Samsung’s 2nm flagship packs an in-house-developed Xclipse 960 GPU based on AMD’s RDNA4, delivering 2x graphics and 50% better ray tracing over its predecessor.
Samsung’s Exynos 2600 is already a milestone in mobile silicon as the first 2nm smartphone chip. But it’s also quietly rewriting the rules in GPU design. According to The Elec, the new Xclipse 960 GPU is not only based on AMD’s RDNA4 architecture, but it’s also the first GPU Samsung has fully developed in-house—marking a significant shift in its long-running partnership with AMD.
From Co-Development to In-House Execution
Since 2019, Samsung has worked with AMD to bring desktop-class graphics IP into mobile chips.
- The Exynos 2200 launched with RDNA2-based MGFX2, followed by MGFX3 in the Exynos 2400 and 2500.
- With the Exynos 2600, Samsung debuts MGFX4, based on RDNA4, but developed independently, using AMD’s licensed IP.
In short: Samsung used AMD’s blueprint, but built the GPU entirely by itself—a critical step before it fully transitions to its own GPU architecture in the upcoming Exynos 2800.
So, what kind of performance leap are we looking at?
Xclipse 960: Double the Graphics, Smarter Efficiency
The Xclipse 960 GPU in the Exynos 2600 features:
- 8 Workgroup Processors (WGPs) → 16 Compute Units (CUs)
- 980MHz clock speed, slightly down from 999MHz in the Xclipse 950
- Despite lower clock speeds, Samsung claims:
- 2x performance vs. Exynos 2500 GPU
- 50% faster ray tracing capabilities
This is due to improved CU efficiency in the RDNA4-based MGFX4 architecture, designed to deliver more compute per watt—a key requirement for smartphone thermal and battery constraints.
MGFX: AMD’s RDNA, Optimized for Mobile
Samsung’s MGFX line is essentially AMD’s RDNA GPU IP, reduced and customized for small form factors.
- MGFX4 is the latest evolution of this concept, designed to bring high-fidelity visuals without exceeding mobile power envelopes.
- This GPU was tailored for the Exynos 2600, which notably lacks an integrated modem, allowing Samsung to further optimize thermal headroom for graphics and AI workloads.
This places Samsung on a unique path in the mobile GPU space—leaning on desktop-class IP while gradually moving toward full autonomy.
What’s Next: The Road to a Samsung-Built GPU
While the Xclipse 960 marks Samsung’s first solo GPU execution, the next step is even more ambitious.
- The Exynos 2800, expected in 2028, will reportedly feature Samsung’s own GPU architecture, designed entirely without AMD IP.
- This would place Samsung among the elite four GPU designers: AMD, Nvidia, Intel, and Qualcomm.
But performance on paper isn’t the whole story.
Real-World Gaming and Efficiency Still Under Watch
As the Exynos 2600 prepares to debut in the Galaxy S26 series, the true test will come from real-world gaming, battery endurance, and thermal stability.
- Competitors like Apple’s A18 Pro, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, and MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 will pose stiff competition.
- Samsung will need to prove that its MGFX4 GPU not only benchmarks well but delivers consistent frame rates, ray-tracing performance, and power efficiency in daily use.
TL;DR:
The Exynos 2600 is the first smartphone chip to use AMD’s RDNA4 GPU architecture, but the Xclipse 960 GPU was fully developed by Samsung. Featuring 8 WGPs, 16 CUs, and 980MHz clocks, it delivers 2x graphics performance and 50% better ray tracing than its predecessor. This marks Samsung’s biggest GPU step before it debuts a fully in-house GPU in the Exynos 2800.
