MediaTek Announces Dimensity 9500s Flagship and 8500 Mid-Range SoCs

MediaTek has expanded its mobile processor portfolio with two new System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions: the flagship Dimensity 9500s and mid-range Dimensity 8500. These announcements follow last September's Dimensity 9500 launch, targeting different smartphone segments while incorporating MediaTek's "All Big Core" CPU philosophy for consistent performance.

Dimensity 9500s: Pushing Flagship Boundaries

Manufactured on a cutting-edge 3nm process, the Dimensity 9500s features an octa-core CPU configuration that eliminates efficiency cores entirely. The architecture includes:

• 1x Arm Cortex-X925 Ultra Core at 3.73GHz for peak performance
• 3x Cortex-X4 Premium Cores for sustained high-load tasks
• 4x Cortex-A720 Performance Cores for background operations

Graphics are handled by the Immortalis-G925 GPU, supporting hardware-accelerated ray tracing, Adaptive Game Technology 3.0 for dynamic performance scaling, and Frame Technology 3.0 for smoother frame rates. The integrated NPU enables on-device generative AI capabilities, supporting multi-modal models for advanced photo/video processing.

Imaging capabilities include:

• Real-time motion tracking at 30fps
• 8K video recording at 60fps with Dolby Vision HDR
• Support for 320MP camera sensors
• Advanced noise reduction algorithms

The chipset drives WQHD+ displays at up to 180Hz refresh rates and supports LPDDR5X RAM with UFS 4.0 storage. Connectivity features encompass Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, dual-SIM 5G, and comprehensive global positioning (GPS, BeiDou, Glonass, Galileo, NavIC, QZSS). Power efficiency is managed through MediaTek's UltraSave 4.0 technology.

Dimensity 8500: Mid-Range Efficiency Upgrade

Built on a refined 4nm process, the Dimensity 8500 adopts an eight-core configuration exclusively using Cortex-A725 cores clocked up to 3.4GHz. This balanced approach maintains performance while improving thermal efficiency compared to hybrid core designs.

The Mali-G720 GPU delivers 25% better performance and 20% lower power consumption than previous mid-range solutions. MediaTek's 8th-generation NPU (model 880) supports large language models and image generation tasks, bringing flagship-level AI capabilities to more affordable devices.

Key features include:

• Support for 320MP cameras and 4K/60fps video
• WQHD+ display output at 144Hz
• LPDDR5X memory with UFS 4.0 storage
• Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity
• Dual-SIM 5G with global positioning support
• UltraSave 3.0+ power management

Market Position and Availability

The Dimensity 9500s competes directly with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8-series flagships, particularly in AI processing and gaming capabilities. Its GPU architecture offers competitive ray tracing performance previously seen only in premium-tier chips. The Dimensity 8500 targets devices in the $400-$600 range, potentially outperforming Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 in CPU-intensive tasks due to its homogeneous core design.

Both chipsets maintain MediaTek's focus on connectivity standards, reducing ecosystem lock-in by supporting global 5G bands and open wireless standards. OEMs like Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo are expected to adopt these chipsets in devices launching Q2 2026, bringing flagship imaging and AI features to broader price segments while maintaining compatibility with Android's evolving ecosystem requirements.

This dual-release strategy strengthens MediaTek's position across smartphone tiers, offering OEMs flexible solutions that balance thermal efficiency with growing demands for on-device AI processing and high-fidelity mobile gaming.