TLDR
- MediaTek unveiled the Dimensity 9600 Pro, its first smartphone chip built on TSMC’s 2-nanometre process
- A second chip, the Dimensity 9600M, uses TSMC’s 3nm process and targets a wider range of flagship phones
- The 9600 Pro’s AI processor delivers a 51% improvement over the previous generation in prompt processing speed
- Nvidia invested $3.5 billion in MediaTek’s recent $3.9 billion convertible bond sale, with Alphabet also participating
- MediaTek is expanding into data-centre AI chips, with its first cloud AI accelerator set for mass production in Q4 2026
MediaTek has unveiled two new smartphone chips, with the top model built using TSMC’s most advanced 2-nanometre manufacturing process. The Taiwanese chipmaker says the move is aimed at winning more business in the premium handset market.
The flagship chip is called the Dimensity 9600 Pro. It is MediaTek’s first mobile processor made on TSMC’s 2nm process. A second chip, the Dimensity 9600M, is built on TSMC’s 3nm process and targets a broader range of high-end phones.
MediaTek said smartphones powered by both chips will be available soon. The company has previously supplied chips to Chinese phone brands including Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.
AI Processing Gets a Boost
The Dimensity 9600 Pro comes with a built-in neural processing unit, or NPU. MediaTek says this chip handles generative AI tasks directly on the device, without needing a cloud connection.
The company says the NPU is 51% faster than its previous generation at processing prompts before an AI model starts responding. MediaTek did not provide further technical details about how that figure was measured.
The push into premium chips puts MediaTek in more direct competition with Qualcomm, which has long dominated the high-end Android smartphone market. MediaTek’s market value surpassed Qualcomm’s earlier this year.
JC Hsu, corporate senior vice president at MediaTek, said the company is working with phone makers to keep consumer prices from rising too sharply as AI hardware costs go up.
“As the overall market moves to higher prices, I believe there is still room for us to increase our share of the flagship segment,” Hsu said.
MediaTek Expands Into AI Infrastructure
The premium chip launch comes as MediaTek grows its business beyond smartphones. The company is now developing AI chips for data centres and cloud providers.
Its first AI accelerator chip designed for a major US cloud provider is expected to go into mass production in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Last month, MediaTek raised $3.9 billion through a convertible bond sale. Nvidia put in $3.5 billion of that amount. Alphabet, a long-term partner of MediaTek on AI infrastructure, also took part in the offering.
The latest chip launch comes in a market where phone prices are rising. Apple’s new foldable iPhone, announced last week, starts at up to $3,199 in the US for the highest storage model.
MediaTek’s AI accelerator chip for cloud use is on track for mass production before the end of 2026.
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