Dimensity 8400: MediaTek relies on an all-big-core design for the upper class 1 comment
Image: MediaTek
For the upper class directly below the flagship SoCs, MediaTek is introducing another all-big-core design with the Dimensity 8400. Similar to the Dimensity 9400, there are no efficient cores; instead, large Arms cores are used throughout. The first smartphones equipped with the new chip are planned for 2024.
The Dimensity 9400 is leading the way: improvements in Arm‘s processor core efficiency and semiconductor production now also enable SoC designs that do not require dedicated efficiency cores. In the Dimensity 9400, for example, there are only the Cortex-X925, -X4 and -A720, but no longer A5xx – the effective Big-Core becomes the E-Core.
Buy Cortex-A725 with 3.25 GHz
The Dimensity 8400 continues this model in MediaTek’s top class, which is a league below, without the larger (and more expensive) Prime cores of the X series. Eight of the latest Cortex-A725s with a clock speed ranging up to 3.25 GHz are used. The new design replaces the Dimensity 8300, each with four Cortex-A715 and Cortex-A510.
For the all-big-core design, MediaTek claims a 32% multi-core performance increase. Still, the peak power consumption is 40% lower than the Dimensity 8300 CPU. The larger cores come with double L2 cache and 50% more L3 cache, and MediaTek has also increased the SLC by 25%.
MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Infographic (Image: MediaTek) Download
New Arm GPU with more cores
The GPU also brings a change, from the Arm Mali-G615 MC6 to the Mali-G720 MC7 with support for deferred vertex shading, which will be introduced in 2023. The datasheet indicates 24% higher peak performance with a reduction of 40 %. at peak consumption.
NPU steps up text and stable streaming
The third important component today is the neural processing unit (NPU) for AI applications. The 880, direct successor to the 780, is installed there and brings with it more power. This is 20 percent more for INT and FP operations, 33 percent more for text generation with Baichuan 4B LLM and 21 percent more for Stable Diffusion 1.5. At the same time, MediaTek claims to have increased its efficiency by 18 percent.
The ISP consumes less in 4K HDR
Other key features of the Dimensity 8400 include an image processor (Imagiq 1080), which is said to consume 12% less power for 4K HDR recordings, and its own modem, fully integrated into the SoC, for all mobile communications standards up to 5G Advanced. Using three carriers (3CA), a raw data rate of 5.17 Gbps is supported in the downlink.
Techconseil received information about this article from MediaTek under NDA. The only requirement was the earliest possible publication date.
Topics: Arm Processors MediaTek Smartphones Source: MediaTek
Sarah tracks innovations in smartphones, evaluating their performance, design, and key features.
