Skip to main content

Samsung’s powerful Exynos 9825 chip breaks cover ahead of Galaxy Note 10 launch

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Samsung has announced the Exynos 9825 processor, just hours before the launch of the Galaxy Note 10, suggesting the new powerhouse chip will be inside at least some of the new smartphones. An advancement over the Samsung Exynos 9820 chip, the new Exynos 9825 is built using a smaller, more advanced manufacturing process for more power and improved efficiency.

In the U.S., Samsung’s flagship phones usually have a Qualcomm chip inside, and this is expected to be the case for the Galaxy Note 10. Rumors suggesting Samsung will use its new Exynos more widely in the U.S. this year turned out to be unfounded. If the Exynos 9825 is to be used in the Galaxy Note 10, it will be in versions sold in Europe, South Korea, and various other international markets.

It’s an octa-core chip made up of two custom Mongoose cores, two Cortex A75 cores, and four Cortex A55 cores, Samsung used a new 7nm EUV manufacturing process for the Exynos 9825. This enables it to print finer circuits, which it says results in the processor being faster and more power efficient. For the Exynos 9820 chip — used in some Galaxy S10 and S10 Plus phones — it used a larger 8nm LPP FinFET manufacturing process.

What else? The Exynos 9825 has its own integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to drive artificial intelligence and augmented reality apps and features, the Mali G76-MP12 graphics processing unit (GPU) support for up to 8K Ultra HD video and HDR10+, plus the chip has high levels of security. For connectivity, it has an integrated 4G LTE modem, but can also be paired with Samsung’s Exynos Modem 5100 for 5G. If it does make it inside the Galaxy Note 10, expect any international 5G version announced to have this setup.

Samsung’s Exynos 9825 will compete against Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855, and the Snapdragon 855 Plus. Comparisons between the Exynos 9820 and Snapdragon 855 often had the Qualcomm chip come out better for efficiency and power, which Samsung is surely hoping will change with the introduction of the new processor.

The Galaxy Note 10 will be revealed at an event in New York on Wednesday, August 7. In addition to the potential of it being used in the new phone, it’s highly likely the Exynos 9825 will also be used in some versions of the Galaxy S11, which will come in 2020.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Samsung may have just killed the Galaxy S10
Galaxy S10 Plus.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 was an excellent addition to Samsung's hardware lineup in 2019, but it seems like it's finally being sunset by the company after one final update.

According to Droid Life, this week saw what's likely to be the Galaxy S10's final security update before its official support ends. While it's not confirmed that S10 owners won't see another update if something major needs to be patched, it seems like this might be it for the smartphone line in terms of regularly scheduled updates.

Read more
Goodbye Samsung Galaxy Note 20, you were a terrible phone
Galaxy Note 20 Back

There are many reasons to love Samsung. It has a broad range of good (often great) devices, solid software, and the ability to interconnect smart devices better than most Android manufacturers -- but the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 is not one of the reasons. In fact, it's a terrible smartphone, and after swapping to the Google Pixel 7 Pro, I can finally purge myself of this experience and move on.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 was one of the worst phones I've ever used, and you should thank your good fortune if you didn't buy it. If you did, I feel your pain.
The Note 20 was already the unloved sibling
The Galaxy Note 20 (left) and Note 20 Ultra (right). Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Read more
Samsung’s self-repair program launches for Galaxy S21, S20, and Tab S7 Plus
Vision Booster on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, with the S21 Ultra.

Earlier this year, Samsung announced that it would allow Galaxy device owners the option to repair their gadgets themselves. A few months later, the company's self-repair program has finally gone live. Launching for the Galaxy S21 and S20 lines of smartphones, as well as the Tab S7 Plus, device owners won't need to discard their smartphones and tablets if they're malfunctioning. Instead, they can purchase repair parts and tools for quick, do-it-yourself fixes.

While device repair might sound like a daunting endeavor, Samsung is providing full access to online repair guides that give step-by-step instructions on how to fix specific issues and replace crucial elements. Additionally, replacement parts and repair tools will be available through a handful of retailers, including iFixit, Samsung 837, and Samsung retail stores.

Read more