The Dimensity 9500 is launching on September 22, 2025! The next day, we will see the launch of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5! Both processors are going to be in the best phones of 2026! Both the Dimensity 9500 Vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are promising high-end performance, smart AI features, good battery, and whatnot!
But what’s the reality, and which one is actually better? In this article, we are going to find just that! We will compare both chips in terms of architecture, performance, efficiency, graphics, gaming, and more. Let’s get started:
Also Read: All Details About Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Chipset
Dimensity 9500 Vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Overview
The Dimensity 9500 is MediaTek’s best chip for 2025. It’s going to power amazing devices in 2026! It’s made using a 3nm process by TSMC. This chip is battery-efficient and super fast. The best part is, it is more affordable than some other top chips. You can see this chip in:
- Vivo X300
- OPPO Find X9
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is Qualcomm’s top chip. Just like the Dimensity 9500, it’s also built using TSMC’s 3nm technology.
What makes this chip special is that it uses Qualcomm’s own Oryon CPU cores and a stronger Adreno GPU. It’s made for people who want the fastest and most powerful phones. If you play a lot of BGMI or any other powerful game, this chip will give solid performance. You can see this chip in:
- Samsung Galaxy S26,
- Xiaomi 16, and
- iQOO 14
CPU Architecture: Dimensity 9500 Vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Let’s look at how the Dimensity 9500 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are built.
Dimensity 9500
The Dimensity 9500 uses a 1+3+4 CPU setup:
- 1 Cortex-X930 prime core up to 4.2 GHz
- 3 Cortex-A730 performance cores up to 3.5 GHz
- 4 Cortex-A730 efficiency cores up to 2.7 GHz
This chip is based on ARM’s latest designs. It gives a good balance between speed and battery life. It also supports SME (Scalable Matrix Extension). This helps the chip do smart tasks like AI and machine learning better and faster.
| Feature | Dimensity 9500 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Core Count | 1 | 2 |
| Max Clock Speed | 4.2 GHz | 4.47 GHz (up to 5.3 GHz!) |
| Efficiency Cores | Yes (4 cores) | None |
| CPU Type | ARM Cortex | Custom Oryon |
| SME Support | Yes | Yes |
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 uses a 2+6 CPU setup:
- 2 Oryon Phoenix L prime cores up to 4.47 GHz
- It can even go up to 5.3 GHz
- 6 Oryon Phoenix M performance cores up to 3.53 GHz
Qualcomm uses its own Oryon CPU cores, not ARM’s usual ones. This chip doesn’t use any efficiency cores. It uses smart performance cores that can do both hard and light tasks to save battery when needed.
It also supports SME, just like the Dimensity 9500. This gives about 20% better performance than the chip before it.
Also read: Funtouch OS 16 Update: Release Date, Features And Devices
GPU Battle: Which Has The Best Graphics?
Now let’s talk about the GPU. The GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit. This part of the chip handles games, videos, and animations. A better GPU means smoother graphics, faster frame rates, and effects like realistic lighting and shadows.
Dimensity 9500: Mali-G1 Ultra
GPU Name: Mali-G1 Ultra MC12
Speed: Around 1 GHz
- It’s 40% better than the one in last year’s Dimensity 9400.
- It is good for high frame rate gaming and even supports ray tracing.
- It performs well in tests like 3DMark.
| Feature | Dimensity 9500 (Mali-G1 Ultra) | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (Adreno 840) |
|---|---|---|
| Clock Speed | ~1.0 GHz | Up to 1.2 GHz |
| Ray Tracing | Yes | Yes |
| Frame Rates | High | High |
| Battery Use | More efficient | Slightly more powerful |
| Real-World Gaming | Great | Excellent |
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Adreno 840
GPU Name: Adreno 840
Speed: Up to 1.2 GHz
- It is known for being one of the best GPUs for Android phones.
- It plays heavy games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile really smoothly.
- Also supports ray tracing.
Early Benchmarks: Which Chip Is Winning So Far?
We have some early test results (called benchmarks) that show how powerful they might be. Let’s see what the numbers say!
Geekbench 6 Scores
This test checks how fast the chip can think. This is both in simple (single-core) and complex (multi-core) tasks.
| Chip | Single-Core | Multi-Core |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensity 9500 (Vivo X300) | 2,352 | 7,129 |
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (Galaxy S26 Edge) | 3,393 | 11,515 |
AnTuTu Scores
This test checks everything like CPU, GPU, memory, and more.
| Chip | Estimated Score |
|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Over 4 million |
| Dimensity 9500 | Around 3.5 to 3.8 million |
Snapdragon is leading overall. But Dimensity 9500 might win in GPU scores.
Also read: Exynos 2500 Vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3? Find Out Which Is Faster!
3DMark Scores
This test focuses just on graphics and gaming.
| Test | Winner |
|---|---|
| Wild Life Extreme Stress | Dimensity 9500 is more stable over time |
| Steel Nomad Light | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is better in short, intense tests |
Dimensity 9500 does better in long gaming sessions without slowing down. Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 does better in very heavy gaming.
Real-Life Performance
Real-world performance is more important than the numbers. Let’s check out the details:
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
This chip is super-fast thanks to its high CPU speeds and custom Oryon cores. It’s great for multitasking, opening apps quickly, and even playing PC emulator games.
| Feature | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Dimensity 9500 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Power | Super strong | Decent |
| GPU Power | Great | Excellent |
| Heat Levels | Can get hot (up to 45°C) | Cooler (around 38°C) |
| Best For | Power users, multitasking, emulation | Gamers, long gaming sessions |
| Good Cooling | Yes | Not as much |
Dimensity 9500
This chip is really good at staying cool when playing big games. It’s great for long gaming sessions because the performance stays smooth and stable. It may not have the fastest CPU, but its graphics power (GPU) is awesome for gamers!
If you want top speed for everything, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is the winner. But if you’re a hardcore gamer, the Dimensity 9500 might be a better fit!
Power Efficiency & Thermal Management:
Let’s see how the Dimensity 9500 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 do when it comes to power efficiency and heat control.
Dimensity 9500
- It uses a newer 3nm N3P process. This makes it 40% more power efficient than last year’s Dimensity 9400.
- It also stayed cooler around 37.2°C. This means it didn’t get hot even after long gaming sessions.
- Since the 9500 is even better than the 9400, it’s expected to last longer on battery.
| Feature | Dimensity 9500 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Use in Games | Lower (More Efficient) | Higher |
| Temperature | Cooler (~37°C) | Hotter (~41°C) |
| Battery Life | Longer | Shorter (depends on use) |
| Good for… | Long gaming, better battery life | Short bursts of extreme speed |
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- This chip is built for speed and power. It naturally uses more energy (sometimes up to 5.4W under heavy use).
- It can also get pretty hot (up to 41°C or more) when doing tough tasks like gaming or emulating PC games.
- It has smart power-saving features like Qualcomm Power RF Efficiency Suite. The Oryon cores can slow down when doing easy tasks to save energy.
Also read: Exynos 2400 Vs Snapdragon 8 Elite: Best Mobile Processor Revealed!
Connectivity: Which Chip Connects Faster?
Your phone’s internet speed, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth all depend on the chipset inside. Let’s check out the connectivity details for Dimensity 9500 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5:
Dimensity 9500:
- It has an integrated 5G modem.
- 5G download speed: Up to 7 Gbps (super fast for videos, games, etc.)
- Upload speed: Up to 3 Gbps
- Wi-Fi 7 support with speeds up to 7.3 Gbps
- It includes a cool feature called Dual EIS engine.
| Feature | Dimensity 9500 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| 5G Download Speed | 7 Gbps | 10 Gbps |
| 5G Upload Speed | 3 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps |
| Wi-Fi Speed | 7.3 Gbps | 3.5 Gbps |
| Extra Features | Dual EIS for video | Smart Transmit, Bluetooth 6.0 |
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- It has the Snapdragon X80 modem
- 5G download speed: Up to 10 Gbps
- Upload speed: Up to 3.5 Gbps
- Wi-Fi 7 support too, but with speeds up to 3.5 Gbps
- It includes Smart Transmit Gen 5 and 5G PowerSave
- It also supports Bluetooth 6.0.
Price
Dimensity 9500
MediaTek is known for making powerful chips at an affordable price. The Dimensity 9500 continues that trend. It gives users flagship-level performance. That’s why phones like the Vivo X300 and Oppo Find X9 can offer top features without a super high price.
| Feature | Dimensity 9500 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | More affordable | More expensive |
| Target Phones | Value-focused flagships | Premium and high-end flagships |
| Best For | People who want great performance for less | People who want the fastest chip, no matter the price |
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Qualcomm’s chips are usually more expensive. But the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 might not cost much more than the last version.
AI & Machine Learning:
Both the Dimensity 9500 and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 support ARM’s Scalable Matrix Extension (SME). This helps them handle tough AI and machine learning tasks much better.
Dimensity 9500
MediaTek has been working with NVIDIA to improve its AI power. Although details are still limited, the Dimensity 9500 is expected to excel in on-device AI tasks. You will see things like improving photos and understanding your voice.
| Feature | Dimensity 9500 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| AI Power | Likely strong | Very strong |
| SME Support | Yes | Yes |
| AI Features | Smart image/voice tasks | Multimodal AI, camera, gaming, real-time help |
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Qualcomm’s chip has a strong history with AI. Its Hexagon NPU powers things like real-time translation, image enhancement, and smarter gaming. The Gen 5’s AI chip is faster and more efficient than before.
In A Nutsell
In the end, I can say that both the Dimensity 9500 Vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 are very unique chipsets and the launch is going to be interesting. When it comes to raw performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 takes the lead. It is also good when it comes to connectivity and software.
But, the Dimensity 9500 is good with thermal efficiency, GPU performance, and battery life. What do you think about these two chipsets? Let me know your thought in the comment section below. I would love to hear your thoughts.
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