Achim Maier
The Dimensity 9000 challenges Qualcomm in the flagship segment, now MediaTek presented its new upper class, the Dimensity 8000 and 8100. Both chipsets are manufactured in a 5 nm process and are essentially based on the same hardware. The 8100 is clocked a bit higher though. In their slipstream, the Dimensity 1300 was also introduced, a small upgrade over the previous Dimensity 1200.
Dimensity 8000 / 8100
The two 8000 chips have four large Cortex-A78 CPU cores and four small A55 CPU cores. A Mali-G610 MC6 with the latest ARM architecture is used as the GPU. The main difference between the processors is the graphics: in the Dimensity 8100, the GPU frequency is 20% higher. The graphics performance is correspondingly better. In tests by MediaTek, the 8100 achieved 170 fps in GFXBench Manhattan, while the 8000 only managed 140 fps.
Both chips feature a MiraVision 780 chip with support for a 168Hz refresh rate at FHD+. The 8100 chip also supports 120Hz at WQHD+. Both also feature 4K AV1 video decoders and support for HDR10+ Adaptive. This adapts HDR10+ content to the ambient light conditions in real time.
The Imagiq 780 ISP can handle 5 gigapixels per second and record HDR video from two cameras simultaneously and 4K 60fps HDR10+ recording with one camera. The ISP supports cameras with up to 200 megapixel sensors, natively supports 2x lossless zoom, AI-assisted noise reduction and HDR recording.
Both chipsets are equipped with 5G modems (3GPP Release 16) with provider aggregation. This means that two 5G providers can be used simultaneously for downloads and uploads at up to 4.7 Gbit/s in dual SIM mode. There is Wi-Fi 6E (2×2) support, Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth LE audio with dual-link true wireless stereo audio. BeiDou’s new B1C frequency is also supported.
| Dimensity 1200 | Dimensity 8000 | Dimensity 8100 | Dimensity 9000 | |
| Node | 6 Nm | 5 Nm | 5 Nm | 4 Nm |
| CPU (Prime) | 1x Cortex-A78 @ 3.0 GHz | – | – | 1x Cortex-X2 @ 3.05 GHz |
| CPU (Middle) | 3x Cortex-A78 @ 2.6 GHz | 4x Cortex-A78 @ 2.75 GHz | 4x Cortex-A78 @ mit 2.85 GHz | 3x Cortex-A710 @ 2.85 GHz |
| CPU (Small) | 4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHz | 4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHz | 4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHz | 4x Cortex-A510 @ 1.8 GHz |
| RAM | LPDDR4X (up to 4,266 Mbps) | LPDDR5 (up to 6,400 Mbps) | LPDDR5 (up to 6,400 Mbps) | LPDDR5X (up to 7,500 Mbps) |
| Storage | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| GPU | Mali-G77 MC9 | Mali-G610 MC6 | Mali-G610 MC6 (20% faster than 8000) | Mali-G710 MC10 |
| Display | FHD+ @ 168 Hz | FHD+ @ 168 Hz | FHD+ @ 168 Hz, WQHD+ @ 120 Hz | FHD+ @ 180 Hz, WQHD+ @ 144 Hz |
| Camera Photos | 200 MP | 200 MP (5 Gpixel/s IPS) | 200 MP (5 Gpixel/s IPS) | 320 MP (9 Gpixel/s IPS) |
| Camera Video | 4K @ 60 fps | 4K @ 60 fps (HDR10+), Dual Recording | 4K @ 60 fps (HDR10+), Dual Recording | 4K @ 60 fps (HDR10+), Triple Recording |
| 5G | 4,7 Gbps Downlink, 2,5 Gbps Uplink | 4,7 Gbps Downlink | 4,7 Gbps Downlink | 7 Gbps Downlink, 2,5 Gbps Uplink |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 (2×2) | Wi-Fi 6E (2×2) | Wi-Fi 6E (2×2) | Wi-Fi 6E (2×2) |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
Dimensity 1300
The Dimensity 1300 is almost identical to the 1200. The only upgrade is improved NPU performance, which benefits the AI’s night mode and HDR processing. The first smartphones with a Dimensity 1300, 8000 or 8100 chipset are expected to be launched later this month.
