MediaTek announced its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip in May this year, while Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 was released in October 2023. Both are flagship chipsets with amazing capabilities, powering a host of flagships from major smartphone brands.
The two flagship processors are built on the same TSMC’s 4nm process but have different core configurations and hardware components. If you’re looking to buy a flagship device but can’t decide between these two chips, see the comparison below to find the right choice for your needs.
| Dimensity 9300+ | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Process Node | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 4nm |
| CPU Cores | 8 | 8 |
| CPU Architecture | 1 x Cortex-X4 @ 3.4 GHz 3 x Cortex-X4 @ 2.85 GHz 4 x Cortex-A720 @ 2.0 GHz | 1 x Cortex-X4 @ 3.25 GHz 3 x Cortex-A720 @ 3.15 GHz 2 x Cortex-A720 @ 2.96 GHz 2 x Cortex-A520 @ 2.27 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G720 Immortalis MP12 | Adreno 750 |
| NPU | MediaTek NPU 790 Ray tracing support Global illumination | Qualcomm Hexagon NPU Ray tracing support Global illumination |
| Memory | Up to 24 GB LPDDR5T @ 4800 MHz | Up to 24 GB LPDDR5X @ 4800 MHz |
| Storage | UFS 4.0 | UFS 4.0 |
| Camera Support | Up to 320MP camera sensor support MediaTek Imagiq 990 (18-bit) 8K @ 30 FPS, 4K @ 60 FPS | Up to 200MP camera sensor support Qualcomm Spectra (18-bit) 8K @ 30 FPS, 4K @ 120 FPS |
| Display | 4K @ 120 Hz, WQHD @ 180 Hz | 4K Ultra HD @ 60 Hz, QHD+ @ 144 Hz |
| Connectivity | MediaTek 5G R16 modem Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 | Snapdragon X75 5G modem Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 |
Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Benchmarks
Geekbench V6
| Geekbench V6 | Dimensity 9300+ | SD 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Single Core | 2313 | 2164 |
| Multi Core | 7743 | 6756 |
AnTuTu V10
| AnTuTu V10 | Dimensity 9300+ | SD 8 Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 538809 | 466396 |
| GPU | 940944 | 865562 |
| Memory | 472337 | 406965 |
| UX | 353177 | 373825 |
| Total Score | 2305267 | 2112748 |
The Dimensity 9300+ is slightly ahead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 on both Geekbench and AnTuTu benchmarks.
Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: CPU, GPU & NPU
The Dimensity chip is equipped with four powerful Cortex-X4 cores, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has one. However, the latter has more Cortex-A720 cores, which is slightly less powerful than Cortex-X4 but is more power efficient.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 also has two power-efficient Cortex-A520 cores.
The core configuration suggests the Dimensity 9300+ will lead the performance game, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 should offer a good balance of performance and battery. It also depends on the software optimizations, among many other factors.
The Dimensity 9300+ is head-to-head with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in the CPU performance, but there’s a significant gap in the GPU performance. The Dimensity chip disappoints when it comes to sustaining a heavy GPU workload, but it’s still one of the best here.
Most modern chips, including the Dimensity 9300+ and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, have NPUs to support generative AI models and allow users to perform on-device AI tasks. The importance of NPUs is only going to grow over time as smartphone companies adopt more and more AI features. Hence, it’s good to have a chip with powerful AI capabilities.
Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Memory
Dimensity 9300+ and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 support UFS 4.0 storage for faster file access to files. They come with LPDDR5X RAM clocked at 4800 MHz for fast app loading and switching.
So, as far as the storage and memory technologies are concerned, there isn’t a clear winner here, as both share the same technologies.
Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Multimedia
The Dimensity 9300+ features an in-house Imagiq 990 ISP, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has a Spectra ISP. While both are 18-bit ISPs, the Dimensity chip supports more camera resolution, a 320MP single camera sensor (vs 200MP in SD 8 Gen 3).
Both chipsets are capable of taking 8K videos at 30 frames per second (fps). However, the Snapdragon chip can take 4K videos at 120 fps, which is limited to 60 fps in the Dimensity chip.
Both chips have great ISP and excellent imaging capabilities. Hence, everything boils down to the camera sensors used in the device.
Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Display
Both chips support up to 4K display resolution, but the Dimensity chip offers a higher refresh rate of up to 120Hz (vs. 60 Hz in SD 8 Gen 3). Also, the QHD+ resolution in the Snapdragon chip is limited to 144Hz (vs. 180Hz in Dimensity 9300+).
The chips support various HDR formats, such as HDR10 and HDR10+, which enhance the viewing experience with richer colors and contrasts.
Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Connectivity
The Dimensity chip features a MediaTek 5G R16 modem, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 uses in-house X75 5G mode. Although the modems are different, there isn’t any major differentiation on the connectivity part.
Both chips support 5G, Bluetooth 5.4, and up to Wi-Fi connectivity. They also support necessary positioning technologies, including GPS, BeiDou, Glonass, Galileo, QZSS, and NavIC.
Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Which is Better?
Dimensity 9300+ and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 offer a nearly matched CPU performance, competing closely in single-core and multi-core benchmarks. However, on the GPU front, the Snapdragon chip is clearly ahead of the Dimensity 9300+, but the latter is still one of the best.
The Dimensity chip does a respectable job when it comes to gaming, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is a better option, in my opinion. However, the difference is unnoticeable in regular usage.
More Popular Chip Comparisons:
1. Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 vs 8 Gen 3
2. Snapdragon 782G vs Dimensity 7200
3. Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 vs Dimensity 8300 Ultra
Comments