MediaTek on Tuesday unveiled its new Dimensity 9600 Pro and 9600M phone processors, both of which highlight support for advanced gaming as well as artificial intelligence features for upcoming phones.

Phone processors are an important component in any device. They help power everything, including how fast a phone runs, processes images, runs graphically intensive gaming and runs AI features on your device without connecting to the internet.

The Dimensity 9600 Pro will be the company’s first silicon to use the 2-nanometer process in partnership with chipmaker TSMC, something we’re also seeing in rival chips like Apple’s A20 Pro processor that’s shipping with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. This should mean the processor is denser, allowing for more performance and power efficiency.

Oppo’s Find X9 Pro runs on MediaTek’s 9500 processor.Andrew Lanxon/CNET

MediaTek says the 9600 Pro will support faster performance and on-device AI features over last year’s Dimensity 9500, and for gaming, it will be capable of console-quality gaming at an exceedingly smooth 185 frames per second.

The 9600M will be the step-down processor meant for a wider range of devices, and MediaTek says that it will still power AI features as well as gaming at the same 185fps.

MediaTek’s new high-end processors will face their most competition from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon line, the latter of which typically powers Samsung’s Galaxy S and Z phones in the US. We’ll soon know what Qualcomm’s next high-end processor will look like, as the company will likely use its Snapdragon Summit to debut it on Sept. 22. But MediaTek’s high-end processors are found in a lot of devices internationally, with last year’s 9500 powering phones like the Oppo Find X9 Pro.

Phones running on MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro and 9600M are expected to debut later this year.

Mike Sorrentino

Senior Editor

Mike Sorrentino is a Senior Editor for Mobile, covering phones, texting apps and smartwatches -- obsessing about how we can make the most of them. Mike also keeps an eye out on the movie and toy industry, and outside of work enjoys biking and pizza making. See full bio