Slim phone with a heat problem—Is the all-big-core chip to blame?

The MediaTek Dimensity 8500 uses an unusual architecture with eight Cortex-A725 cores—all designed as performance cores. One core clocks up to 3.4 GHz, three others up to 3.2 GHz, and four at 2.2 GHz. In the Motorola Edge 70 Pro, this chip delivers smooth everyday performance but shows significant weakness under sustained load.

All-Big-Core Design in Everyday Use

The exclusive use of Cortex-A725 cores means that even everyday tasks like launching apps, switching tabs in the browser, or editing photos are responsive.

When opening a camera app from a standstill, the Edge 70 Pro feels noticeably snappier than devices with traditional Big.Little architecture. Everyday use clearly benefits from the reserve of processing cores.

Graphics chip with headroom for moderate demands

The Mali-G720 MP8, with eight active cores, is positioned in the upper class smartphone segment.

Casual gamers who play a round in the evening will experience smooth frame rates. However, for demanding 3D titles, the graphics settings must be reduced to ensure smooth gameplay.

Measurable throttling under sustained load

During extended gaming sessions, the case temperature rises noticeably, and the chip significantly throttles its clock speed.

The slim, 183-gram case apparently has limited ability to dissipate heat, meaning the chip’s theoretical performance cannot be fully realized.

Competitors with more stable thermal management

A comparison showed that the Vivo X300 operates more stably under sustained load. Anyone who games regularly and values consistent frame rates should check whether the thermal control of the Edge 70 Pro meets their own requirements.

The Dimensity 8500, with its all-big-core design, promises plenty of performance, but the inadequate thermal management in the slim chassis prevents its full potential from being realized—a typical trade-off in favor of a slim form factor.

Further details and benchmarks for the Motorola Edge 70 Pro can be found in our in-depth review of the smartphone.