Can the Dimensity 9400e Beat Snapdragon at a Lower Cost?
While most eyes were on the Dimensity 9400+, a high-powered chip powering top-tier phones, MediaTek has been working behind the scenes on a clever counterstrike to Qualcomm’s rising Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 series. The 9400e — a so-called “lower-bin” version of the original 9400, but don’t let the label fool you.
This isn’t a cut-down chip meant for the budget crowd. It’s a high-end processor with flagship DNA, built for brands like OnePlus and vivo to deliver near-premium performance at mid-premium prices.
What Is the Dimensity 9400e, Really?
In MediaTek’s growing 9400 family, you now have:
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Dimensity 9400+: the high-performance “binned” variant for ultra-flagships.
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Dimensity 9400: the standard top-tier SoC launched last year.
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Dimensity 9400e: a slightly trimmed version, but still high-end, aimed at performance-hungry consumers who don’t want to pay ultra-flagship prices.
This three-tier strategy is similar to what Qualcomm did with the 8 Gen 3 and 8s Gen 4, but with a twist. While Qualcomm’s 8s series slightly undercuts its own flagship to cater to more affordable devices, MediaTek’s 9400e seems to offer better value in performance-per-dollar.
The OnePlus Ace 5 series is where the 9400e will likely make its debut. Rumors suggest OnePlus is planning to place it in a third variant — possibly a OnePlus Ace 5 “Ultra” or “Lite” model.
The idea? Bring near-flagship performance to more users, especially in markets like Pakistan, South Asia, and China, where price sensitivity meets high expectations.
MediaTek Dimensity 9400e Vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 vS Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 (aka Gen 4 Lite)
| Feature | MediaTek Dimensity 9400e (Rumored) | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 / Gen 4 Lite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabrication Process | 3nm (TSMC N3 or N3E, likely) | 4nm (TSMC) | 4nm (Samsung) |
| CPU Architecture |
1x Cortex-X925 3x Cortex-X4 + 4x Cortex-A720 |
1x Cortex-X4 + 5x A720 + 2x A520 | 1x Cortex-X4 + 4x A720 + 3x A520 |
| Performance Level | Higher than 8 Gen 3 (expected) | Flagship-level | Upper mid-flagship |
| GPU | Mali/Immortalis series (likely) | Adreno 750 | Adreno 735 |
| AI Capabilities | High (on par with Dimensity 9400) | Good | Moderate |
| Ray Tracing Support | Likely enhanced (flagship tier) | Yes | Basic support |
| Target Devices | Mid-premium phones (e.g., OnePlus Ace 5 variant, vivo X200 FE) | Flagship phones (Xiaomi 14, S24) | Affordable premium (Redmi, iQOO mid-tier) |
| Price-to-Performance Ratio | High | Moderate | High |
| Market Strategy | Undercut Qualcomm’s pricing with strong performance | Core flagship chip | Budget flagship segment |
With brands like vivo (X200 FE) and OnePlus likely to adopt the Dimensity 9400e, MediaTek’s mid-premium flagship strategy is gaining traction. And if the chip delivers the expected performance gains, beating Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and even outpacing Qualcomm’s “lite flagship” 8s series, it could mark a turning point in how flagship performance is defined.
