MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Which New Chip is More Powerful?

MediaTek has just announced its Dimensity 9400+ as an incremental upgrade to its flagship Dimensity 9400 processor. Qualcomm also recently unveiled its Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset with similar gaming performance to its top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite. But which new processor from the two chipmakers is more powerful? Let’s find out in this comparison.

Dimensity 9400+ vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Specs at a Glance

Dimensity 9400+ vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: CPU

• The Dimensity 9400+ has an all-big-core design, similar to the Dimensity 9400. It is based on TSMC’s 2nd-gen 3nm N3E architecture, which is the most efficient technology for mobile processors. This is the most powerful processor from MediaTek.
• The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 features 1x Prime Core, 3x High Performance Cores, 2x Performance Cores, and 2 Efficiency Cores. It is fabricated on TSMC’s 4nm architecture. In terms of performance, this processor sits between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite, being the second fastest chip from Qualcomm.

In terms of raw CPU performance, the Dimensity 9400+ is more powerful than the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 due to its all-big-core design. However, benchmarks are not available for either chip, as we have yet to see phones featuring them.

Dimensity 9400+ vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: GPU

• The Dimensity 9400+ features the Immortalis-G925, which is a 12-core GPU. It offers the same gaming performance as the Dimensity 9400 and retains support for 4K upscaling and ray tracing. The GPU also integrates MediaTek HyperEngine Technology, supporting 120fps gaming.
• The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is almost as good as the Snapdragon 8 Elite in terms of gaming. This is because the new chip uses a similar GPU architecture to the 8 Elite, but with fewer cores. It supports Snapdragon Elite Gaming features and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. You can play games up to 120fps on this processor.

This is a very close call, as both chips feature extremely capable GPUs. To recall, the Snapdragon 8 Elite had a decent edge over the Dimensity 9400 in gaming. Considering that the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 uses a slightly cut-down version of the 8 Elite’s GPU, we can expect the performance difference between Qualcomm and MediaTek to be narrowed down. However, a conclusive result can only be drawn once we get to test smartphones with the respective processors.

Dimensity 9400+ vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: NPU

• The Dimensity 9400+ is equipped with the MediaTek NPU 890, the same as the Dimensity 9400. However, the company has brought support for on-device DeepSeek-R1 models, meaning that this new chip can now process advanced AI models locally. MediaTek has integrated advanced algorithms, which boost the overall AI performance by up to 20%.
• The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 uses the Qualcomm Hexagon AI Engine. In terms of AI performance, this chip ranks below the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which means it also loses to the Dimensity 9400+ in a direct comparison. However, it supports on-device AI processing using Scalar and Vector accelerators for higher precision.

In simple words, the Dimensity 9400+ is more powerful and advanced for AI processing, compared to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4. But these differences mainly apply to highly advanced tasks like running on-device AI models. For general features like Gemini Circle to Search, AI-powered photo editing, transcription, etc, the feature compatibility is similar on both chips, with MediaTek having an advantage in speed.

Dimensity 9400+ vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Modem (Connectivity)

• The MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ has the 3GPP Release-17 5G modem, which supports 5G, 4G LTE, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0. MediaTek has introduced advanced phone-to-phone Bluetooth connections, which give an effective range of up to 15 km on compatible devices. It also comes with MediaTek UltraSave 4.0, which reduces 5G power consumption by up to 18%.
• The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 features the Snapdragon X75 5G modem. Connectivity specifications include 5G, 4G LTE, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and UWB support. This modem is one generation older compared to the Snapdragon X80 on the 8 Elite chip.

In terms of daily usage of 5G, 4G, and Wi-Fi, you won’t notice a major difference between the two chips. However, if you have a compatible smartphone, you can get up to 15km of Bluetooth range with the Dimensity 9400+. But note that these metrics are based on ideal conditions, it’s difficult to achieve in real life due to signal interference, obstruction from walls, etc.

Dimensity 9400+ vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Display, Cameras, Image Processing

• The Dimensity 9400+ supports displays up to WQHD+ at a 180Hz refresh rate. It is compatible with cameras up to 320MP resolution. The chip uses the Imagiq 1090 ISP, which brings improved clarity in processing telephoto images by using generative AI.
• The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 cam drive displays up to WQHD+ resolution at a 144Hz refresh rate. It supports cameras up to 320MP. The Spectra 18-bit Triple AI ISP, which brings advanced features like Limitless Segmentation, using which the chip can divide an image into multiple layers for effective processing.

The Dimensity 9400+ and Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 are capable of handling top-end display and camera modules for modern flagships. Qualcomm has a slight edge in image processing, but the end results vary by phone maker.

Dimensity 9400+ vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Verdict

The Dimensity 9400+ is the most advanced and powerful processor from MediaTek. The all-big-core design, powerful GPU, and advanced NPU with on-device DeepSeek-R1 support make it a complete chip for a flagship smartphone.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a flagship killer processor, which sits below the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Hence, it cannot beat the Dimensity 9400+ in a head-on battle. But this chip is designed for performance-centric smartphones at a price tag lower than that of top-end flagships.

So if you value top-notch performance with absolutely no compromises, then the Dimensity 9400+ becomes an obvious choice. But if you want good and flagship-like features on a tight budget, then the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is the chip to look for.

However, the price factor depends on smartphone OEMs, and the same equation might not translate in real life. Hence, it will be interesting to see phones with these new processors. As per Qualcomm and MediaTek, we can expect devices with Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 and Dimensity 9400+ in Q2 2025.