The Next Generation of Snapdragon 8 and Dimensity 9 Flagship Chipsets: A Quantum Leap in Performance, Powered by TSMC's N3P Process

The Next Generation of Snapdragon 8 and Dimensity 9 Flagship Chipsets: A Quantum Leap in Performance, Powered by TSMC's N3P ProcessCompared to the current Dimensity 9400, the performance leap is even clearer. The Dimensity 9400, released in October 2024, features an "AI intelligent body chip" concept

The Next Generation of Snapdragon 8 and Dimensity 9 Flagship Chipsets: A Quantum Leap in Performance, Powered by TSMC's N3P Process

As flagship phones from various brands are released in the latter half of 2024, devices equipped with Snapdragon and Dimensity flagship chipsets are flooding the market, bringing consumers significantly enhanced performance and more choices. Speculation surrounding the next-generation Snapdragon 8 series and Dimensity 9 series flagship chips continues to generate considerable interest. Renowned digital blogger @Digital Chat Station recently revealed: "The Dimensity 9500 and the second-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite both support the SME instruction set, both are manufactured using TSMC's N3P process, both have very high clock speeds, and the Geekbench 6 single-core performance might approach 4000, putting pressure on Apple." This news signals a new wave of breakthroughs in mobile chip performance.

The SME instruction set, part of the Arm64 architecture, aims to improve the processor's efficiency in handling multimedia and graphics computing tasks. The Dimensity 9500 and the second-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite (Snapdragon 8 Elite 2) will both benefit from this instruction set, resulting in even more powerful performance. Both chips will utilize TSMC's advanced N3P process. Previous reports indicated that Qualcomm tested the second-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite on TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, N3P. It's worth noting that the previous Snapdragon 8 Elite used TSMC's N3E process, making it Qualcomm's first 3nm smartphone chip.

According to the leak, the second-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite will retain the CPU cluster design of the Snapdragon 8 Elite, still using an octa-core configuration of "2 super cores + 6 performance cores." It's expected that the two super cores will reach an astonishing 5.0GHz, while the six performance cores will clock at 4.0GHz. Such high clock speeds will undoubtedly provide a powerful boost to the overall performance of the phone.

• Meanwhile, @Digital Chat Station also disclosed early specifications for the Dimensity 9500: "Early specifications for the D9500 include a 2Travis + 6Gelas CPU architecture (2X930 + 6A730), clock speeds may exceed 4GHz, support for the SME instruction set, and TSMC's N3P process. This generation represents a significant performance upgrade." This means the Dimensity 9500 will use TSMC's N3P process and a 2Travis + 6Gelas CPU architecture, specifically two ARM Cortex-X930 super cores and six Cortex-A730 large cores. The leak also mentions that the Dimensity 9500's frequency "may exceed 4GHz," suggesting a significant performance improvement over its predecessor.

Compared to the current Dimensity 9400, the performance leap is even clearer. The Dimensity 9400, released in October 2024, features an "AI intelligent body chip" concept. It uses TSMC's second-generation 3nm process, a second-generation all-large-core CPU architecture with one Cortex-X925 super core at up to 3.62GHz, three Cortex-X4 super cores, and four Cortex-A720 large cores. It supports 10.7Gbps LPDDR5X memory and features a 12-core Mali-G925-Immortalis MC12 GPU, a new eighth-generation AI processor NPU890, and a flagship ISP image processor Imagiq1090.

Beyond flagship chipsets, Qualcomm and MediaTek will also launch lower-tier Snapdragon and Dimensity series chips. One highly anticipated chip is the Dimensity 9350. Reportedly, the Dimensity 9350 features software and hardware upgrades. Phones using this chip will feature a battery exceeding 7000mAh and a 1.5K narrow-bezel straight screen, providing users with longer battery life and a superior visual experience. The Dimensity 9350 is expected to launch around the same time as the Snapdragon 8s Elite.

In conclusion, with the impending arrival of flagship chipsets like the Dimensity 9500 and the second-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite, competition in the mobile chip market will intensify. The application of TSMC's advanced N3P process and the inclusion of the SME instruction set will push mobile phone performance to new heights. Higher clock speeds, more powerful architectures, and optimized processes will all deliver a smoother and more powerful mobile experience for users. The subsequent release of products like the Dimensity 9350 and Snapdragon 8s Elite will further enrich the market, providing more choices for users with diverse needs. We can expect to witness the performance revolution brought about by these new-generation chips in the near future. Mobile phone performance will be significantly enhanced, providing users with a superior experience and injecting new vitality into the mobile device industry. The application of these advanced technologies also marks the continuous innovation of mobile chip technology, constantly breaking through performance bottlenecks and bringing consumers even better products. The future mobile phone market will be more exciting due to the emergence of these new-generation chips. Consumers will benefit from faster, smoother, and more powerful mobile devices. Its worth noting that these new technologies will not only improve the performance of flagship phones, but will also gradually penetrate the mid-range and even entry-level markets, ultimately benefiting a wider range of users. We can foresee that the performance improvements in mobile devices will further drive the vigorous development of the mobile internet, bringing more convenience and fun to people's lives.