Samsung is pushing forward with its next-generation chip development, as early testing of a new Samsung Exynos 1.4nm chipset has surfaced through fresh leaks. While still years away from commercialization, the chip is already shaping up to be one of the company’s most ambitious designs yet.
According to details shared by tipster @SPYGO19726, the upcoming Exynos processor built on Samsung’s future 1.4nm node will bring higher clock speeds, a redesigned CPU architecture, and a massive upgrade in cache.
The chip is said to feature a 10-core CPU in a 2+4+4 configuration. This includes two prime cores clocked at up to 4.50GHz, marking a significant jump over the current Exynos 2600, which tops out at 3.8GHz. That represents roughly a 19% increase in peak frequency.
Alongside the prime cores, the processor will include four performance cores running at 3.80GHz and four efficiency cores clocked at 2.00GHz, aiming to balance raw power and energy efficiency.
One of the most notable upgrades is the reported inclusion of a massive 96MB System Level Cache (SLC). This is a dramatic leap compared to current smartphone chipsets such as the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, which features around 10MB of SLC.
A larger SLC allows the chip to store more frequently accessed data closer to the CPU, reducing memory latency and increasing bandwidth. This can improve overall responsiveness while also reducing the need for components like the CPU, GPU, NPU, and ISP to constantly access slower memory layers.
The leak also mentions an ultra-wide bus design, which could further minimize latency between different components of the chip.
However, this approach comes with trade-offs. A significantly larger cache increases the size of the silicon die, which in turn raises production costs. In fact, pushing SLC to 96MB would likely make the chip too large for typical smartphone use, suggesting it could be better suited for other device categories.
Samsung is currently focusing on stabilizing yields for its 2nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process, with multiple iterations expected before the 1.4nm node reaches mass production. Because of this, the chip in testing is unlikely to be the previously rumored Exynos 2700.
The company is reportedly targeting 2029 for mass production of its 1.4nm process, leaving several years for further development and optimization.
Given the early stage of testing, these specifications should be treated cautiously. Still, the leak offers a glimpse into Samsung’s long-term silicon strategy. One that appears focused on pushing performance boundaries while rethinking core architecture and memory design.