Paul Jones / Android Authority
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite guarantees massive efficiency and power effectivity positive factors, but it surely’s reported to return at a steep value. With flagship smartphone costs already at all-time highs, some producers, like OPPO and its new Discover X8 sequence, are in search of extra inexpensive powerhouse chipsets. Enter MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400.
However do you lose out on top-tier efficiency by choosing a telephone and not using a Snapdragon processor? We’ve run the OPPO Discover X8 Professional by our benchmark suite to search out out.
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Earlier than we get to that, let’s rapidly recap the important thing chipset variations. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite debuts its customized Oryon CPU cores. There are eight of them in whole, two clocked at 4.32 GHz and 6 at 3.53 GHz. Likewise, MediaTek eschews little cores in favor of a beefy Arm Cortex-X925 at 3.63GHz, three Cortex-X4s at 3.3GHz, and 4 Cortex-A720s at 2.5GHz. Qualcomm has the clock velocity edge, however MediaTek’s chip is cache-heavy, so it might nonetheless carry out nicely.
For graphics, Qualcomm’s new structure for its Adreno 830 is blazing quick for contemporary video games, whereas MediaTek makes use of a 12-core Arm Immortalis-G925 GPU that will probably be no slouch both. Each chipsets assist quick LPDDR5X RAM and are constructed on TSMC’s environment friendly 3nm N3E course of. After all, there’s extra to every chip than that, however these elementary structure modifications would be the most important components in each day efficiency. Let’s get into the numbers.
Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Dimensity 9400 benchmarks
For in the present day’s comparability, I’ve picked our Snapdragon 8 Elite packing ASUS ROG Telephone 9 Professional (in each balanced and efficiency profiles), the last-gen Galaxy S24 Extremely for the 8 Gen 3, Apple’s newest iPhone 16 Professional, and the vivo X100 Professional with a Dimensity 9300 to go up towards the Dimensity 9400 packing OPPO Discover X8 Professional. Let’s begin with CPU efficiency by way of GeekBench 6.
Showcasing ASUS’ two efficiency profiles offers us a good suggestion of the place MediaTek’s chip falls. It finally ends up proper between the battery-focused and max efficiency candy spots of the 8 Elite’s single-core efficiency however a way behind in multi-core scores even when the Elite is being environment friendly.
The truth is, multi-core scores don’t appear to have improved a lot from the earlier technology. This may very well be as a consequence of the usage of the identical X4 and A720 format, although these have seen a 500MHz uplift every. MediaTek projected a 28% multi-core acquire over final yr, so maybe OPPO is enjoying it conservatively.
Customized CPU cores from Apple and Qualcomm stay out in entrance.
When it comes to peak speeds, the Snapdragon 8 Elite has an 18% lead in single-core efficiency over the Dimensity 9400 within the OPPO Discover X8 Professional and a 37% lead in multi-core. Apple’s A18 Professional holds a 30% single-core and 19% multi-core lead. The Cortex-X925 appears considerably behind the customized Oryon and Apple takes on the Arm CPU structure, so OPPO’s newest flagship isn’t fairly as fast because the quickest round.
All that mentioned, the Dimensity 9400 sees an inexpensive single-core CPU uplift over the earlier technology, however a 5% multi-core acquire is fairly meager. Nonetheless, the chip is actually no slouch relating to each day duties.
As for graphics, the Dimensity 9400 appears rather more spectacular. We have been anticipating round 40% higher peak efficiency, however our benchmark outcomes hit a 47% enchancment in Wild Life Excessive and a whopping 62% acquire in Photo voltaic Bay’s ray-tracing take a look at in comparison with the vivo X100 Professional’s Dimensity 9300 chip. Nevertheless, let’s deal with this as a tough enchancment, as we’re evaluating vivo to OPPO right here.
Both method, the bounce propels Arm’s newest GPU proper as much as the highest of the charts alongside the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The OPPO Discover X8 Professional additionally produces an honest sustained efficiency outcome, even when scores progressively decline with temperature. Nonetheless, temperatures solely peaked at 38.8 °C, far cooler than any of the opposite handsets in our take a look at.
In a win for players, the Arm Immortalis G925 GPU runs quick and funky.
For comparability, the ASUS ROG Telephone 9 Professional hit 48.0°C in the identical checks to maintain efficiency up; in any other case, it sees a considerable efficiency reduce to maintain temperatures down. Each the Dimensity 9400 and Snapdragon 8 Elite are overkill for operating the newest Android video games and emulators, but it surely seems like MediaTek’s chip is perhaps the higher possibility for these extended gaming classes.
MediaTek Dimensity 9400 early verdict
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority
Our first take a look at the Dimensity 9400 in a business smartphone is a combined bag. On the one hand, the touted CPU positive factors haven’t materialized, however we all know that OPPO likes to optimize for power effectivity over outright efficiency and may very well be holding off on full throttle to maximise battery life. Maybe different MediaTek Dimensity 9400 handsets will rank a little bit increased. Even so, the chip is quicker than final yr’s fashions and has loads of efficiency for all of your each day and demanding duties.
Our first Dimensity 9400 telephone seems stable, however others may push efficiency additional.
The bounce in graphics capabilities is a extra welcome shock. Arm’s Immortalis GPUs have benchmarked a little bit off the tempo beforehand (however have been stable for actual video games), however the G925 seems to be a major improve. With extremely aggressive efficiency and seemingly a lot decrease temperatures than the 8 Elite, players ought to keep watch over this future-proof chip.
After all, we haven’t touched on the Dimensity 9400’s different upgrades, which embody 8K/60fps video seize capabilities and a much more highly effective AI engine, that are equally essential for a correct flagship expertise. First impressions are good then, however take into accout that is simply our first Dimensity 9400 smartphone, and we’ll want a bigger pattern set to be definitive concerning the chip. Nonetheless, with Snapdragon costs sky-high, we’re anticipating to see just a few extra of them within the very close to future.
