The chip market for Android is increasingly dominated by MediaTek. In 2021, the company was even the leading manufacturer alongside the fast-growing UNISOC. Counterpoint has now published data about the distribution of processors in the price ranges, which show that MediaTek is more likely to be used in inexpensive devices, and Qualcomm’s high-end chips are preferred in more sophisticated devices.
This trend could change with the release of the new MediaTek Dimensity 8100 and 9000, even if the expensive phones are equipped with Qualcomm and the cheaper ones with MediaTek for now.
A clear distinction by price ranges
A new report from Counterpoint Research shows us the curious data on the distribution of mobile processors by price range, based on the worldwide Android market, excluding Apple’s A’s. The data suggest that Qualcomm focuses on its 700 and 800 series to drive sales, as high-end processors are more profitable.
Qualcomm thus dominates the $499+ range with an overall share of 65% in 2021, up from 53% in 2020. The only competitor they have in the higher price ranges is Samsung, which deploys its Exynos in several markets, although Qualcomm variants of its high-end devices are also available.
MediaTek is gradually conquering the market. If its high-end offerings establish themselves in the market, the company will be present in all areas.
Despite the good data in this segment, MediaTek is once again the protagonist. The Chinese manufacturer is the leader in the price ranges below $299 with a market share of 52%. A large part of the growth here takes place in the entry-level segment with LTE chipsets, where MediaTek is represented by 62%.
2022 could be a decisive year for MediaTek thanks to the Dimensity 8100 and 9000. Benchmarks point to processors that are more energy-efficient than those from Qualcomm, and that with quite similar performance. If the Chinese manufacturer succeeds in imposing these two platforms in the high-end segment (there is actually already a variant of the OPPO Find X5 Pro with MediaTek), the tide could turn for Qualcomm.
MediaTek Dimensity 8000 and 8100
| MEDIATEK DIMENSITY 8100 | MEDIATEK DIMENSITY 8000 | |
|---|---|---|
| CPUs | 4 x Cortex-A78 at 2.85GHz 4 x Cortex-A55 | 4 x Cortex-A78 at 2.75GHz 4 x Cortex-A55 |
| Artificial intelligence | MediaTek Imagic 780 | MediaTek Imagic 780 |
| GPU | Arm Mali-G610 GPU MC6 MediaTek HyperEngine 5.0 Up to 20% boost in games | Arm Mali-G610 GPU MC6 MediaTek HyperEngine 5.0 |
| Memories | Quad-channel LPDDR5 | Quad-channel LPDDR5 |
| Photography and video | MediaTek Imagiq 780 14-bit HDR-ISP fusion up to 5Gpixel/s Support for 200MP sensors HDR exposure in video | MediaTek Imagiq 780 14-bit HDR-ISP fusion up to 5Gpixel/s Support for 200MP sensors HDR exposure in video |
| screens | MediaTek MiraVision 780 168Hz Full HD+ 120Hz WQHD+ MediaTek Intelligent Display Sync 2.0 | MediaTek MiraVision 780 168Hz Full HD+ MediaTek Intelligent Display Sync 2.0 |
| connectivity | 5G SA/NSA Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 Bluetooth 5.3 | 5G SA/NSA Wi-Fi 6E 2×2 Bluetooth 5.3 |
MediaTek Dimensity 1300
MEDIATEK DIMENSITY 1300 | |
|---|---|
| CPUs | ARM Cortex-A78 at 3GHz ARM Cortex-A55 at 2GHz |
| Artificial intelligence | MediaTek APU |
| GPU | ARM Mali-G77 |
| Memory | Quad-channel LPDDR4 |
| Photography and video | MediaTek Imagiq Support for 200 MP 5-core ISP Smart Focus Multi-person segmentation Improved night photography |
| screens | MediaTek Miravision 168Hz Full HD+ 120Hz WQHD+ MediaTek Intelligent Display Sync 2.0 |
| connectivity | 5G SA/NSA Wi- Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 |
Qualcomm and MediaTek chips: According to MediaTek, we will mainly see these three processors in the Chinese giants’ mid-range products in the coming months.
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