MediaTek Dimensity 9000 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 bring flagship-level hardware to smartphones. Their specifications cover CPU architecture, graphics, memory, camera processing and connectivity. The following comparison highlights their key features and practical benefits for gaming, photography and daily use.
General
The Dimensity 9000 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 are premium 5G smartphone chipsets launched in December 2021. Both were designed for flagship devices and support modern networks. Device-level features such as battery, charging, fingerprint sensors and cooling depend on the individual smartphone rather than the chipset itself.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
|---|
| Brand | MediaTek | Qualcomm |
| Model name | Dimensity 9000 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| Launch date | December 2021 | December 2021 |
| Network support | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Warranty details | Depends on smartphone brand | Depends on smartphone brand |
| Dimensions | Not officially specified | Not officially specified |
| Weight | Not officially specified | Not officially specified |
| Operating system | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| UI | Depends on smartphone brand | Depends on smartphone brand |
| Software version | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| Cooling | Depends on smartphone design | Depends on smartphone design |
| Battery capacity | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| Charging speed | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| Fingerprint sensor | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| Face unlock | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| Speakers | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| SIM type | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| NFC | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
| Flash | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |
CPU
CPU architecture affects app loading, multitasking and demanding workloads. Both chipsets use a Cortex-X2 performance core alongside Cortex-A710 and Cortex-A510 cores on a 4nm process. The Dimensity 9000 runs its prime and performance cores at slightly higher clock speeds, supporting responsive performance across gaming and everyday tasks.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
|---|
| CPU architecture | 1x Cortex-X2 up to 3.05GHz + 3x Cortex-A710 up to 2.85GHz + 4x Cortex-A510 up to 1.8GHz | 1x Cortex-X2 up to 3.0GHz + 3x Cortex-A710 up to 2.5GHz + 4x Cortex-A510 up to 1.8GHz |
| CPU cores | Octa-core | Octa-core |
| Process node | 4nm | 4nm |
Graphics
GPU performance is important for gaming, high-resolution video and graphics-heavy applications. The Dimensity 9000 uses an Arm Mali-G710 MC10 GPU paired with support for up to 180Hz Full HD+ or 120Hz WQHD+ displays, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 features Qualcomm Adreno graphics supporting up to 144Hz QHD+ displays. Both support flagship gaming and advanced visual experiences.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
|---|
| GPU | Arm Mali-G710 MC10 | Qualcomm Adreno |
| Maximum display support | 180Hz Full HD+; 120Hz WQHD+ | 144Hz QHD+ |
Memory
Memory determines how smoothly a smartphone handles multitasking and app switching. The Dimensity 9000 supports LPDDR5X memory up to 24GB, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports LPDDR5 memory up to 16GB. Both pair with UFS 3.1 storage for fast app loading and file transfers.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
|---|
| Memory type | LPDDR5X | LPDDR5 |
| Maximum memory | Up to 24GB | Up to 16GB |
| Storage support | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
Multimedia (ISP)
The ISP manages image and video processing for photography and video recording. The Dimensity 9000 supports rear cameras up to 320MP with AI-NR and 18-bit HDR video processing, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports up to 200MP capture with 18-bit ISP processing and AI-enhanced photography. Audio and sensor handling also differ, with each platform offering its own dedicated features.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
|---|
| Rear camera support | Up to 320MP | Up to 200MP |
| Front camera support | Up to 32MP | Up to 64MP |
| Video recording | Up to 8K at 24FPS | Up to 8K HDR at 30FPS |
| Camera features | AI-NR, 18-bit HDR video, 3-camera simultaneous capture | 18-bit ISP, AI-enhanced photography, multi-frame noise reduction |
| OIS | Supported | Supported |
| Audio features | MediaTek MiraVision, Imagiq and APU features | Snapdragon Sound |
| Sensors | Depends on smartphone | Qualcomm Sensing Hub |
Connectivity and network
Connectivity features influence mobile data speeds, wireless accessories and location services. Both chipsets support 5G SA and NSA modes with mmWave and carrier aggregation, alongside Wi-Fi 6E. The Dimensity 9000 offers peak 5G download speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 supports speeds of up to 10Gbps through its Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System.
| Specification | MediaTek Dimensity 9000 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
|---|
| 5G modem | Integrated 5G modem | Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| 4G | Yes | Yes |
| 5G modes | SA and NSA | SA and NSA |
| Peak download speed | Up to 9.6Gbps | Up to 10Gbps |
| 5G carrier aggregation | Supported | Supported |
| mmWave | Supported | Supported |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| USB port | USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 3.1 Gen 2 |
| GPS | Multi-GNSS | Dual-frequency GNSS |
| Expandable storage | Depends on smartphone | Depends on smartphone |