Samsung will use MediaTek application processors in the 4G version of its budget Galaxy A18 and Qualcomm chips in the 5G version, according to ZDNet Korea citing industry sources — again passing over its own Exynos line, reportedly on cost.

A Repeat of the A17 Pattern, Minus the Exynos

In the predecessor Galaxy A17, Samsung used MediaTek's Helio G99 in the 4G model and its own Exynos 1330 in the 5G model. This time, per the report, Exynos sits out both variants. The Galaxy A1x series — budget phones with rigid OLED screens — sells in high volumes that help offset fixed costs across the supply chain, which is part of why the chip inside matters so much to the economics. Per Counterpoint, the Galaxy A17 ranked in the global top 10 for shipments in the first quarter, with the 5G model 5th and the 4G model 9th.

Samsung plans to begin mass production of the A18 4G as a finished product in August, with a monthly plan of 100,000 units in August, 2.4 million in September, and 2.5 million in October — figures an industry source said are subject to change. Mass production of the 4G model's components has already begun, the source said, with the 5G model to follow on Qualcomm's schedule.

Why Samsung Passes Over Its Own Chip

It can seem odd that Samsung, which designs and makes its own Exynos processors, would buy chips from MediaTek and Qualcomm for its own phones — but at the budget end the logic is mostly economic. A line like the Galaxy A1x sells in very high volumes at very low prices and thin margins, and the application processor is one of the most expensive single components in a phone, so its cost weighs heavily. Amid a sharp rise in memory-chip costs, Samsung and others are working to contain manufacturing costs — a squeeze that has hit budget phones hardest and, the report notes, led Chinese makers to scale back plans, pressure MediaTek feels too. Analysts attribute Samsung's decision not to use Exynos in either A18 variant to price.

What It Costs Samsung's Chip Arm

The flip side is what the choice costs Samsung's own chip division. The Exynos parts that would go into these phones are built on older "legacy" process nodes — the A17's Exynos 1330 was made on a 5nm process — and represent lower-margin, high-volume business. So every time Samsung's mobile arm buys an outside AP, its System LSI division misses out on that Exynos revenue.

That matters because System LSI is faring better at the high end even as it cedes the low. The Exynos 2600 in some Galaxy S26 models is a 2nm chip, a premium part, and its rising adoption has helped the division's finances. Per Sigmaintell, Samsung ranked fifth in global smartphone AP shipments in the first quarter, up 11% year-on-year with share rising a point to 7%. In other words, Samsung's chip arm is recovering on premium Exynos while handing budget volume to rivals — and the A18 is a small, concrete example of that split.

The AP Market, by the Numbers

By Counterpoint's Q1 tally, MediaTek led the smartphone application-processor market with 33% (97 million units), followed by Qualcomm at 24% (71 million), Apple at 18% (53 million), UniSOC at 10% (30 million), Samsung's Exynos at 7% (21 million), and Huawei's HiSilicon at 5% (16 million). The standings underline the backdrop to the A18 decision: MediaTek and Qualcomm are the volume leaders Samsung is leaning on for its budget line, while Exynos remains a smaller player concentrated in Samsung's own devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

What chip does the Galaxy A18 use?

According to a report from ZDNet Korea citing industry sources, the Galaxy A18 4G will use a MediaTek application processor, while the Galaxy A18 5G will use a Qualcomm chip — with no Samsung Exynos in either version. The specific chip models were not confirmed in the report. As with any pre-launch supply-chain reporting, the details are attributed to industry sources rather than an official Samsung announcement, and plans can change.

Why doesn't Samsung use Exynos in the A18?

Analysts quoted in the reporting attribute the decision to cost. Budget phones like the Galaxy A1x line sell in high volumes at thin margins, and with memory-chip prices surging, Samsung and other makers are working to keep manufacturing costs down. In that environment, sourcing a lower-cost merchant processor from MediaTek or Qualcomm can be more economical than using Samsung's own Exynos. The trade-off is that Samsung's System LSI chip division misses out on the Exynos revenue it would otherwise earn from these high-volume phones.

When does the Galaxy A18 come out?

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy A18 in the second half of 2026, following its usual pattern of releasing the 4G model first and the 5G version some months later. According to the reporting, mass production of the A18 4G as a finished product is planned to begin in August, with monthly output ramping to 2.4 million units in September and 2.5 million in October — though those production figures are described as subject to change.

Who leads the smartphone processor market?

Per Counterpoint Research's tally for the first quarter of 2026, MediaTek led the smartphone application-processor market with about 33% share (97 million units), followed by Qualcomm at 24% (71 million), Apple at 18% (53 million), UniSOC at 10% (30 million), Samsung's Exynos at 7% (21 million), and Huawei's HiSilicon at 5% (16 million). A separate firm, Sigmaintell, ranked Samsung fifth in AP shipments, up 11% year-on-year.