With prices for Qualcomm’s 8 Gen 4 expected to increase and poor yields for its Exynos 2500, Samsung may tap MediaTek to bridge the gap…
TL;DR
Could Samsung Really Use MediaTek SoC in Galaxy S25?
- Samsung’s Exynos 2500 SoC yields are below 20%, creating production challenges for the 2025 Galaxy S25 series.
- Qualcomm is rumored to raise the price of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC by 30%.
- A 30% price hike on the Galaxy S25 models would likely be unpopular with consumers.
- Due to these issues, Samsung is considering using MediaTek’s Dimensity SoC as a last resort.
- This could break Samsung’s tradition of exclusively using Snapdragon and Exynos chips.
- A successful partnership with MediaTek could improve MediaTek’s reputation and provide a more affordable alternative for Samsung.
The idea of Samsung using a MediaTek SoC inside its flagship Galaxy S25 series sounds pretty ridiculous. But this is what is being claimed by South Korea news outlet, The Financial News – but does it carry any stock?
Potentially. But we need to unpack things first. The first thing you need to know is that Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 phones – at least, according to the latest leaks – will use Snapdragon exclusively.
According to leaker @Jukanlosreve on X, Samsung is in negotiations with MediaTek and did originally intend to use a Dimensity chipset (likely the top-end Dimensity 9400) in the Samsung Galaxy S25, but now the main Samsung Galaxy S25 series will exclusively use a Snapdragon chipset instead (presumably the not-yet-announced Snapdragon 8 Gen 4).
However, MediaTek’s chipsets will still apparently make an appearance in a high-end Samsung phone, with the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE supposedly set to get one instead – TechRadar
But there’s still wider problems afoot with Samsung’s chip business. On top of that, it STILL has to deal with Qualcomm’s price increases. And also: the above quote comes from a leaker – not an official Samsung source. That means, when it comes to MediaTek chips inside Samsung phones, all bets are off until the phones are officially announced.
How did we get here? As always, it’s a tale with lots of twists and turns. But everything you need to know about Samsung’s current chip woes are detailed in full below…
Samsung Has Problems With Exynos 2500 Yields, While Qualcomm Is Rumored To Be Increasing Gen 4 Price By 30%
As it stands, Samsung is in something of a pickle with its SoC options for its 2025 Galaxy S25 series. Yields for Samsung’s new Exynos 2500 are lower than expected, still below 20% apparently, and Qualcomm is expected to raise the price of its Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC by as much as 30%.
If the latter scenario plays out, the additional cost of the SoC would have to be passed on to consumers – and a 30% price hike on any of the Galaxy S25 models isn’t going to go down very well with anyone. That leaves the Exynos 2500 and, apparently, the last resort MediaTek SoC as its only options.
MediaTek is Samsung’s Last Resort
The reason MediaTek is apparently being considered – and I say this with a heavy pinch of salt – is because Samsung A) cannot increase the price of its new Galaxy S25 phones by 20% to 30%, no one would buy them, and B) because it’s having so many issues with its Exynos 2500 platform.
It has to release the phones, so it has to come up with a solution, one that doesn’t involve massive price increases, and one that also offers a get out of jail free card if things continue to be troublesome with the Exynos 2500. And this is where MediaTek comes into play.
Will Samsung Actually Use MediaTek Chips Inside Galaxy S25 Phones?
It’s looking likely, although nothing has been confirmed. MediaTek refused to comment, and Samsung is remaining tight-lipped. But the move does (kind of) make sense. Here’s why:
- Dimensity 9400: Many rumors point towards Samsung potentially using MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 chipset in some Galaxy S25 models. This high-performance chip could offer a competitive alternative to Qualcomm’s offerings.
- Cost and Performance: The decision to use MediaTek chips could be driven by factors such as cost and performance. MediaTek has made significant strides in recent years, producing competitive chipsets, while Samsung’s Exynos platform has consistently pooped the bed.
- Regional Variations: It’s possible that Samsung might use MediaTek chips in certain regions or for specific models, while continuing to use Qualcomm or Exynos in others.
The report claims Samsung is “considering” – and the emphasis here really is on the word “considering” – the MediaTek Dimensity SoC for specific versions of the Galaxy S25, breaking an almost decade-long tradition of it exclusively using Snapdragon and Exynos.
Is MediaTek Read For Flagships?
Playing devil’s advocate, this could potentially be a huge deal for MediaTek and the wider industry. If Samsung does use one of MediaTek’s SoCs, and the performance is fine, the prices remain the same as last year, and everybody is happy, that’s a win/win for both Samsung and consumers.
If Qualcomm wants to hike its prices by a reported 30% to cover the costs of AI features and R&D that most people do not want and/or need, then there needs to be a viable alternative. And this is where MediaTek comes in. Normally, MediaTek is associated with lower-end phones but a partnership with Samsung on the S25 series, if it went well, would change that reputation more or less over night.
Obviously, this is a rumor and it is pretty baseless at the moment, the report does not cite their source and offers little in the way of evidence to back up its claims, but if you join the dots, based on Samsung’s current SoC issues, there is logic at play here, so perhaps there is something to this MediaTek x Samsung leak?
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