MediaTek Dimensity 9600M is basically a Dimensity 9500 with a few upgrades
MediaTek launched its Dimensity 9600M chip, alongside the flagship 9600 Pro. The 9600M will power the standard Vivo X500, while the Pro and Pro Max variants receive the more powerful 9600 Pro. Despite its new branding, the 9600M largely mirrors the specifications of last year's Dimensity 9500. It utilizes the same TSMC 3nm N3P process and shares identical CPU, GPU, and NPU configurations with its predecessor. Key upgrades include an updated Dimensity Scheduling Engine 3.0 and software support for AI models like Gemini Nano 4.
MediaTek's Dimensity 9600M is a rebranding exercise, not a new generation chip. It shares the same TSMC 3nm N3P process, CPU, GPU, and NPU as the Dimensity 9500. This strategy allows MediaTek to offer a "new" chip for the Vivo X500 without significant R&D investment.
For Asian smartphone makers like Vivo, this means access to a chip with a refreshed name but familiar performance, likely at a lower cost. The main differentiation comes from software enhancements, such as the upgraded Dimensity Scheduling Engine 3.0 and NPU support for Gemini Nano 4. This prioritizes software integration over raw hardware power.
The thing to watch is how other Asian OEMs respond to this incremental upgrade strategy. If MediaTek can continue to sell rebadged chips with minor software tweaks as new generations, it sets a precedent. This could impact innovation cycles across the region's competitive mobile chip market.
Related reading
6 stories
Galaxy S26 Ultra may see a price hike soon, following Apple’s move with iPhone 17
This echoes the incremental upgrades and potential price adjustments seen in other smartphone components.
If driverless cars already work, why aren’t they everywhere?
People’s Daily rejects US claims of malicious AI distillation, warns of countermeasures
Databricks to Invest Over US$350 Million in Singapore, Double Its Workforce
Sumsub Launches Workforce Verification as Deepfake Risks Grow
