MediaTek has announced two new mobile chipsets, the Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500, expanding its Dimensity lineup for flagship and premium smartphones. The company says both platforms are designed to improve performance, power efficiency, artificial intelligence processing, imaging, gaming, and wireless connectivity. These additions aim to support smartphone makers as they prepare new devices for higher-end market segments.
MediaTek highlighted that the launch reflects its ongoing focus on advanced semiconductor technologies and wider access to high-performance mobile platforms. JC Hsu, corporate senior vice president at MediaTek and general manager of the Wireless Communications Business Unit, said the company continues to invest in new technologies to deliver improved smartphone experiences while maintaining balanced power efficiency.
Dimensity 9500s targets flagship devices
The Dimensity 9500s is built using a 3 nm manufacturing process and features an all-big-core CPU architecture. Its octa-core design includes one Cortex-X925 core running at up to 3.73 GHz, three Cortex-X4 cores, and four Cortex-A720 cores. MediaTek says this configuration allows devices to handle demanding workloads while managing energy use more effectively during extended operation.
Graphics processing is handled by the Immortalis-G925 GPU. This GPU supports advanced ray tracing features for mobile gaming, allowing more realistic lighting and reflections in supported titles. MediaTek has also integrated MAGT 3.0 and MFRC 3.0 technologies, which focus on maintaining stable frame rates while reducing power consumption during gameplay.
AI processing on the Dimensity 9500s is managed by a high-end NPU designed for generative reasoning and multi-modal tasks. According to MediaTek, this enables on-device processing for features such as live photo post-processing, AI-based image editing, and content summarization for calls, meetings, and documents. These capabilities are intended to reduce reliance on cloud processing and improve response times.
The chipset also includes an updated MediaTek Imagiq image signal processor. It supports real-time motion tracking at 30 frames per second and 8K Dolby Vision HDR video recording with full-focus capture. MediaTek says the ISP improves snapshot speed and noise reduction, helping users capture clearer photos and videos in different lighting conditions.
On the connectivity side, the Dimensity 9500s integrates a 5G Release-17 modem supporting 4CC carrier aggregation and download speeds of up to 7 Gbps. Additional features include MediaTek UltraSave 4.0 for power-efficient 5G operation, AI Network Suite 2.0 for improved performance in weak signal areas, Xtra Range 3.0 for extended indoor Wi-Fi coverage, and long-distance phone-to-phone Bluetooth connections of up to five kilometers.
Dimensity 8500 focuses on premium performance
The Dimensity 8500 is manufactured on a 4 nm process and also adopts an all-big-core CPU design. It features eight Cortex-A725 cores with clock speeds reaching 3.4 GHz. MediaTek states that this setup improves both performance and efficiency for everyday use, multitasking, and gaming.
Memory support includes LPDDR5X with speeds up to 9600 Mbps, along with improved task scheduling to maintain smooth operation while managing battery life. Graphics are handled by a Mali-G720 GPU, which MediaTek says delivers higher peak performance and lower power consumption compared to the previous generation.
The Dimensity 8500 also brings ray tracing support to a wider range of mobile games. MediaTek notes that improvements in frame stability, loading times, and energy efficiency are designed to support longer gaming sessions without excessive power drain.
AI features are powered by MediaTek’s eighth-generation NPU, which supports large language models, multi-modal models, and image generation workloads. The chipset also includes an AI ultra-clear telephoto algorithm and a semantic engine that analyzes image frames to optimize visual output.
With the launch of the Dimensity 9500s and Dimensity 8500, MediaTek continues to strengthen its position across flagship and premium smartphone categories. Devices powered by these chipsets are expected to reach the market through partner manufacturers in the coming months.
MediaTek Dimensity 9500s & Dimensity 8500 Specifications
| Feature | Dimensity 9500s | Dimensity 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Market Segment | Flagship smartphones | Premium smartphones |
| Manufacturing Process | 3 nm | 4 nm |
| CPU Architecture | All Big Core | All Big Core |
| CPU Configuration | 1× Cortex-X925 (up to 3.73 GHz)3× Cortex-X44× Cortex-A720 | 8× Cortex-A725 (up to 3.4 GHz) |
| GPU | Immortalis-G925 | Mali-G720 |
| Gaming Features | Hardware ray tracingMAGT 3.0MFRC 3.0 | Ray tracing supportFrame stabilizationFast loading |
| AI Processor | Flagship-grade NPU | 8th-generation NPU |
| AI Capabilities | Generative reasoningMulti-modal modelsAI photo editingContent summarization | LLM and MLLM supportImage generationAI semantic engine |
| Image Signal Processor | MediaTek Imagiq ISP | MediaTek imaging pipeline |
| Camera & Video Support | 8K Dolby Vision HDR video30 FPS motion trackingAdvanced noise reduction | AI ultra-clear telephotoFrame-level image optimization |
| Memory Support | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5X up to 9600 Mbps |
| 5G Modem | 5G Release-174CC carrier aggregation | Integrated 5G modem |
| Peak Download Speed | Up to 7 Gbps | Not specified |
| Power Saving | MediaTek UltraSave 4.0 | Improved energy efficiency |
| Network Enhancements | AI Network Suite 2.0Xtra Range 3.0 Wi-Fi | Standard network optimization |
| Bluetooth | Phone-to-phone up to 5 km | Standard Bluetooth support |
| Target Use Case | High-end gaming, AI workloads, advanced imaging | Daily performance, gaming, multitasking |
