Snapdragon or Exynos? New upgrade for Exynos Galaxy S27 could make this a tough choice

Samsung has long offered Exynos or Snapdragon chipsets in its flagship phones, with the former being paired with a Samsung modem. Now, a Korean publication has encouraging news if you’re worried about efficiency and data speeds on the Galaxy S27 series.

The Elec reports (h/t: SamMobile) that Samsung will use a so-called M2700 modem in the Galaxy S27 series. This will ostensibly be restricted to the Exynos variants. The outlet claims that this is an external modem built on a 4nm manufacturing process, much like the Exynos Modem 5410 (also known as the Shannon 5410) seen in some Galaxy S26 series models.

Nevertheless, Samsung’s new modem apparently offers improved power efficiency and data speeds due to design and software changes. There aren’t any specific figures for these performance and efficiency gains, but the outlet reports that the modem area has been reduced by 4%. Furthermore, the M2700 modem apparently supports the Release 18 standard (up from Release 17) and improved satellite connectivity. For what it’s worth, the Release 18 standard alone promises faster speeds and lower power consumption in idle states.

“The existing Shannon 5410 was at a disadvantage compared to competitors in terms of idle power consumption or standard power measurement environments,” a source told The Elec. “I understand that the M2700 achieved performance equivalent to or better than competitors’ products through voltage adjustment and other measures.”

This will be great news for the Galaxy S27 series if these gains are confirmed. At least one battery life test showed that the Snapdragon-toting Galaxy S26 lasted significantly longer than the Exynos variant. So a more efficient modem should keep you going for longer when you’re out and about.

There might also be good news for the Galaxy S28 series, as the outlet reports that the M2800 modem will switch to a 2nm manufacturing process. This modem will apparently appear in Galaxy S28 models powered by the Exynos 2800 chipset. A smaller manufacturing process usually results in a more efficient chip, so we’re optimistic that Exynos-powered Galaxy S28 models will see even more power savings.