
Smartphones with the MediaTek Dimensity 8400 and 8400 Ultra have started to launch, but the biggest confusion is: what’s the difference between these two CPUs?
In the Dimensity 8300 vs 8300 Ultra comparison, I mentioned that both CPUs are almost identical, with only a slight difference in core structure, resulting in an overall difference of just 5%.
Does this hold true for the Dimensity 8400 and 8400 Ultra as well? Are these CPUs the same? Let’s explore everything in this Dimensity 8400 vs 8400 Ultra comparison.
Dimensity 8400 vs 8400 Ultra Specs
Details | Dimensity 8400 | Dimensity 8400 Ultra |
---|---|---|
Launch Date | December 29, 2024 | December 29, 2024 |
Process | 4nm TSMC | 4nm TSMC |
CPU | 1x 3.25 GHz (Cortex-A725) 3x 3.0 GHz (Cortex-A725) 4x 2.1 GHz (Cortex-A725) | 1x 3.25 GHz (Cortex-A725) 3x 3.0 GHz (Cortex-A725) 4x 2.1 GHz (Cortex-A725) |
Cores | 8 | 8 |
Instruction set | ARMv9-A | ARMv9-A |
GPU | Mali-G720 MP7 | Mali-G720 MP7 |
GPU Architecture | Valhall 5th gen | Valhall 5th gen |
GPU Frequency | 1300 MHz | 1300 MHz |
Neural processor (NPU) | MediaTek NPU 880 | MediaTek NPU 880 |
Memory | Quad-Channel LPDDR5X | Quad-Channel LPDDR5X |
Memory frequency | 4266 MHz | 4266 MHz |
Max size | 24GB | 24GB |
Storage type | UFS 4.0 | UFS 4.0 |
Max camera resolution | 1 x 320MP, 3 x 32MP | 1 x 320MP, 3 x 32MP |
ISP | MediaTek Imagiq 1080 | MediaTek Imagiq 1080 |
Video recording | 4K@60fps | 4k@60fps |
5G | Yes | Yes |
Download speed | Up to 5.17 Gbps | Up to 5.17 Gbps |
Upload Speed | Up to 2.5 Gbps | Up to 2.5 Gbps |
Wi-Fi | 6 | 6 |
Bluetooth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
As you can see from the specs comparison, there is no difference between the Dimensity 8400 and 8400 Ultra.
Performance Benchmarks
Test | Dimensity 8400 | Dimensity 8400 Ultra |
---|---|---|
AnTuTu | 1502317 to 1670247 | 1505627 to 1690000 |
Single Core | 1646 | 1650 |
Multi Core | 6286 | 6300 |
You might notice some variation between the Antutu scores of the 8400 and 8400 Ultra, but this difference is completely negligible.
The reason for this is that each device is optimized differently, and the Antutu score can be influenced by several factors, such as storage type, RAM speed, and how well the CPU stays cool.
Therefore, every time you run the benchmark app, the scores may slightly differ.
This means that even though you might see some variation, the actual performance is exactly the same on both the Dimensity 8400 and 8400 Ultra.
You might also like the Dimensity 8400 vs 8300 comparison.
Gaming performance
Since both CPUs are the same and have the same GPU, the gaming performance is equally good on both.
You can play demanding games seamlessly on either of these CPUs without any issues. While the gaming performance may not be as smooth as flagship CPUs like the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it will still be solid.
Keep in mind that these are flagship mid-range CPUs, so its gaming performance is right where it should be.
Any phone with either of these CPUs can handle most games efficiently.
Also check the Dimensity 7300 vs 7300X comparison.
Heating and Throttling Issues
Testing the 8400 Ultra on the Poco X7 Pro, the CPU throttled to 83% of its maximum performance during the first 15-minute throttling test, which is quite good. The temperature reached around 44 degrees.
In the 3D Mark test, the CPU scored 3648 as the best loop score, 2182 as the lowest loop score, and achieved 60% stability.
This makes it clear that while smartphones with the 8400 or 8400 Ultra may get warm, there are no significant throttling or heating issues.
Are Dimensity 8400 and 8400 Ultra the same?
Yes, the Dimensity 8400 and 8400 Ultra are exactly the same, at least for now.
It’s possible that MediaTek might release a new CPU in the future and label it as the true ‘Ultra’ or give it a different name, like ‘Ultra Max.’ However, as of now, these two CPUs are identical.
One weird thing I noticed is that when I searched for Dimensity 8400 Ultra on MediaTek’s website, it only showed results for the Dimensity 8400. There’s no information about the 8400 Ultra on MediaTek’s official website yet.
So, are smartphone brands manipulating the names? Are they adding the ‘Ultra’ tag on their own? It’s quite possible, especially considering there’s no official information about an ‘Ultra’ variant available on MediaTek’s website.
Also check the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 vs 7+ Gen 3.
Conclusion
It’s disappointing to see what some brands are doing—giving two names to essentially identical CPUs is quite misleading.
When we hear the term ‘Ultra,’ we instinctively assume it’s a better or more powerful version. Brands exploit this perception to mislead consumers.
I’m not saying the Dimensity 8400 is bad. In fact, it’s one of the best CPUs for phones in this segment. However, if one smartphone brand calls it the 8400 and another calls it the 8400 Ultra, it only creates unnecessary confusion.
Eventually, smartphones brands using the term 8400 might think, ‘Why not call it Ultra if others are doing the same?’ This kind of practice just adds to the confusion for buyers.
So, if you’re trying to decide between these two CPUs, don’t worry—they are exactly the same.