Dimensity 8500 leak: the 8-core A725 chip for affordable high-end
The well-known leaker Digital Chat Station has revealed new details about the upcoming MediaTek chip, the Dimensity 8500, a direct evolution of the Dimensity 8400 aimed at the affordable premium segment.
Dimensity 8500: A 100% Big Cores Architecture
According to the leak, the Dimensity 8500 is manufactured using a 4 nm process by TSMC, and it features a configuration of 8 ARM Cortex-A725 cores — meaning there are no small power-efficient cores.
This choice mirrors the Dimensity 8400 but with higher clock speeds and improved thermal optimization.
- 1 main core (Prime): Cortex-A725 @ 3.4 GHz
- 7 performance cores: Cortex-A725 at slightly lower frequencies (around 3.0 GHz, according to prototypes)
This “full performance cores” approach is expected to deliver very high raw power, comparable to flagship processors while maintaining reasonable efficiency thanks to TSMC’s 4 nm node.
A Boosted Mali-G720 GPU
On the graphic front, MediaTek continues to utilize the ARM Mali-G720 architecture, with a configuration of either MP10 or MP12 (as per the leak) clocked at around 1.5 GHz.
According to Digital Chat Station, initial AnTuTu benchmarks are reaching 2.2 million points, a significant improvement over the Dimensity 8400 (around 1.9 million) and comparable to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. The leaker even notes that the theoretical GPU performance could surpass that of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 8 s Gen 4, at least “on paper.”
However, it will be essential to wait for actual thermal and power tests to assess stability and heat management.
Two Types of Smartphones Already in Testing
According to the leak, the first devices equipped with the Dimensity 8500 are already undergoing internal testing:
- A balanced mid-range smartphone with a standard display size (~6.7 inches)
- A model focused on battery life, featuring a large battery
This strategy suggests that MediaTek aims to appeal to both mobile gamers and endurance-focused users.
Initial Partners: Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO, and Vivo
Digital Chat Station again connects the chip to the Redmi Turbo 5 (the successor to Turbo 4), which could become the first smartphone to use it. For context, the Redmi Turbo 4 was equipped with the Dimensity 8400—Ultra, while the Turbo 4 Pro used the Snapdragon 8 s Gen 4. Thus, the Dimensity 8500 appears to be a new option in the mid-high performance range for Xiaomi, followed by Honor, OPPO, OnePlus, and Vivo in the coming months.
The Dimensity 8500 could become the most powerful SoC in the mid-high range segment. With a 100% high-performance core architecture and a strong GPU, MediaTek seems poised to challenge Qualcomm even outside the flagship segment, thereby solidifying its position in smartphones priced between €400 and €700.
