MediaTek To Launch Next-Gen Flagship Chipset Just A Day Before Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Debut

The smartphone chipset rivalry is heating up as MediaTek has officially confirmed the launch date for its next flagship processor. The company announced that it will unveil the new chipset on September 22, 2025, at 2 p.m. GMT+8 (11:30 a.m. IST), just a day before Qualcomm introduces its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Also Read: Xiaomi 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max Teased With Secondary Rear Display: Here's What We Know

While MediaTek hasn’t revealed the exact name, the upcoming chip is widely expected to be the Dimensity 9500. According to leaks, the Dimensity 9500 will be manufactured on TSMC’s 3nm process and retain the familiar 1+3+4 CPU layout seen in the Dimensity 9400. Performance gains are expected from MediaTek’s new Arm-based core design –featuring one ultra-core running at 4.21GHz, three premium cores at 3.5GHz, and four efficiency-focused cores at 2.7GHz. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Could Debut With Exynos 2600 Built On 2nm Process

But the biggest improvements might come from graphics and AI. Early reports suggest the upgraded NPU could hit up to 100 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), giving it a big boost for on-device AI tasks like image generation, natural language processing, and real-time photo or video enhancements. Also Read: Vivo X300 Series To Take On iPhone 17 With AirDrop-Style Tool For Cross-Platform Sharing

While MediaTek hasn’t confirmed which smartphones will adopt the Dimensity 9500 first, Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station claims that the Vivo X300 series may debut with the new chipset soon after launch.

In addition to the teaser, MediaTek also revealed progress on its 2nm chip development with TSMC’s N2P node. The company said its first 2nm processor has been successfully taped out, promising 18% better performance at the same power level or 36% lower power consumption at the same performance level compared to current 3nm designs. Its first 2nm processor, expected to be called the Dimensity 9600, is on track for a late 2026 debut.

Interestingly, the timing of this launch puts MediaTek head-to-head with Qualcomm. Just a day after MediaTek’s reveal, Qualcomm will launch the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. With both companies unveiling their flagship chips in the same week, the stage is set for an intense battle in the 2026 smartphone market.