We’re still a long way from Samsung’s next Galaxy S phones, but the picture of what we’ll get is already taking shape. And one upgrade that seemed likely across the lineup might not be quite so straightforward. Samsung’s Galaxy S27 series could end up using a mix of different memory technologies, rather than moving every model to newer LPDDR6 RAM.
According to a report from Korean publication The Bell, Samsung is currently evaluating LPDDR5X memory produced by Micron using the company’s newer 1-gamma manufacturing process. If those chips make their way into Samsung’s phones, some members of the Galaxy S27 family could launch with LPDDR5X rather than LPDDR6. Nothing has been decided yet, though, and Samsung reportedly has another problem to work out: price.
Samsung has a potentially expensive decision to make
Micron supplied Samsung with memory samples last year, and Samsung is now putting the chips through its qualification process. Passing those tests, however, doesn’t necessarily guarantee you’ll find Micron memory inside your next Galaxy. Cost could play a big role.
Micron’s newest memory has historically carried a premium, and the report suggests its current offering could cost Samsung considerably more than sourcing memory from Samsung’s own semiconductor business. That leaves the company weighing the benefits of adding another supplier against paying substantially more for the components. There’s also an important distinction here: LPDDR5X isn’t old or slow memory. It’s already used in plenty of high-end smartphones. The bigger question is whether Samsung will use LPDDR6 as another way of separating its most expensive S27 models from the rest of the family.
The Ultra could still get LPDDR6
Current rumors point toward Samsung launching four models: the Galaxy S27, S27+, S27 Pro, and S27 Ultra. The latter two could still pair LPDDR6 memory with Qualcomm’s next flagship Snapdragon processor. The regular Galaxy S27 and S27+, meanwhile, are rumored to use Samsung’s own Exynos 2700. That chip is expected to be manufactured using Samsung’s second-generation 2nm process, while Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 is being produced using TSMC’s second-generation 2nm technology.
That’s a lot of silicon jargon for phones that haven’t even been announced yet, and these plans can obviously change before launch. But if the reports prove accurate, choosing between Samsung’s next Galaxy S phones may involve more than deciding how large a screen or how many cameras you want. The RAM inside could become another difference worth noticing.
