Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and MediaTek Dimensity 9500: War of Processors

The battle for mobile performance never truly ends, and the latest battle is between Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in the Realme GT 8 Pro and MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 inside the newly launched Vivo X300 series.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is claimed to be Qualcomm's most powerful mobile platform yet. Meanwhile, MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 is not far behind, addressing two critical concerns for users: reducing battery drain during heavy usage and delivering advanced on-device camera intelligence without relying on software updates. We tested both processors thoroughly, so let's see the results.

Specs at a Glance

Before we dive into the benchmark results, here's a quick look at how both processors stack up on paper:

Both Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Dimensity 9500 bring several upgrades, but both take different approaches. To see how they hold up under sustained load, the benchmarks below offer a useful comparison.

AnTuTu Performance

To get a clearer picture of how both processors stack up in raw numbers, we ran the AnTuTu benchmark on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5-powered Realme GT 8 Pro and the Dimensity 9500-powered X300. AnTuTu evaluates four key areas-CPU, GPU, memory, and UX-and combines them into one overall score. Here's how the two chips performed:

The results show a clear lead for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 across every category. The Dimensity 9500 still performs well, particularly in GPU efficiency and thermal stability, but its raw numbers fall short of the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Geekbench 6: CPU Performance

In Geekbench 6, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 once again led over the Dimensity 9500, making it perfect for heavily multi-threaded workloads, such as video rendering, intensive multitasking, and productivity apps. Meanwhile, the Dimensity 9500 still offers strong performance but falls slightly behind in tasks that demand maximum parallel processing power.

GPU Performance

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: 25,098
Dimensity 9500: 22,638

In GPU performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 pulls ahead with an OpenCL score of 25,098, compared to the Dimensity 9500's 22,638. However, benchmark wins don't always guarantee better real-world gameplay. Actual in-game performance still depends on optimisation, thermal control, and how well each chipset can sustain its GPU power over longer sessions.

3DMark: Stress and Stability

Here's a look at the 3DMark result of both chips, which will give you a clear view of how they can handle graphical load over time.

3DMark Steel Nomad Light

The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 maintains higher performance under prolonged graphical load, as seen in its best and lowest loop scores. Its stability of 68.2% indicates better consistency during extended sessions. The Dimensity 9500, while strong in peak performance, shows a bigger drop under sustained load, reflected in its lower stability of 58.7%. This suggests that for long gaming sessions or graphics-intensive tasks, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is more reliable, while the Dimensity 9500 may slow down.

Wild Life Extreme Stress Test

In the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 maintains a higher peak score with a Best Loop result compared to the Dimensity 9500. However, this peak performance drops sharply over time and a stability rating of just 33%. However, the Dimensity 9500 maintains more consistent output, with a higher stability rating of 58.7%.

Verdict

Given the data, we can clearly see the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 leads in raw performance, CPU power, and stability during long gaming or heavy tasks. The Dimensity 9500 is still strong, especially in efficiency and thermal management, but it can slow down under extended sessions. For fastest and most consistent performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 could be a better choice, while the Dimensity 9500 excels in on-device AI camera features-check out our X300 camera review to see it in action.