MediaTek is using TSMC's cutting edge 2nm process for its latest chip

The company is adopting the tech ahead of its main rival, Qualcomm.

Xavi Torrent/Getty Images

You may not hear much about MediaTek these days, but it's still going strong. The Taiwanese chip manufacturer just announced that it's latest smartphone processor, the flagship Dimensity 9600 Pro, is its first to be built using TSMC's cutting-edge 2-nanometer N2P process — which puts it ahead of its main smartphone processor rival, Qualcomm. The latter is expected to adopt TSMC's 2nm N2P process starting with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 that's set to arrive next week. 

MediaTek said the Dimensity 9600 Pro features a 2+3+3 All Big Core CPU design for more speed and a 61 percent reduction in multi-core power consumption. It will boost single-core speeds by 17 percent and multi-core performance by 15 percent compared to the previous generation. 

The new chip features a dual-NPU architecture that combines GPU and AI computing, along with an Agentic AI Engine to power on-device AI. The company promises 27 percent higher peak performance for gaming, along with 18 percent faster raytracing and 24 percent lower power consumption at peak speeds. Devices packing the chip will support up to 4K 120 fps video capture in their cameras as well.

MediaTek noted that it's the "number one manufacturer of mobile chipsets," with a bigger market value than Qualcomm. Smartphone brands using the chip include Oppo, Xiaomi, Samsung, Motorola, Realme and others you've likely never heard of. It was first revealed that MediaTek would adopt N2P a year ago, along with Intel, AMD and other chip manufacturers. At its Surprise and Shine event last week, Apple said it was using TSMC's 2-nanometer process for all of its newly-announced iPhone 18 models.