MediaTek's latest mid-range Android processor is making waves

en.bedadung.com -- MediaTek is worth keeping an eye on for any Android enthusiast. With the release of the Dimensity 8400, the Taiwanese business, which is quietly emerging as a major participant in the mobile SoC market, completely upended the market.

This chip was recently unveiled by MediaTek today (via Android Authority). Its architecture is noteworthy because it forgoes modest efficiency cores in favor of an all-performance CPU configuration, which is consistent with recent trends in flagship chipsets. However, this is the first time we've seen a design like this aimed at mid-range devices, where efficiency is typically the key.

This is a brave move on the part of MediaTek.

Eight 3.25GHz Cortex-A725 cores make up the Dimensity 8400. No tiny efficiency cores exist. According to MediaTek, multi-core performance is 41% faster than with the previous generation Dimensity 8300. On paper at least, it also reduces peak power use by 44%.

It's risky to drop small cores in a mid-range CPU because it may have an impact on heat management, battery life, and single-core performance. It's obvious that MediatTek is targeting gaming consoles and heavy media consumers. A 24% increase in graphics performance and a 42% improvement in efficiency are promised by the Mali-G720 MC7 GPU. It is compatible with WQHD+ 144Hz screens. This is the territory of the flagship.

Without AI, of course, it wouldn't be a 2024 chip. MediaTek's NPU 880 is included with the Dimensity 8400 to allow AI support for tasks like media creation and video recording. Additionally, this chip offers 5G-Advanced capabilities with a maximum download speed of 5.17Gbps.
Qualcomm may want to be cautious.

It's a risky move that might work. The Dimensity 8400 is directly competing with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 series thanks to these specifications. But as of now, no one is aware of real-world efficiency. MediaTek has historically struggled with battery optimization, so it's a dangerous bet to include efficiency cores in a chip designed for mid-range handsets.

However, if a move toward all-performance cores results in improved benchmark scores and user experiences—particularly in gaming—it would be worthwhile. According to MediaTek, before the end of the year, the first devices with the new Dimensity 8400 will be available. The most probable contenders are Xiaomi and POCO. ***