MediaTek has officially announced the launch of two new mobile processors, the Dimensity 9500s and the Dimensity 8500.
Positioned to bolster the company’s sub-flagship and premium mid-range portfolios for 2026, the chipsets leverage TSMC’s 3nm and 4nm process nodes respectively.
These components are designed to support on-device generative AI and enhanced gaming performance in upcoming smartphones.
Technical Specifications and Architecture
The Dimensity 9500s serves as a high-performance variant within the 9000-series, utilizing the TSMC 3nm (N3E) process.
It features an “All Big Core” CPU configuration that prioritizes raw throughput by omitting traditional high-efficiency small cores.
| Feature | Dimensity 9500s | Dimensity 8500 |
| Process Node | TSMC 3nm (N3E) | TSMC 4nm (N4P) |
| CPU Configuration | 1x Cortex-X925 (3.73GHz) 3x Cortex-X4 (3.30GHz) 4x Cortex-A720 (2.0GHz) | 8x Cortex-A725 (1x 3.4GHz Prime, 3x 3.2GHz, 4x 2.2GHz) |
| GPU | Immortalis-G925 MP12 | Mali-G720 MC8 |
| NPU | NPU 890 (Agentic AI) | NPU 880 (8th Gen) |
| Memory Support | LPDDR5X (9600Mbps) | LPDDR5X (9600Mbps) |
| Display (Max) | WQHD+ @ 180Hz | WQHD+ @ 144Hz |
The Dimensity 9500s incorporates a 19MB CPU cache paired with a 10MB system cache, a configuration designed to reduce latency when accessing high-speed memory.
In contrast, the Dimensity 8500 utilizes an octa-core setup comprised entirely of Cortex-A725 cores, which MediaTek reports offers a 7% performance improvement over the previous generation’s architecture.
AI and Multimedia Capabilities
Both chipsets are equipped with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) optimized for on-device generative AI.
The Dimensity 9500s features the NPU 890, which supports “Agentic AI” capabilities, allowing for autonomous task execution and real-time multimodal processing.
In terms of imaging, the 9500s supports:
320MP maximum camera resolution.
8K Dolby Vision video recording at 30fps.
30fps full-speed focus tracking for moving subjects.
The Dimensity 8500 supports up to 4K HDR video at 60fps and features an AI-assisted ultra-clear telephoto algorithm intended to improve digital zoom clarity.
Connectivity and Wireless Standards
The communication suites for both chips emphasize the 5G Release 17 standard.
Dimensity 9500s: Features a downlink capacity of up to 7Gbps, Wi-Fi 7 (6.5Gbps), and a specialized Bluetooth implementation capable of phone-to-phone communication at distances of up to 5km in line-of-sight conditions.
Dimensity 8500: Supports downlink speeds up to 5.17Gbps and utilizes Wi-Fi 6E.
Connectivity and Wireless Standards
The communication suites for both chips emphasize the 5G Release 17 standard.
Dimensity 9500s: Features a downlink capacity of up to 7Gbps, Wi-Fi 7 (6.5Gbps), and a specialized Bluetooth implementation capable of phone-to-phone communication at distances of up to 5km in line-of-sight conditions.
Dimensity 8500: Supports downlink speeds up to 5.17Gbps and utilizes Wi-Fi 6E.
MediaTek has confirmed that these chipsets are compatible with the latest Android 16 frameworks.
The company has also integrated its NeuroPilot Gen-AI SDK, facilitating easier deployment of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Stable Diffusion for developers.
Pricing and Availability
The Dimensity 8500 has already seen a silent debut in the Honor Power 2 in select markets.
According to industry reports, the Dimensity 9500s is expected to premiere globally in the Redmi Turbo 5 Max (likely rebranded as the POCO X8 Pro Max for international regions) and the Oppo K15 Turbo.
While MediaTek does not disclose wholesale chipset pricing, devices utilizing these processors are expected to occupy the $400 to $700 price bracket, depending on regional taxes and specific configurations.
Market Context
The introduction of the 9500s and 8500 appears to be a strategic move to address a growing gap in the sub-flagship market.
As flagship silicon costs increase due to the transition to 2nm nodes, these chips provide manufacturers with a performance-oriented alternative that maintains high AI and gaming capabilities without the pricing premium of the top-tier Dimensity 9500 or Snapdragon 8 Elite.
