Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400: Benchmarks and Specs

The smartphone chipset market has reached an interesting spot. On one hand, we have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, the latest sub-flagship processor from Qualcomm that sits just below the Snapdragon 8 Elite. On the other hand, we have the Dimensity 9400, MediaTek's last year's flagship contender. We compared the benchmarks from the OnePlus 15R and the Vivo X200 to see which chipset comes out on top, and the results were quite surprising. Here's our Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400 benchmark comparison.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400: AnTuTu Score

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in the OnePlus 15R and the Dimensity 9400 in the Vivo X200 Pro are neck and neck in AnTuTu. The former scores 2,886,527 points, whereas the latter outscores with 2,892,812 points. A deeper breakdown reveals more details about the two chips, as the Dimensity 9400 performs better in both CPU and GPU, scoring 926,148 and 975,833 points (vs 887,251 and 951,094 points), respectively.

The overall scores of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 and Dimensity 9400 are well within the margin of error.  However, the result is that the Dimensity 9400 has slightly more horsepower for gaming. Both processors score well in the memory department (384,303 vs 374,925), but the Snapdragon clinches the UX department, outscoring the Dimensity with a difference of around 50,000 points.

The scores suggest that the ARMv9.2 cores of the Dimensity 9400 are quite evenly matched with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5's Oryon v3 cores. Although the weaker Adreno 840 GPU in the 8 Gen 5 causes it to lose the GPU fight with the Immortalis-G925 by the tiniest of margins.

Being a much newer processor, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5's performance is surprising to say the least. Our Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 comparison paints a clearer picture as 8 Gen 5's Oryon cores, although more powerful, are significantly underclocked. The same goes for the Adreno 840 GPU, which lacks Qualcomm's Adreno HPM mode and therefore results in a much lower score.

The bottom line is that the GPU in the Dimensity 9400 is better, even more so, than the Snapdragon 8 Elite, as noted in our Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Dimensity 9400 comparison.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400

Pitting both against each other in Geekbench, the AnTuTu score becomes a mirage again. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is significantly faster in computational tasks than the Dimensity 9400. With a single-core score of 2,808 and a massive multi-core score of 9,198, Qualcomm outperforms MediaTek Dimensity 9400 (2,195/ 6,979) by 28% and 32%.

Even with the reduced clock speeds of 3.8 GHz on the Oryon v3 cores, they are simply more powerful and efficient per clock than the Cortex-X925 cores in the MediaTek chip. The latter, being unable to maintain peak performance, throttles, resulting in lower scores. This becomes a lot clearer in our CPU throttling test.

As a result, while users may not see an immediate difference in the real-world performance, everything from the app opening speeds to managing multiple apps will be a bit slower on the Dimensity.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400: CPU throttling test

Here's where things get interesting. The Dimensity 9400 actually has a higher raw throughput, peaking at 439,083 GIPS compared to the Snapdragon's 320,105 GIPS. This suggests that in short bursts, MediaTek pushes more instructions. The average and minimum scores are higher on MediaTek, with its minimum score matching Snapdragon's average score.

However, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 wins on stability, maintaining 70% of its performance versus the Dimensity 9400, which achieves 62% stability. The difference in performance could be because the Dimensity 9400 has four X series performance cores, allowing the processor to churn out significantly more instructions per set than what the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5's two prime cores can handle.

If you're wondering, "If MediaTek pushes more GIPS, why is Geekbench slower?", it's because Geekbench measures more complex logic while GIPS measures simple volume. This massive GIPS difference also explains the poor stability on the Dimensity because firing up four Cortex-X4 cores generates immense heat, but despite that, the cores are enough to beat Snapdragon's average and minimum scores easily.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400: 3DMark Score

The difference in the GPU performance found in the AnTuTu score becomes a bit clearer in the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress test. The Dimensity 9400 scores 6,026 points, beating the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5's 4,952 points, indicating that it has the most powerful GPU of the two.

However, the win is short-lived as the Dimensity throttles due to heat, reaching a stability of 52.9% compared to Snapdragon's superior 62.3% stability. The lowest loop score of both processors is almost the same. While the Dimensity 9400 is still a better gaming processor, the scores suggest the difference in real-life performance won't be as much as we initially thought. 

In 3DMark Solar Bay, which tells us the Ray Tracing performance of chipsets, the Dimensity 9400 leaves Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in the dust, scoring 11,003 points vs Snapdragon's 8,794 points. That's a massive difference of 20%.  Besides, the Dimensity scores around 9 FPS higher than the 8 Gen 5, which shows that it can give you a smoother experience.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400 Speedometer 3.0 Score

When it comes to web browsing responsiveness, both chips are incredibly fluid, but the Dimensity 9400 has a slight edge, scoring 20.2, compared to the Snapdragon's 19.3 points. This indicates the Cortex-X925 and the Cortex-X4 cores combined are slightly more snappy for JavaScript-heavy tasks and general navigation.

Benchmark Gallery

Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 vs Dimensity 9400: Specs Comparison

Verdict

The premise of this comparison revolves around the fact that Qualcomm's latest sub-flagship has a better CPU, while the flagship Dimensity 9400 has a better GPU. However, what you should pick depends on what you want from the processor. Pick the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 if you prioritise CPU, thermal stability and overall efficiency. The Oryon V3 cores are a generation ahead.

However, if you're a gamer, the Immortalis GPU crushes benchmarks for ray tracing and peak graphics, offering a slightly better gaming experience. OR, you could pick the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which offers both better CPU and GPU performance than these two, but comes at a slightly higher price.