MediaTek Dimensity 9400 to Use Arm Cortex-X5 Core

According to reports, MediaTek's upcoming Dimensity 9400 processor is poised to compete against Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and Apple's A17 Pro processors in the latter half of this year. While Qualcomm and Apple use custom CPU cores, MediaTek's Dimensity 9400 will continue with Arm's latest CPU cores.

Recent reports reveal a close collaboration between MediaTek and Arm, focusing on integrating Arm's BlackHawk CPU core architecture into the Dimensity 9400 processor. This partnership may result in higher frequencies and better performance than its rivals.

The previous release, the Dimensity 9300 processor, showcased an "all-large-core" architecture with Arm's Cortex-X4 super core, offering exceptional multi-threading performance. Similarly, the forthcoming Dimensity 9400 will likely follow an "all-large-core" CPU architecture, now featuring the Arm Cortex-X5 core based on the BlackHawk architecture. Market speculations suggest that despite not using custom CPU cores, the Dimensity 9400 could surpass Apple's A17 Pro and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 in terms of frequency and performance.

Reports suggest the new Dimensity 9400 processor will be the largest chip size in smartphones, measuring 150mm² and housing 30 billion transistors—32% more than its predecessor, the Dimensity 9300, which featured 22.7 billion transistors. The updated chip includes a larger cache and other components.

There were earlier rumors about high power consumption and overheating issues with Arm's Cortex-X5 core. If recent information is accurate, MediaTek and Arm may have resolved these concerns, but further testing will be necessary after the product launch.

Most smartphone manufacturers, apart from Google and Apple, already collaborate with MediaTek. Reports indicate Chinese smartphone brand Vivo could be the initial customer for the Dimensity 9400 processor.