Galaxy S26's Exynos 2600 Chip Matches The M5 MacBook Pro's Performance In Leaked Benchmarks

Samsung will reportedly launch the Galaxy S26 series on February 25 — several weeks later than anticipated. The launch delay can be attributed to Samsung's rumored strategy changes for the next-generation flagship smartphones. The Korean handset vendor decided to stick with the same three-model Galaxy S structure as last year, reviving the Galaxy S26 Plus model that was supposed to be replaced by the Galaxy S26 Edge. Samsung is also set to use the Exynos 2600 chip in more Galaxy S26 flavors, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Reports last month said that the new Exynos 2600 is significantly faster than Apple's A19 Pro and can even compete against the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 that will power some Galaxy S26 variants in a few regions.

Fast-forward to November, and a leaked Exynos 2600 benchmark seems to support those claims. If the figures in the image are accurate, the Exynos 2600 might offer benchmark performance similar to the M5 chip that Apple unveiled last month when it launched the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro. The numbers can't be confirmed at this time, as Samsung has yet to release a device featuring the new Exynos 2600 processor. PhoneArena notes the alleged Geekbench 6 test seen in the tweet above can't be found. It has been deleted or faked. However, if the information is accurate, the Galaxy S26 series might feature a surprisingly powerful processor, and not the one most people expected.

While benchmark scores are exciting, you shouldn't expect any of the three Galaxy S26 models to replace a MacBook Pro. After all, iPhone chips have matched or outperformed Mac and iPad chips for years, but a smartphone can't do everything that a full-fledged computer can. Still, the industry has always marveled at Apple's mobile chips, and rumors do say that Apple is working on a $599 MacBook Air that will feature an A-series chip from the iPhone. Samsung would deserve similar recognition for the Exynos 2600 if rumors are true. The leaked benchmark shows the Exynos 2600 scoring 4,217 points in single-core tests and 13,482 in multi-core tests. The single-core test is routinely won by Apple's latest iPhone chips when it comes to mobile processors. A previous Exynos 2600 benchmark leak showed slightly lower scores of 3,455 and 11,621, respectively. The new leak shows a notable jump in performance.

We could also be looking at a chip version that Samsung is testing without necessarily planning to use it in a phone. Speed isn't the only priority for mobile chips; efficiency and thermal management are also critical. After all, Samsung doesn't want a repeat of the overheating Exynos 2200 that forced it to embrace Qualcomm flagship chips for years. To put things in perspective, the M5 MacBook Pro scored 4,298 (single-core) and 17,795 (multi-core) in the same Geekbench test. The iPhone 17 Pro's A19 Pro chip reaches 3,751 and 9,711 points, respectively. Finally, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 that will power some Galaxy S26 versions scores 3,832 and 12,208 points in the test.