MediaTek might be playing a bit of a shell game with its next flagship chip lineup. According to a leak from tipster Smart Chip Insider, as reported by Gizmochina, the upcoming Dimensity 9600 series will actually consist of three separate chipsets: the Dimensity 9600s, the Dimensity 9600 Pro, and the Dimensity 9600 Pro Max. That sounds exciting. But dig a little deeper and the picture gets more complicated.
The 9600s, which will likely be the entry point of the trio, is said to be a rebranded version of the Dimensity 9500. Same TSMC N3P manufacturing process, different name. So if you were hoping for a big leap across the board, temper those expectations. The 9600s is essentially last gen’s chip in a new jacket. MediaTek has done this kind of thing before, and it’s a legitimate strategy for hitting different price points, but let’s not pretend it’s something it isn’t.
The 9600 Pro and Pro Max are the real story here. Both are expected to be built on TSMC’s N2P node, which is a meaningful step up in process technology. The differences between the Pro and Pro Max will probably come down to clock speeds or configuration tweaks rather than entirely different chip designs. Still, moving to N2P puts them in direct competition with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, which is also rumored to be on the same node. The 9600s, meanwhile, is expected to trail the standard Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6. That’s a notable gap, and it matters for the phones that end up using it.
Speaking of phones, the leaks suggest the Vivo X500 series will be first to ship with the Dimensity 9600 lineup, with the Oppo Find X10 series close behind. The pattern seems straightforward: the standard models get the 9600s, while the Pro and Pro Max phones get the more powerful Pro and Pro Max chips respectively. It’s a clean tiered structure, and it makes sense from a product lineup perspective.
What doesn’t sound as clean is the pricing. A report from last month suggested the Dimensity 9600 series chips could cost around $215 more than the Dimensity 9500. If that holds true, expect that cost to flow directly into the retail price of the phones. The Vivo X500 and Oppo Find X10 series could end up significantly more expensive than their predecessors. In a market where flagship phones are already pushing past $1,000, that’s not a small thing.
The timing here is also worth watching. Qualcomm has confirmed its next Snapdragon Summit for September, and there’s speculation that MediaTek could hold its own event just days before. That would be a direct shot across the bow, putting both chipmakers’ next-gen silicon in the spotlight at almost the same moment. Competition at the top of the chip market is good for everyone, but MediaTek will need its Pro and Pro Max variants to genuinely compete with Qualcomm’s best. A rebranded chip at the bottom of the lineup isn’t going to win that argument on its own.