The MediaTek Dimensity 920 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 are 5G mobile processors built for different smartphone segments. The Dimensity 920 focuses on delivering efficient performance and smooth everyday usage in upper mid-range devices, while the Snapdragon 888 is a flagship chipset designed for premium smartphones with significantly higher CPU, GPU, and AI performance. The comparison below highlights their official specifications and key differences, with missing details verified using trusted benchmark and hardware databases where required.
General
The MediaTek Dimensity 920 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 target different categories of smartphones. The Dimensity 920, launched in 2021, is designed for upper mid-range devices with a focus on efficiency and balanced performance. In contrast, the Snapdragon 888 is Qualcomm's flagship processor from late 2020, offering top-tier CPU, GPU, AI, and connectivity capabilities for premium smartphones.
| Component | MediaTek Dimensity 920 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
|---|
| Announced | 11 August 2021 | 1 December 2020 |
| Class | Upper mid-range | Flagship |
| Model number | MT6877 | SM8350 |
| Brand | MediaTek | Qualcomm |
CPU
Both chipsets feature octa-core CPUs, but the Snapdragon 888 adopts Qualcomm's flagship tri-cluster architecture with a Cortex-X1 prime core for superior performance. The Dimensity 920 uses two Cortex-A78 performance cores and six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, providing excellent everyday responsiveness while consuming less power.
| Component | MediaTek Dimensity 920 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
|---|
| Architecture | ARMv8.2-A | ARMv8.4-A |
| Cores | 8 (2 × Cortex-A78 + 6 × Cortex-A55) | 8 (1 × Cortex-X1 + 3 × Cortex-A78 + 4 × Cortex-A55) |
| Frequency | 2 × 2.5GHz + 6 × 2.0GHz | 1 × 2.84GHz + 3 × 2.42GHz + 4 × 1.80GHz |
| Instruction set | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| Process | 6nm (TSMC) | 5nm (Samsung) |
| Manufacturing | TSMC | Samsung |
Graphics
The Snapdragon 888 delivers considerably stronger graphics performance thanks to the Adreno 660 GPU, making it better suited for demanding games and graphics-intensive applications. The Dimensity 920's Mali-G68 MC4 GPU provides reliable gaming performance for everyday users while maintaining good power efficiency.
| Component | MediaTek Dimensity 920 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
|---|
| SoC | Dimensity 920 | Snapdragon 888 |
| GPU | Mali-G68 MC4 | Adreno 660 |
| Architecture | Valhall | Adreno |
| GPU frequency | Up to 950MHz | Up to 840MHz |
| Execution units | 4 | Not officially specified |
| Vulkan | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| OpenCL | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| DirectX | Not supported | 12.1 |
Memory
Both processors support fast memory technologies, but the Snapdragon 888 offers LPDDR5 support with significantly higher memory bandwidth. The Dimensity 920 supports both LPDDR4X and LPDDR5 memory, giving manufacturers greater flexibility while still delivering excellent multitasking performance.
| Component | MediaTek Dimensity 920 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
|---|
| Memory type | LPDDR4X, LPDDR5 | LPDDR5 |
| Memory frequency | Up to 3,200MHz | 3,200MHz |
| Bus | 4 × 16-bit | 4 × 16-bit |
| Max bandwidth | Up to 25.6GB/s (LPDDR4X), up to 51.2GB/s (LPDDR5) | 51.2GB/s |
| Max memory size | 16GB | 16GB |
Multimedia (ISP)
The Snapdragon 888 features Qualcomm's advanced Spectra 580 triple ISP, enabling support for larger camera sensors and 8K video recording. The Dimensity 920 includes MediaTek's Imagiq ISP, offering strong photography capabilities for upper mid-range smartphones with support for high-resolution cameras and 4K video recording.
| Component | MediaTek Dimensity 920 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
|---|
| Storage type | UFS 2.2, UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Max display resolution | 2520 × 1080 | 3840 × 2160 |
| Max camera resolution | 108MP | 200MP (single camera) |
| Video capture | 4K @ 30FPS | 8K @ 30FPS, 4K @ 120FPS |
| Video playback | 4K | 8K HDR |
| Video codecs | H.264, H.265 | H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1 |
| Audio codecs | AAC, AIFF, CAF, MP3 | AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC |
Connectivity and network
Both processors include integrated 5G modems and support modern wireless technologies. The Snapdragon 888 delivers faster theoretical download speeds and supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G, while the Dimensity 920 focuses on sub-6GHz 5G with excellent efficiency for mainstream smartphones.
| Component | MediaTek Dimensity 920 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 |
|---|
| Modem | MediaTek 5G Release 16 modem | Snapdragon X60 5G Modem-RF System |
| 4G support | Yes | Yes |
| 5G support | Yes (Sub-6GHz) | Yes (Sub-6GHz and mmWave) |
| Download speed | Up to 4.7Gbps | Up to 7.5Gbps |
| Upload speed | Up to 2.5Gbps | Up to 3Gbps |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| Navigation | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC |