Samsung is preparing to end its strategic partnership with AMD in the graphics processing unit (GPU) sector, ushering in a new era in the semiconductor world.
Samsung-AMD Collaboration Ends
Recent reports from South Korea indicate that the tech giant will end its AMD collaboration, which has been ongoing since 2021, and transition to a GPU architecture developed entirely in-house. This move is considered one of the most critical stages in Samsung’s strategy to increase its hardware dominance, particularly in mobile devices, and reduce its dependence on foreign suppliers.
The company’s first in-house designed GPU technology is planned to be included in the Exynos 2800 processor, which will power the Galaxy S28 series expected to be released in 2028. Previous models, the Exynos 2200, 2400, and 2500 series, used graphics units based on AMD’s RDNA architecture.
The Exynos 2600 model, expected to be released in 2026, is projected to be an intermediate form factor, taking its architecture from AMD and developing it through Samsung’s System LSI unit. With the Exynos 2800, all design processes will be entirely under Samsung’s control.
Samsung’s radical decision stems from the critical role GPUs play in AI computing, not just image processing, as AI technologies advance.
The inability of general-purpose graphics processors to fully integrate with Samsung’s own software ecosystem leads to losses in power consumption and performance efficiency. By internalizing the GPU architecture, the company aims to follow in the footsteps of giants like Google, Amazon, and Meta, and achieve the highest level of optimization for specific workloads.
