A new leak from well-known tipster Digital Chat Station gives us a pretty detailed look at MediaTek’s upcoming Dimensity 8500 chip.
According to the leak, the Dimensity 8500 is built on TSMC’s 4nm process and uses an 8-core setup based on ARM’s A725 architecture. That means all cores are big cores, like the Dimensity 8400.
The prime apparently hits 3.4GHz, which is slightly higher than 3.25GHz on its predecessor. Whereas the remaining cores could also have higher clock speeds than before.
On the graphics side, the Mali-G720 GPU is reportedly scaled up and running around 1.5GHz. It’s still early numbers, but the chip reportedly lands around 2.2 million on AnTuTu.
Digital Chat Station claims the GPU’s theoretical performance could beat Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and 8s Gen 4 — at least on paper. Of course, theory doesn’t always match real-world gaming, heat control, or battery life, so it’s better to wait for actual phones before jumping to conclusions.
The first wave of phones with the Dimensity 8500 is already in testing, according to the leak. One is a mid-range phone with a standard-sized display, while the other is focused on battery life with a large-capacity battery. The rollout has reportedly started quietly.
There’s also a familiar brand name tied to this chip. Back in August, the blogger hinted that the Dimensity 8500 may debut on Xiaomi’s Redmi Turbo line. Honor, OPPO, OnePlus, and vivo are expected to follow with their own models soon after.
For context, the Redmi Turbo 4 series split its chips between MediaTek and Qualcomm — the base model launched with the Dimensity 8400-Ultra, while the Pro variant picked the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4.
If the leak pans out, the Dimensity 8500 might slot in as the next step for Xiaomi’s mid-range performance phones. No release date yet, and no confirmation from MediaTek.
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Both MediaTek and Qualcomm are preparing their next sub-flagship chips for release soon. We know Qualcomm is coming with Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, but MediaTek’s upcoming chip remains more of a mystery.
According to earlier reports, it might be called the Dimensity 9500e, though that name hasn’t been confirmed.
Now, tipster Digital Chat Station has shared new details on Weibo, referring to the chip as the Dimensity 9400++ instead. There’s a reason for that, though. The processor is reportedly based on the Dimensity 9400+, a flagship chip from earlier this year.
Dimensity 9500e Specifications (Expected)
The new leak claims the prototype runs at up to 3.73GHz and features a CPU configuration of 1× Cortex-X925, 3× Cortex-X4, and 4× Cortex-A720 cores. It also includes a G925 MP12 GPU clocked at 1612MHz and is built on TSMC’s latest 3nm N3E process.
Moreover, the CPU, GPU, and cache are said to remain the same as the Dimensity 9400+. All these specs are nearly identical to the flagship Dimensity 9400 / Plus, which makes it somewhat surprising that MediaTek is reusing them for a chip expected to be in the sub-flagship category.
Digital Chat Station also notes that the first phones using this chip will feature larger batteries, premium displays, better build quality, and stronger overall hardware.
As for timing, the Dimensity 9400++ (or whatever it ends up being called) is expected to debut in Q1 2026, while Qualcomm is reportedly on track to unveil the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 later this year.
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The OnePlus Ace 6, launched earlier this week alongside the OnePlus 15, is officially on sale in mainland China today.
The phone sits in the gaming-focused yet still mainstream category, featuring the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and a 165Hz refresh rate, all at a more affordable starting price of around $365.
Pricing and Availability
The OnePlus Ace 6 is available in Quick Silver, Racing Black, and Flash White. Here’s the pricing breakdown:
12 GB + 256 GB: 2,599 yuan (≈ $364)
16 GB + 256 GB: 2,899 yuan (≈ $406)
12 GB + 512 GB: 3,099 yuan (≈ $434)
16 GB + 512 GB: 3,399 yuan (≈ $476)
16 GB + 1 TB: 3,899 yuan (≈ $546)
OnePlus Ace 6 Specs
On paper, the Ace 6 is very much a spec-driven device. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and supports a 165Hz display. The company is also highlighting its new “Fengchi Gaming Kernel,” which is designed to deliver stable 165fps gameplay in mainstream titles.
The phone features what OnePlus calls a triple-core gaming processor setup, combining touch, network, and performance chips, along with a flagship-level gyroscope, all aimed at delivering a superior gaming experience.
Powering the device is a 7,800mAh battery, paired with 120W SuperVOOC fast charging. OnePlus claims it offers 10 hours of full-frame gaming, 50% charge in 16 minutes, and a gaming bypass charging mode that powers the phone without putting extra stress on the battery.
Visually, the Ace 6 retains a flat display, featuring a 165Hz panel with eye-protection certification. The phone also boasts IP66/68/69/69K dust and water resistance.
Other hardware features include a 50-megapixel dual rear camera, stereo speakers, an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, NFC, an infrared remote, and ColorOS 16 out of the box.
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It’s been a complete mess for Samsung—or at least it seems that way from the outside. First, the company was thought to be replacing the Galaxy S26 Plus with the S26 Edge.
Later, reports suggested that the S26 Plus was back in the lineup and that there wouldn’t be a Galaxy S26 Edge instead. In fact, the entire Edge series was said to have been dropped.
Even slimmer than Edge: More Slim
Now, a wild new rumor claims there’s more to this story. According to the Dutch site GalaxyClub, the S26 Edge has indeed been scrapped, but Samsung hasn’t given up on making a slim flagship. The company is reportedly developing another thin phone, internally codenamed “More Slim.”
The report states that Samsung has been working on this mystery device for a few months now, although its development began significantly later than previously thought to be the S26 Edge project.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge
The previous S25 Edge carried the internal codename “Slim,” so it does make “More Slim” sound like a deliberate continuation of that idea.
Now, we don’t know much about this More Slim device, except that the name itself hints it could be even slimmer than the now-scrapped S26 Edge.
We’re not entirely sure what Samsung’s logic is here. The S25 Edge was already an expensive phone for what it offered—you got a dual-camera setup with no telephoto lens and a small 3,900mAh battery.
Making the next iteration even thinner will likely drive up costs, as Samsung would need to custom-engineer components to fit more into even less space. And even then, how does the company plan to improve on common complaints about the S25 Edge, like battery in an even slimmer design?
Samsung must have a plan in mind, and we’ll likely learn more about it in the near future.
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Flagship smartphone launches used to be simple. There was one premium model, one Pro version for those who wanted more, and maybe a standard version for everyone else. But that line has almost completely blurred in 2025.
The so-called “base” models from major Chinese brands have grown powerful enough to challenge their own Pro siblings. They now offer high-end cameras, premium materials, and top-tier chips, all at prices that make Pro models feel unnecessary.
The latest proof of this comes from Vivo, Xiaomi, and Oppo, whose new phones — the Vivo X300, Xiaomi 17, and Oppo Find X9 — were launched within weeks of each other.
Although these three phones sit below their Pro counterparts, they look and feel like top-tier devices in their own right. What’s even more interesting is how differently each company interprets the idea of a flagship phone for everyone.
Design and Display
On paper, the three phones share similar footprints. The Vivo X300 and Xiaomi 17 are almost identical in size, hovering around 6.3 inches, while Oppo’s Find X9 stretches slightly larger to 6.59 inches.
All three offer some level of IP68 water and dust protection, though Vivo and Oppo go further with IP69 ratings, which means resistance to high-pressure water jets. This feature is almost unnecessary for most people (here’s why), but it’s here nonetheless.
There’s not much to separate them in display technology either. Each uses an LTPO AMOLED panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and color standards that now seem mandatory for phones at this price.
Only if we nitpick, Xiaomi claims that it can reach 3,500 nits peak brightness, Vivo claims 4,500 nits, and Oppo claims 3,600 nits. While these are peak figures and you’re rarely hitting these numbers, it’s reassuring to know all three should remain perfectly usable outdoors.
All three panels support HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and high-frequency PWM dimming, with pixel densities hovering around 460ppi. In real use, they’ll likely look nearly identical, though the default color calibration depends on how the brand prefers it.
The clearest separation between these phones comes from what’s inside. Xiaomi uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while both Vivo and Oppo rely on MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500.
On paper, Qualcomm still leads in raw CPU and GPU performance. Xiaomi’s 8 Elite Gen 5 uses custom Oryon cores with clock speeds up to 4.6GHz and the new Adreno 840 GPU.
Vivo and Oppo’s Dimensity 9500 chips are not far behind; they are built on the same 3nm process and have their own “C1 Ultra” cores running at 4.21GHz. But MediaTek’s focus is on efficiency and sustained performance, and in practice, the difference may be small unless you push the phones with extended gaming or AI workloads.
What’s more notable is how similar these three feel in day-to-day use. All three phones use UFS 4.1 storage and LPDDR5X RAM to ensure flagship-level responsiveness.
Cameras
The biggest philosophical split lies in the camera systems. Vivo is the most camera-focused brand here, and it shows. The Vivo X300 leads with a 200-megapixel Samsung HPB main sensor, accompanied by two 50-megapixel cameras — one telephoto, one ultrawide.
Then it has Zeiss optics and the ability to import 3D LUTs. And it even supports a detachable telephoto extender lens sold separately, something previously reserved for its Ultra series.
Vivo X300 Pro telephoto converter
Xiaomi 17 uses a triple 50-megapixel setup, each tuned in collaboration with Leica. The main lens is a 1/1.31-inch sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, and the telephoto offers 2.6x optical zoom. It also supports 8K video and Dolby Vision HDR, matching its Pro siblings in video flexibility.
Oppo’s Find X9, meanwhile, keeps things simple. It sticks with three 50-megapixel sensors but relies on the established partnership with Hasselblad for color tuning.
The 3x periscope telephoto offers real optical range, and image quality should remain strong thanks to the large 1/1.4-inch main sensor. Like Vivo, Oppo has a telephoto extender for the Find X9 series, but it’s reserved for the Pro model.
Battery and charging
Battery life is where these phones start to feel generationally different. All three use silicon-carbon battery chemistry, allowing higher capacity without added bulk.
Oppo leads the group with a 7,025mAh battery, followed closely by Xiaomi’s 7,000mAh and Vivo’s smaller but efficient 6,040mAh pack. Despite the difference in capacity, Vivo claims its battery lasts as long as a typical 7,000mAh unit.
Charging speeds are fast across the board. Xiaomi supports 100W wired and 50W wireless charging, Oppo follows with 80W wired and 50W wireless, and Vivo offers 90W wired and 40W wireless. The phones can go from empty to full in under 40 minutes.
Software and experience
All three phones ship with Android 16, customized heavily by their respective skins: HyperOS 3 on Xiaomi, OriginOS 6 on Vivo, and ColorOS 16 on Oppo.
Each takes a different approach to personalization, and whether you like these skins or not largely comes down to preference. Each phone also includes an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, dual stereo speakers, NFC, and infrared blasters. None offers a 3.5mm headphone jack, but all support high-resolution wireless audio.
Verdict
In truth, there’s no clear winner here. The Vivo X300, Xiaomi 17, and Oppo Find X9 are all high-end devices with different priorities wrapped in similar price brackets.
The Vivo X300 is for those who care about photography above all else. Its 200-megapixel sensor and Zeiss collaboration make it a quiet powerhouse for imaging, and its compact design will appeal to users tired of oversized flagships.
The Xiaomi 17 is an all-rounder. Its Leica-tuned cameras, Snapdragon chip, and large battery make it easy to recommend to anyone who values both power and polish.
The Oppo Find X9 sits somewhere between the two. It emphasizes endurance and balance. It’s not as flashy as the Xiaomi or as ambitious as the Vivo. Still, it might be the most reliable of the bunch, combining excellent battery life, consistent camera output, and understated design.
MediaTek is not just about powering Android smartphones with its Dimensity or Helio line. The company continues to expand its reach across connected devices, and its latest effort in doing so is the Kompanio 540, a new processor built specifically for Chromebooks.
Kompanio 540 Specifications
MediaTek says the Kompanio 540 is a chip built for superior performance and all-day battery life in student Chromebooks. The chipmaker claims it delivers up to 35% better power efficiency compared to the previous Kompanio 520.
While that is to be proven in real-world usage, the Kompanio 540 brings an architecture upgrade designed to improve overall performance.
It features an eight-core CPU based on a 2+6 configuration, which includes two high-performance Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 2.6GHz and six power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores running at 2.0GHz. In comparison, the Kompanio 520 includes two Cortex-A76 cores (2.0GHz) and six Cortex-A55 cores (2.0GHz).
The chip also comes with ARM’s Mali-G57 MC2 GPU that enables support for 4K displays at 60Hz or dual 2.5K monitors when connected to external screens. For a Chromebook, that’s a notable step forward in display flexibility and graphical capability, especially for users who rely on multitasking setups.
The Kompanio 540 supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) for connectivity. Storage and memory options are also flexible. The chip supports both LPDDR5-6400 and LPDDR4x-4266 RAM, as well as eMMC 5.1 and faster UFS 3.1 storage.
Last but not least, it’s also compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2 and PCIe Gen 2 for peripheral expansion. The Kompanio 540 will make its debut in consumer devices starting January 2026.
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.
Cyclone Montha is weakening after battering India’s eastern cost with torrential rains and gusty winds as relief teams raced to restore power and clear debris across southern Andhra Pradesh and neighboring Odisha state
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