MediaTek has officially taken the wraps off its latest chip for mid-range smartphones, the Dimensity 8500. The company announced the processor today at a launch event where it also introduced the Dimensity 9500s.
The Dimensity 8500 is built around an all-big-core design based on TSMC’s N4P (4nm) process. What’s interesting about this setup is that Cortex-A725 cores make up all eight CPU cores, running at different clock speeds. A prime Cortex-A725 core clocks at 3.4GHz, three high-performance Cortex-A725 cores run at 3.20GHz, and four additional Cortex-A725 cores operate at 2.20GHz.
The Dimensity 8400 also uses an all-Cortex-A725 design, but MediaTek says this second-generation all-big-core CPU delivers a 7% performance improvement. The chip also supports faster LPDDR5X memory with speeds of up to 9600Mbps, increasing memory bandwidth by as much as 12%
Dimensity 8500 brings a boost in GPU performance
Where the Dimensity 8500 makes its biggest jump is in the graphics department. The chip uses a new Mali-G720 MC8 GPU, which reportedly delivers 25% higher peak performance than the previous generation while cutting power consumption by 20% at peak load.
The company is also touting the 8500 as the first chip in its segment to bring “realistic ray tracing” to more affordable flagship-style phones.
As for the actual gameplay, MediaTek says the GPU can deliver stable frame rates above 110fps even in outdoor environments at 35 degrees Celsius. Its Dimensity Multi-Frame Rate technology is further designed to save up to 30% power during gameplay, while MOBA titles can see power savings of up to 37%.
AI, Camera and Connectivity
It’s 2026, so it’s a violation not to talk about artificial intelligence. The Dimensity 8500 uses MediaTek’s NPU 880 for neural processing and supports on-device generative AI features such as real-time translation and image generation. The chip is also compatible with the Dimensity AI Development Kit and major global language models (LLM / MLLM).
For optics, MediaTek is offering several AI-assisted imaging tools, including an AI Ultra-Clear Telephoto Algorithm, semantic segmentation, and AI-powered reflection and glare removal. Furthermore, you get support for cinema-grade 4K HDR video recording, zero shutter lag, and full-pixel phase detection autofocus.
On the connectivity side, the Dimensity 8500 features a 5G modem capable of download speeds up to 5.17Gbps, along with three-carrier aggregation and dual-SIM dual-standby. MediaTek’s UltraSave 3.0+ technology is also included to help reduce power consumption during network use.
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