The European versions of the Samsung Galaxy S26 and Samsung Galaxy S26+, which are also sold in Ukraine, once again feature a separate hardware configuration. Instead of the global Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, the Samsung Exynos 2600 is used here. And it appears this decision takes a toll on battery life.
Unlike these two models, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is shipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip in all regions. The manufacturer positions the Exynos 2600 as a flagship processor with a modern 2nm process, which is 30% cooler than its predecessor. But real-world tests show the other side of the coin.
In the past, Galaxy models with Exynos processors have repeatedly lagged behind Snapdragon versions in terms of performance and battery life. A new comparison confirms these concerns. According to the test, the Exynos 2600 overheats during 4K video encoding and consumes more power in everyday scenarios.
The biggest difference is evident in everyday tasks: scrolling through feeds on TikTok and X noticeably drains the battery faster. Even in apps like Google Maps, power consumption on the Exynos is slightly higher.
The difference is quite significant. The European Galaxy S26 with the Exynos 2600 chip lasts only 6 hours and 48 minutes, while the version with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 lasts 9 hours and 26 minutes. The difference exceeds 2.5 hours, or about 28%.
The question of processor performance remains open for now, as detailed tests are still ahead. But it is already clear that energy efficiency has become a weak point of the new platform for the European market.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra survived a drop test, but the camera sustained damage
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra survived a drop test, but the camera sustained damage
Source: notebookcheck