When it comes to smartphones, the chipset is the heart of the device—driving not only raw performance but also powering AI capabilities that are becoming increasingly central to the experience. In 2026, flagship Android users will once again be choosing between two major players: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and MediaTek’s brand-new Dimensity 9500.
And this time, MediaTek might just have the upper hand.
Performance Gains That Matter
The Dimensity 9500 is built on TSMC’s 3nm process, the same foundation used by Google’s upcoming Tensor G5. It continues MediaTek’s push into “all big core” designs, with one ultra core clocked up to 4.21GHz, three high-end cores, and four performance-focused cores.
According to MediaTek, this structure results in a 32% uplift in single-core performance and a 17% boost in multi-core compared to the Dimensity 9400. While the company claims this brings “console-class gaming” to mobile, it’s worth noting that game availability on Android may be a bigger limiting factor than pure horsepower.
On the graphics side, the chipset packs an Arm G1-Ultra GPU with ray tracing support at 120fps, real-time rendering, and advanced lighting effects powered by the Unreal Engine. Despite the performance leap, efficiency is said to improve by up to 42%, which should translate to longer gaming sessions and stronger battery life overall.
AI at the Core
As expected, artificial intelligence takes center stage. The new NPU 990, paired with MediaTek’s Generative AI Engine 2.0, is built for handling large models directly on-device. MediaTek says it can double the speed of outputs from LLMs with 3B parameters while also cutting load times by 40%.
Just as importantly, the company is focusing on sustainability: running AI workloads is notoriously power-hungry, but the Dimensity 9500 reportedly reduces peak power draw for large models by 40%. By keeping processing on-device rather than relying heavily on cloud infrastructure, MediaTek is also leaning into better privacy and security.
What Devices Will Use It?
While Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 already has confirmed placements in devices like the Xiaomi 17, OnePlus 15, Honor Magic 8, and the Galaxy S26 series, MediaTek has yet to name any launch partners. The company has only hinted that the first Dimensity 9500-powered devices will arrive in Q4 2025.
If history is any guide, early adopters are likely to include Oppo, Vivo, and Realme, with Samsung possibly using it in future tablets such as the Galaxy Tab S12.
The Dimensity 9500 represents one of MediaTek’s most aggressive moves against Qualcomm yet. On paper, it promises improved performance, enhanced power efficiency, and AI capabilities tailored for the next generation of mobile devices. The only question now is whether real-world results—and the lineup of supporting manufacturers—can live up to the hype.
