The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra headed for Korea has been spotted in a Geekbench run, providing some welcome news for fans. Unlike its standard siblings, the Korean variant will likely feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, the same chip found in the North American version. This suggests a consistent experience across different markets for the Ultra model.

This is a departure from previous years, where Samsung often used its in-house Exynos processors in some regions. The decision to equip the S26 Ultra globally with the Snapdragon chip will likely please consumers, who have often perceived Snapdragon as the superior option. The device, model number SM-S948N, also packs 12GB of RAM.

The S26 Ultra will launch with Android 16 and Samsung's One UI 8.5. The Galaxy S26 family is anticipated to be unveiled on February 25th. This news follows earlier reports about the standard S26, which will feature a mix of Snapdragon and Exynos, making the Ultra's consistent chipset a key differentiator.

Ultimately, the consistent use of the Snapdragon chip in the S26 Ultra could signal a shift in Samsung's strategy. It could also indicate that the next-generation Exynos chip isn't quite ready for primetime, or that Samsung wants to offer a more unified performance experience for its highest-end models across all markets.