MediaTek Dimensity 900 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 are 5G processors designed for different smartphone segments. The Dimensity 900 focuses on efficient performance for upper mid-range smartphones, supporting daily tasks, multitasking, gaming, photography and streaming. The Snapdragon 865 is a flagship processor built for demanding workloads such as high-end gaming, advanced camera processing, 4K video editing and intensive applications. This comparison covers CPU, GPU, memory, multimedia and connectivity specifications.
General
MediaTek Dimensity 900 is a 6nm 5G chipset launched in 2021 for upper mid-range smartphones, while Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 is a 7nm 5G chipset launched in 2019 for flagship devices. Both processors use 64-bit architecture and support features such as 5G connectivity, gaming, photography, video streaming and multitasking.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 900 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Brand | MediaTek | Qualcomm |
| Launch date | May 2021 | December 2019 |
| Model | Dimensity 900 | Snapdragon 865 |
| Segment | Upper mid-range 5G smartphones | Flagship 5G smartphones |
| Process node | 6nm | 7nm |
| Foundry | TSMC | TSMC |
| Network support | 5G | 5G |
| Architecture | 64-bit | 64-bit |
CPU
MediaTek Dimensity 900 uses two Cortex-A78 performance cores and six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores to deliver balanced performance for browsing, app switching, video streaming and multitasking. Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 uses four Cortex-A77 performance cores and four Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, offering higher processing capability for gaming, video editing and demanding applications.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 900 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| CPU architecture | 2x Cortex-A78 + 6x Cortex-A55 | 1x Cortex-A77 + 3x Cortex-A77 + 4x Cortex-A55 |
| Performance cores | 2x Cortex-A78 @ 2.4GHz | 1x Cortex-A77 @ 2.84GHz + 3x Cortex-A77 @ 2.42GHz |
| Efficiency cores | 6x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz | 4x Cortex-A55 @ 1.8GHz |
| Total cores | 8 | 8 |
| Maximum clock speed | 2.4GHz | 2.84GHz |
| Instruction set | ARMv8-A | ARMv8-A |
| 64-bit support | Yes | Yes |
Graphics
MediaTek Dimensity 900 features the Mali-G68 MC4 GPU for gaming, graphics rendering and multimedia playback. Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 integrates the Adreno 650 GPU, designed for high-performance gaming, advanced graphics effects and demanding visual workloads.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 900 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| GPU | Mali-G68 MC4 | Adreno 650 |
| Gaming capability | Balanced gaming with smooth performance in popular titles | High-performance gaming with advanced graphics settings |
| Vulkan support | Vulkan 1.3 | Vulkan 1.1 |
| OpenGL ES support | OpenGL ES 3.2 | OpenGL ES 3.2 |
| Hardware video acceleration | Yes | Yes |
| Graphics optimisation | MediaTek HyperEngine | Snapdragon Elite Gaming |
Memory
MediaTek Dimensity 900 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 support LPDDR5 and LPDDR4X memory configurations for faster app loading, improved multitasking and efficient background processing. Snapdragon 865 supports higher RAM capacity, making it suitable for intensive gaming, video editing and large file handling.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 900 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| Memory type | LPDDR5/LPDDR4X | LPDDR5/LPDDR4X |
| Maximum frequency | 2750Mbps | 2750Mbps |
| Memory bus width | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| Maximum bandwidth | ~17.6GB/s | ~17GB/s |
| Maximum RAM support | 12GB | 16GB |
| ECC support | No | Yes |
Multimedia (ISP)
MediaTek Dimensity 900 supports up to 108MP camera sensors and 4K video recording for photography and content creation. Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 features the Spectra 480 ISP, enabling advanced image processing, up to 200MP camera support and 8K video recording.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 900 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| ISP | MediaTek Imagiq 5.0 | Qualcomm Spectra 480 |
| Storage support | UFS 2.2 | UFS 3.1 |
| Maximum display resolution | 2520 × 1080 pixels | 3840 × 2160 pixels |
| Maximum refresh rate | Up to 120Hz | Up to 144Hz |
| Maximum camera resolution | 108MP | 200MP |
| Multi-camera support | Yes | Yes |
| Video capture | 4K @ 30fps | 8K @ 30fps, 4K @ 60fps |
| Video playback | 4K HDR | 8K HDR |
Connectivity and network
MediaTek Dimensity 900 integrates a 5G modem for fast downloads, online gaming and video streaming. Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 uses the Snapdragon X55 5G modem, offering higher peak download speeds and supporting advanced 5G connectivity for flagship smartphones.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 900 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 |
| 5G modem | Integrated MediaTek 5G modem | Snapdragon X55 5G modem |
| Maximum 5G download speed | 2.77Gbps | 7.5Gbps |
| Maximum 5G upload speed | 2.5Gbps | 3Gbps |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| GNSS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |