in the next generation. Galaxy S27 Ultra and Pro shipping with larger batteries Beyond the processor, a certification revealed battery details for the Galaxy S27 Ultra and S27 Pro. It suggests that the Ultra will feature a 5700mAh battery, while the Pro will ship with 5200mAh. The Galaxy S26 Ultra and previous generations were limited to 5000mAh, so this increase is a welcome improvement. Both models will also get a new design with a rectangular camera island on the back, while the vanilla models stick with the familiar floating design. It's part of another Samsung segmentation tactic, giving buyers more reasons to choose the Ultra. The flagship series is reportedly launching at the end of January or early February 2027, much earlier than this year's launch. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 8/10 SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 RAM 12GB / 16GB Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB Battery 5,000mAh The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra features a built-in Privacy Display and a powerful Snapdragon SoC. Check the latest offers and buy it at a lower price.