MediaTek is preparing its next generation of flagship mobile chips, and the technical leap may come with a noticeable price hike. According to supply-chain sources, the Dimensity 9600 Pro could cost around $216 per unit. That would be 8–20% more than the current Dimensity 9500, which is estimated at roughly $180–200.
The higher price is not being linked only to a move toward more expensive manufacturing technology. The market is also feeling the pressure of stronger smartphone demand and improving conditions in emerging markets, while component suppliers are gradually raising prices. As a result, even a successful flagship chip may become a much more expensive part of future phones.
The new lineup is expected to arrive in two versions: a standard model and a more powerful Pro variant. Rumors suggest the Dimensity 9600 Pro will use TSMC’s advanced 2nm N2P process and support LPDDR6 memory. The base version will likely stay with the N2 process and LPDDR5X memory.
Early details point to a flagship chip with an eight-core 2+3+3 configuration, including two powerful Arm Cortex C2-Ultra cores running at around 5 GHz. Such a setup should deliver a major performance jump and help the chip compete with the next generation of Snapdragon 8 Elite, while possibly coming close to Apple silicon in some tests.
Other expected features include UFS 5.0 storage, an upgraded Arm Magni GPU and broader AI capabilities. The shift to a thinner process should improve performance and efficiency, but it also raises production costs. The first smartphones based on the Dimensity 9600 series may arrive as early as September 2026, meaning pricier chips will almost certainly affect future Android flagship prices.