The End of Throttling? Samsung’s Radical “Side-by-Side” Plan to Save Exynos

Samsung is reportedly moving beyond conventional thermal tricks by pursuing a “side-by-side” packaging for future Exynos chips, placing the processor and memory adjacent on the substrate rather than stacked. This approach aims to curb heat buildup by allowing heat spreaders or vapor chambers to contact the chip surface directly, dramatically reducing thermal resistance, albeit at the expense of a larger motherboard footprint that tightens space for the battery.

The shift contrasts with the common PoP (package-on-package) stacking used by rivals, which conserves space but traps waste heat beneath memory layers and triggers throttling under heavy workloads. Samsung acknowledges the design trade-offs, noting that the broader layout could complicate form factor and endurance, yet argues it could restore competitiveness if it sustains peak performance in demanding titles and ray-tracing workloads.

Apple’s M-series devices are cited as a precedent for the side-by-side concept, and the article suggests Exynos chips in 2026 or 2027 may finally be poised for a genuine comeback if Samsung can miniaturise this architecture for smartphones.