Competition in the smartphone market is reaching a new dimension. MediaTek has officially announced its newest and most ambitious processor for the flagship segment, the Dimensity 9600 Pro . This new chipset, featuring the first wave of 2nm manufacturing processes, radically changes performance standards with its 4th generation “All Big Core” architecture, dual NPU structure, and the first-ever inclusion of LPDDR6 and UFS 5.0 support in this segment.

2nm Manufacturing Process and 4th Generation “All Big Core” Architecture

MediaTek uses an innovative core arrangement in the Dimensity 9600 Pro, structured in a 2+3+3 form, to combine efficiency and pure power. The processor cluster features two high-performance Arm C2-Ultra cores, accompanied by three 1MB L2 cache Arm C2-Pro cores and three 512KB L2 cache Arm C2-Pro cores. This architecture, which completely excludes efficiency-focused smaller cores, is supported by a 21% larger L2 cache system.

The new architecture offers 17% higher single-core performance and 37% power savings compared to the previous generation. Multi-core performance shows a 15% increase, while power consumption is optimized by 61%. The 16MB L3 and 10MB SLC (System Level Cache) units on the chip also play a critical role in ensuring uninterrupted data flow.

Future Memory Standards: LPDDR6 and UFS 5.0 Debut in the Field for the First Time

The Dimensity 9600 Pro is one of the first platforms in the portable hardware market to push memory and storage speeds to the limit. Thanks to the support of next-generation LPDDR6 (and LPDDR5X) reaching 10.667 Mbps, memory bandwidth is increased by 33 percent at the same frequency. On the storage side, we see UFS 5.0 technology offering read and write speeds up to twice as fast as the previous generation. This combination makes a difference, especially when loading large AI models into memory and in the opening times of demanding games.

Agent-Level AI with Dual NPU Architecture

With its new platform, MediaTek aims to transform AI from a mere command-and-response tool into a proactive assistant working 24/7 in the background. At the heart of this vision is the dual NPU architecture:

• MediaTek NPU 1090: It handles productive and agent-based intensive AI workloads. It promises twice the INT4 computing power, 55% more token production per watt, and 51% faster LLM prefill performance compared to the previous generation. Additionally, it directly supports on-device Mixture of Experts (MoE) architectures.
• Super Efficient NPU 2.0: Manages tasks that constantly listen and analyze context in the background seamlessly with ultra-low power consumption without draining the battery.

Neural Graphics and Console-Quality Ray Tracing

The chipset, which features the Arm Mali-G2 Ultra NX GPU unit on the graphics side, adopts the “Neural Graphics Architecture” approach that directly synchronizes the GPU and NPU. Naturally, the chip supports gaming experiences above 185 FPS, while producing 27% more power and consuming 24% less power at peak performance.

The graphics unit, with its hardware-accelerated ray tracing performance increased by 18%, provides desktop-level shading and lighting accuracy on portable devices thanks to OMM (Opacity Micromap) support and multi-material reflection capability. On the display side, the WQHD+ resolution with a 180Hz refresh rate and the three-port MIPI interface developed for tri-fold devices are noteworthy.

Industry Firsts in Camera and Multimedia: H.266 and 4K HDR Limits are Removed

Thanks to the renewed AI Imaging Fusion architecture, the image signal processor (ISP) and NPU work with deep integration. The 2nm efficiency, which eliminates the overheating problem, gives users the ability to record DSLR-quality 4K HDR images for an unlimited time. The platform supports main sensors up to 200 MP resolution, 8K 60 FPS video recording, and 4K 240 FPS slow-motion mode.

The biggest innovation in the multimedia field is the support for the

H.266 (VVC) hardware image decoder , which is included in a smartphone processor for the first time in the world. In addition to this format, which significantly reduces bandwidth in streaming services, the processor’s capabilities also include MV-HEVC compatibility for spatial images and the Rec. 2020 color space, which offers professional color accuracy.

Advanced Connectivity and Post-Quantum Security

The Dimensity 9600 Pro comes with a 5G Advanced modem capable of reaching speeds over 7.4 Gbps with 5CC carrier aggregation. Dynamically optimizing network latency with its built-in AI unit (MMAI), the modem is supported by Wi-Fi 7 reaching 7.3 Gbps bandwidth and the latest Bluetooth 6.2 standard.

On the security side, in addition to hardware-based root of belief (HWRoT) and pKVM-based AISeal privacy isolation,

PQC (Post-Quantum Cryptography) enclosure, developed against future quantum computing threats, is included as standard.

The Balance is Shifting in the Mobile Market

With the Dimensity 9600 Pro, MediaTek is focusing not only on pure processor speed in the flagship class, but also on dual AI cores directly integrated into the system architecture, next-generation LPDDR6/UFS 5.0 standards, and the thermal advantage brought by the 2nm process. The chipset, which will be featured in top-tier smartphones to be released in 2026, significantly raises the bar for competition in the portable segment.