Skip to main content

Samsung’s Exynos 1280 chipset details promise ‘5G for all’

Samsung revealed the Exynos 1280 a while back, but has been stingy on details ever since despite launching the Galaxy A53 5G and A33 5G with the chipset. Now, the company is finally ready to share what’s going on underneath the hood of its shiny new mobile processor. In short, the Exynos 1280 aims to bring solid 5G connection to devices in Samsung’s budget to midrange lines.

The Exynos 1280 brings a lot to the table for the devices in which it will be used. Two Cortex A78 CPUs and six A55 cores give the chipset a good deal of processing power while not being overkill for the rest of the hardware. In terms of graphics, the 1280 features a Valhall-based ARM Mali-G68 GPU and can display 120Hz at 1080p.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G in white and black.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

As cameras have become a major selling point for smartphones, Samsung has kitted the Exynos 1280 out with some of its better camera tech. It can support a 108MP sensor, but the phones it’s been used in so far don’t have cameras that can make the most out of that. It seems like a feature that will be best utilized further down the line, but it’s good to know that it’s there when more devices running on Exynos 1280 start popping up.

The technical specs are relatively impressive but outdone in many areas by a lot of Samsung’s other processors. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, seeing as the Exynos 1280 isn’t meant to be the company’s most powerful chipset. Instead, it’s a marked improvement from what Samsung’s midrange lines were running on previously.

According to Samsung’s specs announcement, it’s aiming to bring the high-speed luxury of 5G to “all” regardless of if they can afford its premier smartphone lines. The company hopes that mobile gamers, photographers, and content creators of all kinds will be able to make great use of the processor’s power. Our Galaxy A53 5G review praises many aspects of Samsung’s latest budget endeavors so, hopefully, the company will continue capitalizing on the Exynos 1280 with all of its future midrange hardware releases.

Editors' Recommendations

Peter Hunt Szpytek
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
Verizon just took a huge leap ahead in the 5G race
Verizon store front displays the 5G network in NYC.

After a year or two of steady growth in 5G performance among the big three U.S. carriers, things seemed to level off in 2023, with reports showing mostly incremental improvements each quarter.

However, it seems that the underdogs took a big leap forward in the last three months of the year. According to Ookla’s latest market research, Verizon and AT&T showed 5G speed increases of over 20% from the prior quarter — a change that’s resulted in Verizon significantly narrowing T-Mobile’s longstanding lead.

Read more
What is 5G UC? What that icon on your phone really means
5G logo on the Motorola Edge (2022).

If you're wondering what 5G UC means at the top of your phone, you aren't alone. To put it simply, 5G UC is T-Mobile's "Ultra Capacity" 5G network. In other words, seeing this means that you are on T-Mobile's 5G network. At the same time, you may have also heard of 5G UW, a similar network protocol from Verizon.

Ultimately, being on the 5G UC network should mean you are receiving some of the best speeds possible. But, if you don't have a solid grasp of what 5G is and how these networks operate, you may not get the most out of your phone. Here's what you need to know about the 5G UC icon and how to use it best to benefit you.
T-Mobile's 5G UC

Read more
You can now get unlimited 5G for just $20 a month — with a twist
Helium Mobile $20/month plan banner showing a happy woman against a pink background.

Nova Labs, the company that pioneered the “people-powered” Helium Network, has just announced a wallet-friendly new plan under its Helium Mobile brand that offers unlimited data, talk, and text for only $20 a month.

The no-contract plan provides nationwide 5G access primarily through its own Helium Mobile Network that’s backed up by “the nation’s largest 5G network” — T-Mobile. This allows the carrier to provide full 5G coverage at much more affordable prices than traditional carriers and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs).

Read more