When it comes to flagship smartphones, the processor is a major factor that showcases performance, features, and much more. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite and MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 are two of the most powerful chipsets in the market right now. Both of these promise the best performance on Android devices, but which one should you choose for your next smartphone purchase? Let’s find out in this comparison.
1. Snapdragon 8 Elite or Dimensity 9400: Performance
While the two processors have different core configurations, they are pretty comparable in terms of performance. In our first comparison between the two processors, we saw that the Snapdragon 8 Elite’s performance managed to rival the Apple A18 Pro. It was on par with the A18 Pro in single core test in GeekBench 6, while its multi core scores crossed over 10,000 points. A previous GeekBench sighting listed the device with 2884 (single) and 8840 (multi) points respectively. On AnTuTu, this chip managed to get a score of over 3 million. Regardless, it is one of the fastest processors for Android smartphones right now.
Meanwhile, the Dimensity 9400 was first seen getting a GeekBench score of 2818 points in the single core test, while its multi core scores reached 8847 points. Just like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the MediaTek chip also crossed the 3 million mark on AnTuTu. So the Snapdragon 8 Elite performed better in GeekBench, while the Dimensity 9400 took the lead in AnTuTu (3,109,010 points vs 3,007,853 points respectively). Although in real world use, people would be hard pressed to notice a major difference. So let’s check out other avenues.
2. Thermals & Battery Performance
Qualcomm has claimed a 45% boost in CPU performance along with a 44% improvement in power efficiency. MediaTek also promises a 40% upgrade in both performance and battery efficiency as well. However, a recent real world test from C4ETech, which compared the Oppo Find X8 Pro (Dimensity 9400) and OnePlus 13 (Snapdragon 8 Elite), revealed that the Dimensity 9400 consumes less battery and runs cooler overall.
We have already seen reports of heating issues with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, so thermals could be one area where the Dimensity edges ahead. Battery efficiency could still be tweaked with optimizations and it is still early to tell how these chips perform over time. But this is a notable aspect to take into account.
3. Camera Support
Both Qualcomm and MediaTek have updated their ISPs (Image Signal Processor) to support a single 320MP capture. The Snapdragon 8 Elite brings triple 48MP capture with Zero Shutter Lag, 8K@60fps, and 1080p slo-mo capture at 480fps. On the other hand, MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 offers full range HDR zoom without losing the subject focus thanks to the new Imagiq 1090 ISP. It also has AI super zoom with 100x magnification and maximum video recording resolution of 8K. This includes 30fps and 60fps.
4. Which one should you choose?
Both the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Dimensity 9400 are top-tier chipsets, so the differences at this price point wouldn’t be the performance. Other factors come into play like camera specs of the smartphone you’re buying, its pricing, and more. As of right now, the Snapdragon 8 Elite on the Realme GT 7 Pro is the cheapest flagship phone in the market. However, it there have been reports of the device heating up during use. So it’s best to wait a bit more for more launches, so we have better options to choose from. During this time, brands would likely offer optimizations for their new premium phones, making them even better.
