Samsung is reportedly developing its own graphics processing unit, marking a significant shift in the company’s long term semiconductor strategy. If successful, the move could give Samsung far greater control over performance, efficiency and artificial intelligence capabilities in its future smartphones and other devices.
For many years, Samsung has relied on a combination of Arm Mali GPUs and partnerships such as its recent collaboration with AMD, which brought RDNA based graphics to Exynos chips. While these efforts delivered mixed results, they also highlighted the limitations of depending on external designs. A fully in house GPU would allow Samsung to optimise hardware and software together, similar to the approach taken by Apple with its silicon.
According to industry reports, the new GPU is being designed specifically for Samsung’s future Exynos processors, with a strong focus on AI workloads, advanced graphics rendering and power efficiency. This could be especially important as smartphones increasingly rely on on device AI features such as image processing, voice recognition and real time translation.
Developing a competitive GPU is no small task. Graphics architectures are among the most complex components in modern chips, and established players like Qualcomm, Apple and Nvidia have spent years refining their designs. Samsung will need to overcome challenges related to driver optimisation, thermal management and developer support if it hopes to match or exceed rival solutions.
However, the potential rewards are substantial. A successful custom GPU could reduce Samsung’s reliance on external suppliers, improve profit margins and allow tighter integration across its product ecosystem. It may also help Exynos regain credibility in markets where it has struggled to compete with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips.
While the first devices powered by Samsung’s own GPU are unlikely to appear for several years, the project signals a clear ambition. Samsung is positioning itself not just as a device manufacturer, but as a full stack technology company capable of designing the core components that power the modern mobile experience.
If the company can execute on this vision, its custom GPU could become a cornerstone of Samsung’s future smartphones and a key differentiator in an increasingly competitive market.
Author: Abel Vazquez Sanchez