Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips have long been the popular choice in the world of gaming handhelds, but OnePlus appears to be reading and learning from a different playbook.
A new leak from Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station suggests that the rumored OnePlus gaming handheld could ship with a special version of the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset.
Why did OnePlus choose Dimensity over Snapdragon?
Specifically, it’s the chip’s ARM Mali G1-Ultra MC12 GPU, which could be optimized to offer “console-level” gaming performance without overclocking. The result is similar to a “Mini-Dimensity 9600” in terms of graphical performance, according to the tipster.
Now Qualcomm has a dedicated gaming-focused line of Snapdragon chips. However, the company charges a premium for these chips, which ultimately drives up device prices. This is MediaTek, which comes with its somewhat economical but powerful chipset.
For those still up to speed, the DImensity 9500 chip has already proven itself in Chinese flagships like the Vivo X300 and the Oppo Find X9. The chipset offers strong GPU performance, impressive ray tracing, and solid efficiency.
Has anyone else done this before?
Yes, and no less convincing. AYANEO, the company with arguably the most comprehensive portfolio in the handheld gaming market, has used several MediaTek chips over the years. For example, the Pocket PLAY device was equipped with the Dimensity 9300 chip.
When a market leader like AYANEO can easily use MediaTek’s chip, and China’s mainstream brands rely on the chipmaker for their top smartphones, OnePlus’ rumored choice looks a lot less eccentric.
I believe that opting for an optimized version of the Dimensity 9500 chip could help OnePlus aggressively price its gaming handheld and put pressure on other companies like AYANEO, Retroid, and even its Qualcomm-centric competitors. It’s worth mentioning that OnePlus hasn’t confirmed any details about the device yet.
