The Dimensity 9300 diverged from the conventional CPU cluster approach seen in this year’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, notably by lacking efficiency cores in MediaTek‘s current flagship SoC. This distinction means that while the Dimensity 9300 can achieve remarkable overall performance, even surpassing Apple’s A17 Pro GPU, it comes at the cost of increased power consumption. In a recent CPU stress test conducted on an Android flagship equipped with a capable cooling solution, vulnerabilities in the Dimensity 9300’s thermal performance were revealed.

All About MediaTek Dimensity 9300 and Vivo X100 Pro

Many Android flagships, including the X100 Pro, incorporate a vapor chamber design to manage Dimensity 9300 temperatures effectively. However, despite being produced on TSMC’s power-efficient N4P process, the absence of low-power cores in the latest SoC results in a higher power draw compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and A17 Pro. This change led to the observation, demonstrated by Sahil Karoul on X, that running the CPU Throttling Test caused thermal throttling of the Dimensity 9300 in just two minutes.

The CPU Throttling Test engages the MediaTek Dimensity 9300’s 8-core CPU with up to 100 threads and assesses its performance. The test graph indicates one core’s clock speed dropping to 0.60GHz, while the remaining cores are reduced to frequencies of 1.20GHz and 1.50GHz. The chip’s default maximum clock speed is 3.25GHz, designated for the Cortex-X4. According to the results, the Dimensity 9300’s performance plummeted by 46 percent during the stress test.

While these tests suggest that MediaTek’s move to a CPU cluster with performance-only cores may not be ideal, it’s important to note that the CPU Throttling Test is designed to challenge even the most thermally efficient chipsets. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or A17 Pro may perform better in such tests, other factors influence how hot a smartphone chipset can become.

For instance, in hot and humid conditions where ambient temperatures are elevated, the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 may experience thermal throttling more rapidly. Under typical usage conditions, MediaTek’s flagship SoC is expected to perform adequately, but the company might need to reconsider its strategy regarding the reuse of a similar ‘performance-only’ CPU cluster for the Dimensity 9400 in the coming year.

However, drawing conclusions about the performance of the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 at this stage is premature, considering that contemporary smartphones incorporate thermal management systems to maintain the device temperature within a safe and acceptable range. A more effective approach to utilizing the CPU Throttle test involves comparing devices side by side, ensuring that the test is conducted under consistent device case temperatures. Moreover, MediaTek’s big core CPU architecture in the Dimensity 9300 is poised to achieve significantly higher maximum and average scores than its competitors when the testing is conducted accurately. In summary, the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 is anticipated to deliver much better performance throughout the duration of the test.