The Dimensity 9500s is a powerful high-end smartphone chipset, promising strong performance and solid power efficiency. That, paired with an upgraded NPU supporting agentic AI and a fully modern connectivity stack, positions it as a flagship-tier contender, directly competing with powerful Qualcomm chips.

The Dimensity 9500s go head-to-head with some powerful Snapdragon 8-series chips, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and Snapdragon 8 Elite. We’ve already compared it with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 (more about it here), and now it’s time for another high-end chip battle. In this comparison, we’ll see how the Dimensity 9500s stack up against the Snapdragon 8 Elite, with its Oryon CPU,  Adreno 840 GPU, and advanced imaging capabilities.

Here’s the spec sheet to begin with:

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Benchmark scores

There’s no Dimensity 9500s-powered smartphone on the market right now. However, the upcoming Redmi Turbo 5 Max, which would carry the same chipset, was recently spotted in AnTuTu and Geekbench listings.

According to leaked benchmark listings, the upcoming Redmi phone powered by the Dimensity 9500s achieves 2,862 points in the single-core test and 9,130 points in the multi-core test. In contrast, the OnePlus 13 (powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite) bags higher scores: 3,026 (single-core) and 9,306 (multi-core).

The leaked AnTuTu listing for the Redmi Turbo 5 Max shows rather surprising results. The Dimensity 9500s-powered device achieves a total score close to 3.3 million, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered OnePlus 13 scores a little under 3 million. The breakdown of the AnTuTu score shows that the Dimensity 9500s achieves higher scores across all tests, including CPU, GPU, memory, and user experience.

Please note that benchmark scores for the Dimensity 9500s are based on leaks, not on real testing. We’ll update the score once we’ve reviewed a device powered by the same MediaTek chipset.

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Key differences you should know

CPU

Starting with the CPU, the Dimensity 9500s opts for a 1+3+4 configuration, featuring one Cortex-X925 prime core, three Cortex-X4 performance cores, and four Cortex-A720 efficiency cores. In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Elite uses a 2+6 configuration, with two Oryon prime cores and four Oryon performance cores.

The second-gen Oryon core generally outperforms Cortex-X925 in peak performance. The Snapdragon 8 Elite also benefits from a higher CPU clock speed. In terms of peak CPU performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has the edge. However, in day-to-day tasks like browsing the internet, scrolling through social media apps, and video streaming, there shouldn’t be a performance gap.

GPU

For graphics rendering, the Dimensity 9500s integrates Immortalis‑G925 GPU with up to 12 cores. MediaTek claims ray tracing support with console-grade lighting and reflections. MediaTek Adaptive Gaming Technology 3.0 (MAGT 3.0) and MediaTek Frame Rate Converter 3.0 (MRFC 3.0) further enhance the gameplay and power efficiency.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite features Adreno 830 GPU with Qualcomm’s sliced GPU architecture for better power efficiency and higher sustained performance. The chip also supports real-time hardware ray tracing and includes a full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features to achieve higher frame rates, improved power efficiency, and lower latency.

AI and on-device capabilities

Both chipsets have capable NPUs with multimodal GenAI capabilities and support for modern LLMs. Additionally, MediaTek claims Agentic AI support for the Dimensity 9500s, whereas Qualcomm has made no such claims.

Camera

The Dimensity 9500s and Snapdragon 8 Elite feature 18-bit ISPs with support for up to 320MP resolution. One key advantage of the Qualcomm chip here is that it allows three 48MP cameras at 30fps, while the Dimensity chip limits them to 36MP. The Dimensity 9500s, however, supports 8K video recording at 60fps, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite can do 8K/30fps recording.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite supports limitless real-time semantic segmentation up to 250 layers. MediaTek hasn’t mentioned semantic segmentation on its official page, but it’s safe to say the Dimensity 9500s support it based on the chip’s capabilities. Furthermore, both chips bring numerous features to improve photos and videos.

Connectivity

The Snapdragon 8 Elite and Dimensity 9500s feature flagship-class connectivity platforms, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite is specced more aggressively for cellular peak speeds, Bluetooth standard, and integrated UWB, while Dimensity 9500s emphasizes higher Wi-Fi speed and long-range Bluetooth.

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Conclusion

The Dimensity 9500s prove that MediaTek is no longer playing in the shadows of Qualcomm’s flagship lineup. It offers strong benchmark scores, modern CPU and GPU architectures, advanced AI capabilities, and robust connectivity, positioning itself as a true competitor to Snapdragon 8-series chips.

That said, the Snapdragon 8 Elite may still hold advantages in peak CPU performance, a mature ISP, and modem features, backed by Qualcomm’s mature software ecosystem and long-standing OEM trust.

Please note that there’s no Dimensity 9500s-powered smartphone on the market as of writing this post. So, this comparison may not give you the complete picture. We’ll update it after thoroughly testing a device powered by this new Dimensity chip.

The post Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Which offers superior performance? appeared first on Gizmochina.

In September, MediaTek announced Dimensity 9500 as its most powerful smartphone chipset, and now we’ve an affordable version of it, dubbed Dimensity 9500s. This is still a flagship-grade chipset, promising excellent performance, power efficiency, and competitive AI capabilities.

The Dimensity 9500s would directly compete with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, which was announced in November. Both high-end chipsets target the same user segment, so it’s exciting to see how they stack up against each other.

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Who has the edge?

Both Snapdragon 9500s and Snapdragon 8s Gen 5 use TSMC’s 3nm process node, though there are some differences. The Dimensity chip uses N3E process technology, while the Snapdragon chip uses a more refined N3P node, offering slight improvements to performance and efficiency.

CPU performance

The Dimensity 9500s features an all-big-core CPU design, led by a Cortex-X925 prime core. The octa-core CPU also includes three Cortex-X4 performance cores and four Cortex-A720 power efficiency cores.

• 1 x Cortex-X925 at 3.73 GHz
• 3 x Cortex-X4 at 3.30 GHz
• 4 x Cortex-A720 at 2.0 GHz

In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features a 2+6 CPU configuration with all third-generation custom-designed Oryon cores.

• 2 x Oryon cores (3rd-gen) at 3.8 GHz
• 6 x Oryon cores (3rd-gen) at 3.32 GHz

From the spec sheet alone, it’s difficult to say which chipset has a faster CPU. And unfortunately, we don’t have benchmark data for the Dimensity 9500s yet. It will take a while for the brand to launch devices with this new Dimensity chipset.

However, if I had to take a calculated guess, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 should offer faster CPU performance. That’s because this chip has the same CPU configuration as the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, but with a slightly lower clock speed. That gap in clock speeds shouldn’t matter as much as the Dimensity 9500s using CPU cores a generation older than the Dimensity 9500.

GPU performance

For graphics rendering, the Dimensity 9500s uses Immortalis-G925 MP12 GPU. MediaTek hasn’t provided more details about the GPU, such as frequency, binning, etc. So, for now, it’s inaccurate to say it’s the same Immortalis-G925 GPU that’s been used inside the Dimensity 9400 and 9400+ chips.

We’ll have to wait for benchmark data or third-party teardowns for better clarification. However, I’m pretty sure the Dimensity 9500s would bring some GPU improvements, if not major upgrades.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, on the other hand, ships with an Adreno 829 GPU with ray tracing support and a full suite of Snapdragon Elite Gaming features. We’ll run benchmark tests and update the data here to provide clearer insight into GPU performance.

AI capabilities

The demand for on-device AI capabilities, such as AI assistants, AI image/video editing, and generative AI, is stronger than ever. Both MediaTek and Qualcomm understand this, and therefore most of their new chips come with powerful NPUs.

The Dimensity 9500s has a MediaTek NPU with support for multimodal models and agentic AI. The NPU also helps with AI photo editing, AI summarization, and a wide range of tools for cameras, creativity, and productivity.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5’s Hexagon NPU also supports agentic AI, which can learn and adapt to your preferences over time for highly personalised recommendations. The AI also helps improve camera output and connectivity.

Camera & imaging

The Dimensity 9500s integrates an 18-bit Imagiq ISP. It’s a content-aware ISP, which uses advanced Super Resolution techniques to improve clarity, even at high zoom levels. The chip supports up to 320MP single camera and up to 8K video recording at 60fps.

In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 features a 20-bit triple AI ISP, with up to 320MP single camera and 4K/120fps video recording. The chip also supports up to 8K video recording, but at lower frame rates. Additionally, the 8 Gen 5 offers numerous photo and video features, including Truepic photo capture, Bokeh Engine, and Video super resolution.

Connectivity

Both chipsets offer excellent connectivity features, although there are several notable differences. For example, the Dimensity 9500s supports the 3GPP Release 17 standard, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 supports the newer Release 18 standard with additional enhancements.

Over a 5G connection, the Dimensity chip’s download speed can go up to 7 Gbps, while the Snapdragon chip can reach even higher, up to 10 Gbps. The Dimensity 9500s makes a comeback with a higher peak Wi-Fi speed (6.5 Gbps vs 5.8 Gbps).

Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Conclusion

From the spec sheet, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 appears to have an edge over the Dimensity 9500s. However, note that specs alone do not give the complete picture. We’ll update this post once we’ve tested a device powered by a Dimensity 9500s for better clarity.

The Redmi Turbo 5 Max will be among the very first phones to feature the Dimensity 9500s chip. It’s expected to launch later this month. Meanwhile, click here to see how the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 stacks up against the competition.

The post Dimensity 9500s vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Which chip is actually faster? appeared first on Gizmochina.

Alongside the more affordable Dimensity 8500, MediaTek also announced the Dimensity 9500s in the event today. The processor sits just below MediaTek’s top Dimensity 9500, and is designed to power sub-flagship phones. 

At the heart of the new chip is a flagship-style all-core CPU architecture built on TSMC’s second-generation 3nm manufacturing process. The processor includes a Cortex-X925 core (@3.73GHz), three Cortex-X4 (@3.30GHz), and four Cortex-A720 (@2GHz) cores, and more than 29 billion transistors. 

According to the company, the chip supports “super memory compression technology” that helps speed up everyday tasks. MediaTek claims this can improve app launch speeds by up to 44 percent once enabled. The Dimensity 9500s also comes with a large 19MB CPU cache and 10MB of system cache. 

Graphics duties are handled by a flagship-grade Immortalis-G925 GPU that supports ray-tracing. The chip can also handle a range of on-device AI tasks without needing an internet connection. 

Camera and AI

The 9500s is also built with camera and video features in mind. MediaTek says it includes a high-end autofocus engine, fast capture capabilities, and a semantic segmentation video engine for smarter image processing. On the video side, the chip supports 8K HDR recording with Dolby Vision.

Moving to connectivity, the processors include a 5G Release 17 modem with support for four-carrier aggregation and theoretical download speeds of up to 7Gbps. 

It also supports Wi-Fi 7 with speeds up to 6.5Gbps. And MediaTek even highlighted a new Bluetooth feature that allows direct phone-to-phone connections at distances of up to five kilometers without using cellular networks.

MediaTek confirmed that the first phone to use the new processor will be the Redmi Turbo 5 Max. In lab testing, that device reportedly managed to score 3,612,095 points in the AnTuTu benchmark.

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MediaTek has confirmed that it will hold a launch event on January 15 in China. The teaser released by the brand confirms that it will launch two chipsets on the said date. The Taiwanese chipmaker is expected to officially unveil the Dimensity 8500 as well as a new Dimensity 9-series chip.

Dimensity 9500s, Dimensity 8500 chipset details leaked

According to reports, MediaTek will unveil the Dimensity 8500 and Dimensity 9500s chipsets on Jan. 15. While the Dimensity 9500s will be a completely new chip, the Dimensity 8500 already powers the Honor Power 2, which has just gone official in China.

The Dimensity 8500 is built on TSMC’s N4P process and features an octa-core CPU configuration made up of one Cortex-A725 core clocked at 3.4GHz, three additional Cortex-A725 cores running at 3.20GHz, and four efficiency-focused Cortex-A725 cores operating at 2.20GHz. Graphics duties are handled by the Mali-G720 MC8 GPU.

Reports have revealed that the Dimensity 9500s is manufactured using TSMC’s more advanced N3E process. It comes with a more powerful CPU setup that includes a single Cortex-X925 core clocked at 3.73GHz, three Cortex-X4 performance cores running at 3.30GHz, and four Cortex-A720 efficiency cores at 2.40GHz. The chipset is paired with a Mali Immortalis-G925 MC12 GPU, operating at a frequency of 1612MHz.

Reports have also revealed that the upcoming Redmi Turbo 5 Max series will include two models. Likely, the base model could be powered by the Dimensity 8500 chipset, whereas the higher variant could feature the Dimensity 9500s.

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