The MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are two powerful mobile chipsets that cater to high-end smartphones, each excelling in its own domain. The Dimensity 8400 Ultra, launched in late 2024, represents MediaTek’s push for next-generation performance and efficiency, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, unveiled in 2022, has already established itself as a reliable powerhouse in the premium smartphone segment.
Each processor supports premium features like high-resolution displays, exceptional camera setups, and seamless 5G connectivity, but they approach performance optimization differently. While the Dimensity 8400 Ultra targets future-focused innovation, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 leverages its proven track record to remain a top choice for flagship devices. Choosing between the two depends on priorities like gaming, connectivity, or overall versatility.
This article will provide detailed coverage of both chipsets. So without any further delay, let’s get started!
Also Read: Dimensity 8400 Ultra vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 vs 7+ Gen 3 Comparison
Dimensity 8400 Ultra vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Specs
Here are the detailed specs of both chipsets:
| Dimensity 8400 Ultra | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Model Number | MT6899 | SM8550 |
| Launched | December 29, 2024 | November 15, 2022 |
| CPU | 1x Cortex-A725 @3.25GHz 3x Cortex-A725 @3.0GHz 4 x Cortex-A725 @2.1GHz | 1x Cortex-X3 @3.2GHz 2x Cortex-A715 @2.8GHz 2x Cortex-A710 @2.8GHz 2x Cortex-A510 @2.0GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G720 MP7 1300 MHz, 2329.6 Gigaflops | Adreno 740 680 MHz, 2089 Gigaflops |
| Process | TSMC 4nm | TSMC 4nm |
| Display | WQHD+ @144Hz HDR10+ | 4K Ultra HD @60 Hz QHD+ @144 Hz HDR10+ |
| Camera | Up to 200MP | Up to 200MP |
| ISP | MediaTek Imagiq 1080 | Spectra triple ISPs |
| Video Output | 4K @60 fps | 8K @60 fps 4K @120 fps 1080p @240 fps 720p @960 fps |
| RAM | LPDDR5X 4266Mbps | LPDDR5X 4266 MHz |
| Modem | Download: 5.17 Gbps Upload: 2.5 Gbps | Download: 10.0 Gbps Upload: 3.5 Gbps |
| Antutu | Total: 1595627 CPU: 372905 GPU: 588376 MEM: 319170 UX: 315176 | Total: 1570525 CPU: 384753 GPU: 607065 MEM: 304814 UX: 273893 |
| Geekbench | Single-Core: 1590 Multi-Core: 6257 | Single-Core: 1907 Multi-Core: 5407 |
| AI | MediaTek NPU 880 | Hexagon |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.4 WiFi 6E Dual Mode 5G (SA, NSA) | Bluetooth 5.3 WiFi 7 Dual Mode 5G (SA, NSA) |
| Storage | UFS 4 + MCQ, UFS 3.1 | UFS 4, UFS 3.1 |
CPU & GPU Performance
When comparing the CPU and GPU performance of the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, both processors stand out as formidable contenders in the high-end chipset arena. Each offers unique approaches to balancing power, efficiency, and performance to cater to flagship smartphones.
CPU Performance
The Dimensity 8400 Ultra introduces a powerful octa-core configuration with Cortex-A725 cores across all performance and efficiency clusters. It features a primary Cortex-A725 core clocked at 3.25 GHz, delivering exceptional peak performance for demanding tasks. This is complemented by three additional Cortex-A725 cores at 3.0 GHz and four efficiency-oriented Cortex-A510 cores at 2.1 GHz, ensuring a balanced workload distribution. This homogeneous design simplifies scheduling, optimizing performance and power efficiency for multitasking, gaming, and general app usage.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 employs a slightly different approach with a 1+4+3 architecture, highlighting Qualcomm’s focus on mixed-core designs. Its prime Cortex-X3 core is clocked at 3.2 GHz, offering unmatched single-threaded performance. It is backed by two Cortex-A715 and two Cortex-A710 cores at 2.8 GHz, striking a balance between performance and compatibility for older 32-bit apps. Additionally, the three Cortex-A510 efficiency cores at 2.0 GHz manage low-power tasks effectively. This architecture provides exceptional single-core performance, making the Snapdragon ideal for tasks requiring high burst processing.
In synthetic benchmarks, both processors are close in multi-core scores, but the Snapdragon’s Cortex-X3 core gives it an edge in single-core tasks, especially in applications like gaming and heavy data processing.
GPU Performance
The GPU segment is where the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra shines brightly, thanks to its integration of the Mali-G720 MP7. Clocked at 1300 MHz, this GPU delivers 2329.6 GFLOPS, making it a powerhouse for gaming and multimedia. It features advanced graphics technologies like Vulkan 1.3 support and high-efficiency rendering techniques, which translate to smoother gameplay, reduced power consumption, and high frame rates for modern mobile games. The G720 is also optimized for ray tracing and HDR rendering, enhancing visual fidelity in supported games and applications.
On the other hand, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 houses the Adreno 740 GPU, which, while clocked lower at 680 MHz, still achieves 2089 GFLOPS due to its highly efficient architecture. The Adreno 740 is widely regarded for its excellent software optimization and support for cutting-edge features like ray tracing, Vulkan 1.3, and HDR10+. Despite slightly lower raw performance metrics compared to the Dimensity, the Adreno 740 often matches or even outpaces its competitors in real-world gaming tests, thanks to Qualcomm’s robust driver ecosystem.
In gaming and GPU-intensive tasks, the Dimensity 8400 Ultra takes a slight lead in raw power, making it ideal for sustained high-performance gaming. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 compensates with better optimization and driver support, ensuring a smoother experience across a wider range of games and applications.
Overall, Both chipsets offer incredible CPU and GPU performance, but they cater to slightly different priorities. The Dimensity 8400 Ultra is ideal for users seeking top-tier gaming power and energy efficiency, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 excels in single-threaded performance and optimized real-world usage scenarios.
Camera and Imaging
Both chipsets support up to 200MP cameras, allowing manufacturers to integrate ultra-high-resolution sensors for detailed and sharp images. This feature makes both processors suitable for flagship smartphones with advanced photography systems. However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 benefits from its proven Spectra triple ISP (Image Signal Processor), which efficiently manages multiple camera sensors simultaneously, enabling complex setups like multi-lens arrays for wide, ultrawide, and telephoto shooting.
The Dimensity 8400 Ultra, on the other hand, features the MediaTek Imagiq 1080 ISP, focusing on low-light performance and AI-enhanced image processing. This ISP incorporates advanced noise reduction techniques and AI-driven algorithms for improved clarity, dynamic range, and color reproduction in challenging lighting conditions.
In terms of video, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 stands out with its ability to record 8K video at 60 fps. It also supports 4K at 120 fps and slow-motion capabilities, such as 1080p at 240 fps and 720p at 960 fps, providing more flexibility for creators.
The Dimensity 8400 Ultra, while limited to 4K at 60 fps recording, emphasizes AI enhancements like real-time HDR, bokeh effects, and stabilization, which deliver professional-quality results even at lower resolutions.
While both processors are well-suited for imaging, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 caters to advanced videographers, while the Dimensity 8400 Ultra focuses on AI-enhanced stills and video performance in everyday scenarios.
Memory and storage
Both processors support LPDDR5X RAM, offering speeds of up to 4266 Mbps. This high-speed memory ensures seamless multitasking, faster app launches, and better overall responsiveness. The LPDDR5X technology also contributes to improved energy efficiency, reducing power consumption while maintaining high performance for demanding tasks like gaming, 4K video editing, and AI processing.
Furthermore, these chipsets are compatible with the latest UFS 4.0 storage standard, which significantly boosts read and write speeds compared to previous generations. UFS 4.0 delivers double the bandwidth per lane, resulting in faster app installations, quicker file transfers, and improved boot times. Additionally, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Dimensity 8400 Ultra both maintain backward compatibility with UFS 3.1, providing flexibility for manufacturers to use older storage modules if needed.
The Dimensity 8400 Ultra takes storage efficiency further with MCQ (Multi-Circular Queue) technology, enhancing parallel data access and reducing latency, which is particularly useful for multitasking-heavy scenarios.
Both chipsets excel in memory and storage performance, delivering the speed and reliability expected from flagship devices. The Dimensity 8400 Ultra offers slight efficiency enhancements with MCQ, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 balances high-speed performance with extensive optimization for real-world tasks.
Connectivity, Display, and AI
Connectivity is a crucial factor in modern devices, and both processors excel in this domain. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 features the X70 modem, which supports download speeds of up to 10 Gbps and upload speeds of 3.5 Gbps, setting a benchmark for network performance. In comparison, the Dimensity 8400 Ultra offers download speeds of 5.17 Gbps and upload speeds of 2.5 Gbps, which are more than sufficient for most users but fall slightly behind Qualcomm’s offering.
Both chipsets support dual-mode 5G, ensuring compatibility with current and evolving network infrastructures. When it comes to Wi-Fi capabilities, Snapdragon supports the cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 standard, offering reduced latency and higher bandwidth, while Dimensity utilizes Wi-Fi 6E, which still provides excellent performance for most tasks. Bluetooth support is slightly more advanced in the Dimensity 8400 Ultra with Bluetooth 5.4, compared to Snapdragon’s Bluetooth 5.3. These features ensure fast, reliable connections for a wide range of applications, including gaming, streaming, and smart device integration.
In terms of display technology, both processors cater to high-end visual experiences. The Dimensity 8400 Ultra supports WQHD+ resolution at 144Hz with HDR10+, making it ideal for devices prioritizing smooth refresh rates and vibrant colors. Snapdragon, on the other hand, supports 4K Ultra HD at 60Hz or QHD+ at 144Hz, ensuring versatility for both gaming and high-resolution media consumption. Both chipsets provide excellent power efficiency while delivering visually stunning experiences, thanks to their advanced manufacturing processes and optimized architectures.
Artificial intelligence is another area where these processors excel. The MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra is equipped with the NPU 880, which focuses on efficient AI performance for tasks like scene detection, photography enhancements, and natural language processing. Its emphasis on energy-efficient AI makes it a strong contender for applications requiring consistent background AI functionality, such as virtual assistants and augmented reality.
On the other hand, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 leverages its Hexagon processor, offering advanced capabilities like image segmentation, speech recognition, and object detection. With support for INT4 and FP16 precision, Snapdragon provides a powerful AI ecosystem capable of handling complex tasks with precision and speed.
Benchmark Scores
Benchmark scores provide valuable insights into the performance capabilities of the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, showcasing their strengths in CPU, GPU, memory, and overall user experience. Both processors deliver impressive results, reflecting their status as high-end chipsets, but they excel in slightly different areas.
Note: We have used Poco X7 Pro (Dimensity 8400 Ultra) and Poco F6 Pro (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2) for benchmark results.
Antutu 10
The MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra achieves an Antutu score of 1,595,627, with standout performance in GPU and UX categories. Its GPU score of 588,376 highlights the power of the Mali-G720 MP7, which delivers exceptional gaming performance and smooth graphics rendering. The UX score of 315,176 reflects MediaTek’s optimizations for a fluid user interface and advanced AI capabilities. The CPU score of 372,905 demonstrates the efficiency and performance of its Cortex-A725 cores, which provide a balanced approach to handling intensive and everyday tasks. Its memory performance, represented by a score of 319,170, benefits from LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage with MCQ enhancements.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, with an Antutu score of 1,570,525, emphasizes raw CPU and GPU power. The Adreno 740 GPU achieves a higher score of 607,065, demonstrating its strength in real-world gaming scenarios and software optimization. The CPU score of 384,753 reflects the performance edge of its Cortex-X3 core, particularly in single-threaded tasks. Its memory score of 304,814 is slightly lower than Dimensity’s but remains competitive, while the UX score of 273,893 suggests Snapdragon’s focus on consistent, real-world multitasking performance.
Geekbench 6
In Geekbench tests, The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 achieves a single-core score of 1,907 and a multi-core score of 5,407, showcasing its strong single-threaded performance. This advantage is primarily due to its powerful Cortex-X3 core, clocked at 3.2 GHz, which excels in high-burst tasks like app launches, web browsing, and gaming. Its multi-core score demonstrates the balance provided by its Cortex-A715 and Cortex-A510 cores, offering consistent performance across diverse workloads.
The Dimensity 8400 Ultra scores 1,590 in single-core and 6,257 in multi-core, reflecting its focus on efficient multi-threading. While its single-core performance is slightly lower, the homogeneous use of Cortex-A725 cores across performance and efficiency clusters gives it an edge in multi-core operations. This design is particularly effective for tasks requiring sustained power, such as video editing and multitasking.
The Verdict
The MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are both high-performance chipsets, each excelling in different areas. The Dimensity 8400 Ultra offers impressive multi-core performance, with its Cortex-A725 cores delivering efficient power for sustained workloads, backed by the Mali-G720 MP7 GPU for excellent gaming and graphical performance. Its emphasis on AI efficiency, with the MediaTek NPU 880, makes it a strong contender for enhanced computational photography and real-time processing.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 shines with superior single-core performance, driven by the Cortex-X3 core, making it ideal for tasks requiring fast burst processing. The Adreno 740 GPU excels in gaming and graphics rendering, and its advanced connectivity features, such as Wi-Fi 7 and the X70 modem, provide unmatched network speeds and reliability. The Snapdragon’s AI capabilities, powered by the Hexagon processor, enhance both performance and efficiency in complex tasks.
Overall, the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are both premium chipsets offering exceptional performance but cater to different user needs. But the 8400 Ultra must be available at a reasonable price making it an ideal choice for gamers, while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a complete solution for high-end users with versatile options.
