In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all issues {hardware}, together with telephones, audio merchandise, garage servers, and networking tools.
I am getting to make use of over 75 telephones in a given 12 months, and an vast majority of the ones gadgets are powered by means of Qualcomm. Interestingly sufficient, the telephones I used essentially the most in 2025 featured the Dimensity 9400, and it is going to turn the quantity of growth MediaTek made over the past two years.
Qualcomm remains to be in a dominant place within the high-end class, however MediaTek netted vital design wins, particularly the Vivo X200 Pro and Find X8 Pro. These are two of the most productive camera-centric telephones to be had lately, and they are each powered by means of the Dimensity 9400.
Even regardless that MediaTek is the use of common Arm cores — Qualcomm switched to a customized design this 12 months — there actually is not a lot of a distinction. The X200 Pro takes the most productive pictures of any telephone I used till now, and it does a really perfect process in difficult video games. It holds up extremely neatly in mundane eventualities as neatly, and I did not see any variations when the use of on-device AI utilities.
With MediaTek additionally moving to the 3nm node, there is no distinction in potency both, and if the rest, I were given higher battery lifestyles out of the X200 Pro than Qualcomm-based gadgets with a an identical battery measurement. That is not to mention that Qualcomm is lagging at the back of; the 8 Elite is obviously one of the vital quickest cellular platforms to be had lately, and it is advisable see MediaTek providing another.
It’s transparent that Chinese producers need to use each MediaTek and Qualcomm designs of their telephones; whilst the X200 Pro has the Dimensity 9400, Vivo’s X200 Ultra is powered by means of Qualcomm, and the similar is correct of the Find X8 Ultra as neatly. However, those gadgets are restricted to China, and that remains to be anxious.What I’m looking to say is that MediaTek is in some way in a position to catch as much as Qualcomm within the high-end class, and that’s the reason nice information for the business as an entire. With Samsung failing to make floor with Exynos and Huawei critically hobbled by means of industry restrictions, there’s a distinct dearth of competition with regards to cellular platforms, and it is advisable see MediaTek using its momentum to rival Qualcomm on this house.
MediaTek is making first rate inroads into the U.S. as neatly, one thing it has struggled to do prior to now. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S10 drugs are powered by means of the Dimensity 9300+, and whilst those gadgets may not promote in as many numbers as the emblem’s telephones, the truth that the producer is the use of MediaTek-based designs globally is a large endorsement.
That stated, MediaTek nonetheless does not have a foothold with foldables — all of the foldables I utilized in 2025 are powered by means of Qualcomm. We might get to peer Chinese producers the use of next-gen Dimensity platforms, however that can be a couple of years away. It’s obvious that MediaTek desires to proceed making headway within the high-end and shore up its lead within the mid-range classes in the intervening time.
Another restricting issue prior to now was once that telephones powered by means of MediaTek would take longer to get instrument updates, however that simply is not the case now. My Vivo X100 Pro made the transfer to Android 15 concurrently Qualcomm-based opponents, and MediaTek is operating intently with main manufacturers to verify it supplies the considered necessary drivers to roll out updates quicker.
Ultimately, it is advisable see there are two nice possible choices of platforms for Android flagships, and I need MediaTek to proceed its momentum with the Dimensity 9500.
Source: www.androidcentral.com
