The new MediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor is going to use TSMC’s N3P process node, moving away from earlier ideas about a 2nm manufacturing method. This change seems to be due to the high costs and low production capacity, especially with Apple readying to adopt TSMC’s 2nm node for its upcoming M5 series chips.
A Major Design Change
The Dimensity 9500 represents a big architectural change, shifting to a 2+6 core arrangement rather than the 4+4 setup of its predecessor. The fresh layout includes two Cortex-X930 "super cores" and six Cortex-A730 performance cores, with clock speeds expected to surpass the 4 GHz mark. There’s also talk that this processor will support the SME (Scalable Matrix Extension) instruction set.
Performance Comparison
In contrast, the Dimensity 9400 features one 3.62 GHz Cortex-X925 super core, three 3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 large cores, and four 2.4 GHz Cortex-A720 large cores. According to industry insider Digital Chat Station, the X930 cores in the Dimensity 9500 are likely to provide significantly better single-core performance.
Launch Timeline and Competition
MediaTek is targeting an October 2025 release, which could lead to a competition with Samsung’s Exynos 2600, rumored to be manufactured using Samsung Foundry’s 2nm technology. Both processors may power various flagship devices, with rumors hinting that the Exynos 2600 could be at the heart of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and S26 series.
While TSMC’s N3P process might not be as power-efficient as the upcoming 2nm, it still offers an upgrade over the N3E process found in the current Dimensity 9400. Choosing N3P also highlights a wider industry trend, as several leading tech firms are seemingly reconsidering their quick shift to TSMC’s 2nm node due to the high costs and limited production capacity.
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