MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro smartphone CPU rumored to boost to 5 GHz and offer desktop-level performance

According to the latest rumors coming from China, MediaTek may be preparing different versions for the Dimensity 9600 smartphone processor. Besides the standard version with one high-performance core, the Taiwanese chip producer is now considering the introduction of a Pro version with dual “super cores” that is said to offer desktop PC performance. This advanced model would match Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro. However, MediaTek first needs to figure out an efficient cooling solution that would fit regular smartphones.

The leak comes from the Digital Chat Station account on the Weibo forums and reveals that the two high-performance cores included in the Dimensity 9600 Pro chip could boost to 5 GHz. This is most likely possible thanks to the TSMC N2P fabrication process that MediaTek is expected to use. 

Nonetheless, the chip is apparently overheating in preliminary tests, so MediaTek might instruct smartphone makers to include more sophisticated cooling systems that combine vapor chambers with liquids or even active fans. Without proper cooling, the Pro chip may end up throttling to just 4 GHz.

As previously reported by WCCFTech, the Dimensity 9600 Pro would feature a 2+3+3 ARM CPU cluster. The non-Pro version would feature a single “super core” with reduced boost frequencies. It remains to be seen if the Pro version can eventually end up in handheld consoles, rather than regular smartphones, provided the necessary cooling is too bulky.