One of the biggest questions around the Samsung Galaxy S25 series is what chipsets these phones will use. Typically, Samsung uses a mix of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets and its own Exynos chipsets. But leaks suggested that Exynos might not be in the mix this year, and instead a MediaTek chipset could be used by some Galaxy S25 models. Now though, it seems that Samsung might only use Snapdragon.
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.
[Exclusive] The negotiations between Samsung and MediaTek, which initially aimed to include the Dimensity chip in the Galaxy S25, have shifted to placing the Dimensity chip in the S25 FE instead. The S25 will exclusively use Snapdragon chips.October 11, 2024
This is probably good news, because based on past form the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will likely be the most powerful of these chipsets. If every model in the main (non-FE) Samsung Galaxy S25 line gets a Snapdragon chipset everywhere then, that also avoids the issue of having the same phone be less powerful in some regions, as has sometimes been the case in previous years.
The one potential downside here is that this could mean the Samsung Galaxy S25 line is more expensive than previous models, as reports suggest the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 is around $40 more expensive than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Of course, we’d take this leak with a pinch of salt, especially as @Jukanlosreve doesn’t really have a track record yet. Or at least, they don’t under that name, but they’re reportedly leaker Tech Reve using a new account, and that leaker has been right about many things.
A Samsung Galaxy S25 FE ‘Slim’?
And back on the subject of the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, the South Korean site The Elec has said that this might be launched as a “slim” model, and that to make it slimmer, Samsung might make the battery thinner but increase its surface area.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE will also apparently have a 6.7-inch screen, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.
In any case, at 8mm the S24 FE isn’t exactly thick anyway, but with rumors swirling that Apple is working on a thin iPhone 17 Air or iPhone 17 Slim, it wouldn’t be surprising if Samsung was preparing its own alternative.