The Rise of Taiwanese MediaTek: Challenging Qualcomm and Apple in Smartphone Processor Market
Over time, many might have forgotten the terror Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 brought upon the smartphone world two years ago. It was then that MediaTek, long overshadowed by Qualcomm, seized an opportunity and gained recognition with the well-received Dimensity 8000 and 9000 series, excelling in the mid-range and flagship segments. However, with Qualcomm’s prompt adjustments and subsequent releases of Snapdragon 8+, Snapdragon 8 Gen2, and Snapdragon 8 Gen3, MediaTek’s momentum was somewhat subdued. Especially with Qualcomm’s recent launch of two new processors, it seemed like Qualcomm was poised to dominate the mid-to-high-end market. Nevertheless, MediaTek did not give up but rather started planning its own moves.
Reportedly, MediaTek is about to introduce an upgraded version of the Dimensity 9300 called Dimensity 9300+, with performance that will surpass Snapdragon 8 Gen3, becoming the most powerful processor in the Android phone camp. Additionally, MediaTek’s true next-generation flagship chip, the Dimensity 9400, is set to be released earlier this year. Rumors suggest that the Dimensity 9400 aims not only to outperform Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen4 but also to surpass Apple’s unreleased A18 Pro chip, positioning itself as the mightiest chip for mobile devices. The Dimensity 9400 is expected to be launched in late September or early October, maintaining a full big core setup, featuring a triple-cluster architecture of X5+X4+A7. The first test scores have already been revealed.
According to the latest Geekbench 6 scores, the Dimensity 9400’s single-core performance exceeds 2700, with a multi-core score surpassing 11000. In comparison, the previous generation chip, Dimensity 9300, had a single-core score of around 2200 and a multi-core score of about 7500, indicating a significant performance boost in the Dimensity 9400. For reference, the current strongest Apple A17 Pro chip has a single-core score of 2600 and a multi-core score of 7200.
As iPhones running on the iOS system traditionally prioritize single-core performance in Apple’s A-series chips, maintaining a lead over Android processors for many years without being overtaken. Surprisingly, the Dimensity 9400’s first test version has already reached the level of the A17 Pro.
Moreover, in terms of multi-core performance, it has taken a significant lead. It is believed that the performance improvement in the mass production version of Dimensity 9400 will be even more noticeable. Therefore, the Dimensity 9400 defeating Snapdragon 8 Gen4 and Apple A18 Pro is not just wishful thinking. MediaTek CEO Rick Tsai has made it clear that the Dimensity 9400 will definitely surpass Snapdragon 8 Gen4 by a great margin, showcasing that the chip level in the Greater China region is by no means inferior to that of Europe and America!