MediaTek launches Dimensity 9300+, with more powerful AI features and higher-frequency CPU

The new flagship smartphone SoC uses MediaTek’s “all-big-core” architecture, taking a non-traditional approach to on-device generative AI and gaming.

MediaTek has unveiled the Dimensity 9300+ SoC, the company’s latest processor for high-end mobile applications. With today’s consumer demand for mobile gaming, streaming, and artificial intelligence features such as facial recognition and edge processing, processors must meet higher computing demands.

MediaTek responded to these unique challenges by launching the Dimensity 9300 SoC with an all-big-core CPU architecture in November 2023. The upgraded Dimensity 9300+ is based on TSMC's third-generation 4nm process technology and also utilizes an all-big-core architecture while achieving new performance feats.

Dimensity 9300+ at a glance

The new flagship SoC includes some of Arm’s latest processors to support on-device generative AI. These include:

1 Arm Cortex-X4 core running at 3.4 GHz

Three Arm Cortex-X4 cores running at 2.85 GHz

Four Cortex-A720 cores running at 2.0 GHz

The chipset also offers 18 MB of L3 cache and system-level cache (SLC), and supports the latest LPDDR5T memory and UFS 4.0 storage up to 9,600 Mbps. These features enable the device to perform high-speed tasks and multitasking. The SoC integrates a 5G R16 modem that provides up to 7 Gbps downlink and powerful dual SIM capabilities.

SoCs enhance AI processing capabilities

One of the most notable features of the Dimensity 9300+ is its advanced AI processing unit (APU 790), which significantly enhances the SoC’s ability to perform edge AI computing. The APU helps efficiently execute large language models (LLMs) with up to 33 billion parameters for real-time AI applications such as text, image, and music generation. According to MediaTek, the APU’s NeuroPilot speculative decoding acceleration can improve AI performance by up to 10%.

For gamers, the Dimensity 9300+ integrates a second-generation hardware ray tracing engine and the Arm Immortalis-G720 GPU, which can provide a smooth gaming experience at 60 FPS with ray tracing enabled. MediaTek’s HyperEngine technology further optimizes gaming performance by improving power efficiency and keeping the device cool, allowing for longer gaming sessions without thermal throttling.

CPU performance is a key differentiating feature between the Dimensity 9300 and 9300+.

The SoC is also equipped with MediaTek's Imagiq 990 ISP, which supports advanced AI photography with 18-bit RAW processing. This enables high-quality photo and video capture even in challenging lighting conditions. MiraVision 990 display technology supports up to 4K resolution at 120 Hz for an enhanced viewing experience.

The heart of the SoC: MediaTek's all-big-core architecture

MediaTek's all-big-core architecture in the Dimensity 9300 and Dimensity 9300+ differs from the traditional approach, which uses different CPU cores based on size (big, medium, small) or performance vs. efficiency. Instead, it uses a homogeneous setup where all CPU cores are "big" cores, designed specifically for high performance and equipped with an out-of-order execution pipeline.

The main advantage of the all-big-core architecture is the ability to deliver consistent high performance across a wide range of demanding applications, especially those that require high thread-level parallelism (TLP). This makes it particularly beneficial for modern mobile gaming and multitasking scenarios, such as running graphics-intensive games and high-resolution video calls. The trade-off is that such an architecture consumes more power, requires better thermal management, and shortens the battery life of the device.

The all-big-core principle combines high performance with energy efficiency by optimizing power efficiency across the entire performance range from low performance to peak performance. The integration of core types simplifies the cluster design and energy-aware scheduling of chips, enabling smoother and more efficient performance scaling based on application needs.

At the heart of the Dimensity 9300+, the architecture also enhances gaming experiences with better frame rates, supports advanced multitasking on new foldable phones, and generally speeds up processing for all apps.