TL;DR The Galaxy S26 Ultra has been certified by the FCC, confirming its chipset.
The certification validates that both US and non-US models of the Galaxy S26 Ultra will feature a Snapdragon chipset.
More specifically, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 runs the Ultra model across all regions.
The Galaxy S26 is set to launch sometime in early 2026. The exact launch date remains unclear, with leakers divided on whether Samsung’s last-minute changes (or rather, the reversal of those changes) to the lineup could lead to a delay. Similarly, there have been speculations about the chip of choice, with leaks suggesting Samsung might equip the Galaxy S26 Ultra, along with the other two models, with an Exynos chip instead of a Snapdragon in some regions. While the launch date remains uncertain, a recent certification might put speculation about the chipset to rest.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra recently visited the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), which certified it ahead of the launch. The certification document (via The Tech Outlook) includes different variants carrying SM-S948B, SM-S948B/DS, SM-S948U, and SM-S948U1, where U refers to the US variant, while B refers to the international variant for regions other than the US.
The Tech Outlook
Note: while the FCC certificate does not explicitly say this is the Galaxy S26 Ultra, we’re making this assumption based on the fact that SM-S938B/U was the model number for the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
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In all of these models, we see a single chipset across all regions. This is mentioned as SM8850, which is the identifier for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, confirming that it powers Galaxy S26 Ultra variants meant for both the US and regions outside the US. However, this may not be a standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 but an overclocked “For Galaxy” variant, similar to ones we’ve seen on older Samsung flagships in the recent past.
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