A new flagship MediaTek processor is expected to rival the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

MediaTek announced the Dimensity 9500 with improvements in AI, gaming, and power efficiency.

MediaTek is enhancing the AI capabilities of the Dimensity 9500 chip with the new NPU 990, featuring both a "performance" and a "flexible" core. This chip also includes a Super Efficient compute-in-memory NPU, which facilitates continuously running AI models while using less power.

The NPU 990 doubles the performance of previous versions, provides a 128K token window, and allows 4K image generation. SME2, an instruction set for faster AI processing, is also supported by the chip. Although not all AI software supports it, SME2 has the potential to increase the speed and efficiency of running smaller on-device models.

Significant camera improvements include RAW domain pre-processing, up to 200MP capture, and 4K portrait video at 60fps. MediaTek states the chipset will enable 4K/120fps Dolby Vision video recording with electronic stabilization on Android devices for the first time.

These specifications are in line with recent announcements from Oppo and Vivo, who are expected to use the Dimensity 9500 in upcoming flagship smartphones. Oppo's Find X9 Pro is teasing 200MP multi-frame processing, suggesting the chip's 200MP capabilities will be used beyond simple snapshots. While Apple's iPhone 17 series offers 4K/30fps portrait video, Vivo has announced that its upcoming X300 models will support 4K/60fps portrait video.

MediaTek highlights additional features, such as lower WiFi and 5G power usage and increased Bluetooth audio range. Rumors suggest the Dimensity 9500 could rival the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in performance, potentially leading to a more competitive flagship market.

Final assessments must wait until both chips are released. Devices featuring the Dimensity 9500 are expected in Q4 2025, with Vivo and Oppo already teasing their flagship smartphones. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will be revealed by Qualcomm on September 23, and devices powered by it could appear as early as October, including the OnePlus 15, which has been seen in Geekbench's database.