Skip to content 
Forget Galaxy S22! Galaxy Fold 3 Will Be First With AMD’s GPU
Samsung and AMD are now confirmed to be working on a brand new mobile Radeon-based GPU that will launch aboard the Galaxy S22 in 2022
Rumors about Samsung and AMD partnering on a GPU have been rife throughout 2020. But this week, Samsung confirmed it is actually happening. It also confirmed when we’ll see this new mobile AMD GPU – it’ll launch inside the Samsung Galaxy S22 in 2022.
Or, Will It? New Leak Says Exynos AMD GPU Coming To Galaxy Z Fold 3
Here’s a quick update for you (January 26, 2021). According to Ice Universe, a Twitter-based leaker, the first Samsung phone to run its new Exynos chip with an AMD Radeon GPU will arrive inside Q2 2021. On top of that, he believes the first phone to run this new GPU will be the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 – although nothing is yet 100% confirmed.
If true, this would make the Samsung Galaxy Fold 3 one of the most powerful gaming phones on the planet. AMD’s Radeon GPU will bring a ton of extra clout to the platform. Add in the Galaxy Fold 3’s expansive folding display and you could well be looking at one of the best gaming phones of the year.
During Samsung’s recent Exynos on 2021 event, Samsung’s Dr. Inyup Kang, president of Samsung’s System LSI Business, confirmed that the Samsung/AMD GPU would appear inside the company’s “next flagship product” – and that cannot be referring to the Galaxy S21, as it is already official.
This is where the Galaxy Fold 3 rumor comes into play.
The new GPU will see Samsung licensing and integrating AMD’s RDNA GPU architecture inside future Exynos chipsets. The global debut of this new GPU will likely be inside the Exynos 2100’s successor – expect more details about that during the second half of 2021.
Samsung Galaxy S22 First With AMD GPU?
It is also worth noting that there likely won’t be a new Galaxy Note release this year; Samsung is apparently retiring the brand. The S-Pen will live on, however, inside the company’s foldable phones and future Galaxy S releases.
Additional reporting has claimed that the Samsung/AMD GPU will not be available until 2022, indicating – or confirming – that the Galaxy S21 will not be the first Samsung phone to run it.
Many were confused by Dr. Inyup Kang’s phrasing at the event; he said “next” flagship, which, obviously, sounds like the Galaxy S21. But this, apparently, is not the case. Next means the one after the Galaxy S21, meaning the Galaxy S22.
Or, if you believe Ice Universe, the Galaxy Fold 3 which is due in Q2 2021.
A New Dawn For Samsung’s Exynos Platform
With Samsung’s increasing focus on its Exynos platform, it looks as if this strategic partnership with AMD is all about bulking up the performance capabilities of its future Exynos chipsets.
Apple’s A-Series platform is currently dominating the mobile space, with respect to performance, and Qualcomm and MediaTek chips are doing a fair amount of business with Google’s Android hardware partners. Samsung needs something special in order to break through the glass ceiling. And a powerful AMD-designed GPU could be just the thing to do it.
And let’s not forget the ever-growing wave of ARM-based Windows machines that are launching. Currently, Qualcomm is uniquely placed to serve these machines, however, a heavily bolstered Exynos chip, complete with an AMD GPU, could see Samsung causing the US chipmaker plenty of headaches during 2022 and beyond.
Exciting times, indeed! Now we just have to wait and see which Samsung phone gets it first. My money’s on the Galaxy Fold 3!
Keep Reading
Explore more →
