MediaTek Dimensity 9400e vs Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Real-world power, without compromise

The race for smartphone processor dominance is heating up again, and this year, MediaTek is turning heads once more. With the new Dimensity 9400e, the brand is bringing flagship-level performance to a wider price segment and challenging other premium SoCs such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 head-on.

Since both these processors are fresh off the shelf, let’s put them in a head-to-head comparison and find out which one offers better value. To do this, we’ll be comparing their performance using the two phones that currently feature them, the Realme GT 7 and the iQOO Neo 10. But before that, let’s take a quick look at the hardware that both these SoCs offer.

MediaTek Dimensity 9400e vs. Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Key specs

Both the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e and the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 are processors based on TSMC’s 4nm architecture. There are, however, key differences worth noting.

First up, the Dimensity 9400e’s peak performance output is rated at 3.4GHz, while the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is rated at 3.2GHz. Their cluster arrangement also has quite a few differences, which you can see in the table above:

Looking beyond the specs table, the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e brings a unique CPU architecture to the table, one that mirrors the design philosophy of its flagship sibling, the Dimensity 9400. It features an All Big Core CPU layout, with 1 Prime Cortex-X4 core, 3 additional High Performance Cortex-X4 cores, and 4 Cortex-A720 Performance cores.

Unlike traditional SoC designs that include lower-powered cores, this configuration uses only performance-class cores, delivering consistently high throughput across both foreground and background tasks. MediaTek complements this layout with a large shared L3 and system-level cache, which helps keep both latency and power consumption in check.

The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, in comparison, uses a more conventional setup: 1 Prime Cortex-X4 core at 3.2GHz, 3 Cortex-A720 high-performance cores, and 4 additional Cortex-A720 performance cores clocked slightly lower. While it offers good day-to-day performance, the absence of multiple X4 cores means it doesn’t deliver the same kind of firepower that MediaTek’s architecture can sustain.

More importantly, even with its All Big Core design, the Dimensity 9400e maintains excellent power efficiency. This makes it especially well-suited for users who demand both speed and long-term stability without compromising battery life or temperature spikes. You’ll see these differences play out in the next section, where we compare benchmark scores and real-world usage across both chipsets.

MediaTek Dimensity 9400e vs. Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Benchmarks

AnTuTu

The AnTuTu benchmark evaluates a smartphone’s CPU, GPU, memory, and overall user experience, providing an average score for all these metrics. Here are the AnTuTu scores of both smartphones below:

The Realme GT 7 here maintains a lead in AnTuTu score and surpasses the iQOO Neo 10 in all subcategories as well, including the graphics department. Check out the detailed breakdown of the AnTuTu score in the screenshots below:

Geekbench

The Geekbench benchmark assesses the CPU’s single- and multi-core performance, offering insight into how effectively the processor handles tasks independently and in parallel.

You’ll notice the Realme GT 7 is ahead of its competitor both in single-core and multi-core performance. The gap is more noticeable in multi-core performance, which is more significant for real-world usage, including multitasking, gaming, and app loading.

This advantage is largely due to the Dimensity 9400e’s All Big Core CPU architecture; with multiple high-performance Cortex-X4 cores at its disposal, it delivers a better performance output compared to more traditional setups, like that of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, a difference clearly reflected in the benchmark results above.

In simpler terms, more big cores mean more power for demanding tasks, which helps deliver smoother day-to-day responsiveness and better sustained peak performance.

CPU throttle

This benchmark helps us assess the performance output of a phone when the processor is throttled. We use the Burnout benchmark app to assess the same, and here are the results:

Interestingly enough, both phones drop to around 44 per cent of their peak performance when throttled. That’s not too surprising for newer chipsets. Thermal stability usually improves over time with software and app updates. For now, though, it is fair to say they’re evenly matched in this benchmark.

3D Mark Wildlife Extreme Stress test

The 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test pushes a device’s chipset with 4K-resolution scenes packed with complex lighting, particle effects, and high-fidelity rendering. It is a reliable indicator of how well a phone can sustain peak performance under demanding workloads.

As seen here, the Realme GT 7 delivers about 15 per cent higher output, a substantial gap that will help deliver smoother, more consistent performance in demanding use cases, especially gaming.

So with synthetic numbers in, let’s move to real-world usage to see which phone performs better in everyday use.

MediaTek Dimensity 9400e vs. Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Real-world performance

To test the real-world performance of both chipsets, we played three moderately demanding games on phones featuring the latest chipsets, the Realme GT 7 and iQOO Neo 10.

Beyond regular gaming, the Realme GT 7 also proves to be a good choice for emulation. Thanks to its flagship-grade architecture and efficient design, you can comfortably run console and PC titles without worrying about frame drops or instability

Note: The Realme GT 7 used for testing had 12GB RAM, while the iQOO Neo 10 variant featured 16GB RAM. This difference can influence frame rates and thermal behaviour during gameplay and is worth keeping in mind while interpreting the results.

BGMI

BGMI continues to be one of India’s most-played mobile games and is quite demanding, especially at higher graphical settings.

Keep in mind that the iQOO Neo 10 we tested was a higher 16GB RAM variant compared to the 12GB RAM on the Realme GT 7, which can significantly impact gaming performance.

Even so, the GT 7 manages to come out ahead with better fps numbers and slightly more stable thermals throughout the session.

Call of Duty: Mobile

Call of Duty: Mobile is less demanding than BGMI but still a good test of sustained GPU load.

The phones are evenly matched in terms of performance here, but the Realme GT 7 manages its thermals better compared to its peer.

Do note that both phones also support up to 120fps on this title, but only in its multiplayer mode, which typically runs for shorter sessions. Even so, it’s a useful indicator of how well both chipsets can handle high refresh-rate gaming in fast-paced scenarios.

Real Racing 3

It is one of the most popular racing simulators, utilising a CPU-GPU combo to deliver rapid frame rendering and quick response times.

Once again, performance is neck and neck here, but the GT 7 manages heat more effectively, resulting in more consistent long-term performance.

Genshin Impact

Being an open-world action RPG, Genshin Impact is especially demanding, particularly at higher graphics settings and when aiming for a stable 60fps experience.

In Genshin Impact, both phones push out similar frame rates at the same settings. The difference, though, shows up in how they manage heat. The Realme GT 7 runs cooler while offering the same level of performance, which makes a real difference during longer gaming sessions.

MediaTek Dimensity 9400e vs. Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Battery efficiency

Power draw during actual usage is equally important as thermals. Here’s a look at how both phones compare in battery usage during everyday tasks:

All this suggests that the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e not only outperforms the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, but it also does so while running significantly cooler and being 40 per cent more power-efficient.

Even the Guinness World Records has awarded the Realme GT 7 for the “Longest Marathon Watching Films/Movies on a Mobile Phone”. The phone lasted a full 24 hours of nonstop movie streaming, showcasing just how capable and efficient its battery really is.

Bottomline

When you look at the numbers and the real-world performance side by side, the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e-powered Realme GT 7 comes out ahead in areas that matter. The numbers and real-world performance tests suggest that it is more power-efficient, manages thermals better, and still delivers top-tier performance across gaming, multitasking, and everyday use.

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