Is a 320-megapixel camera phone about to launch? MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ means it's possible

Is a 320-megapixel camera about to appear in a future mobile phone? It's now entirely possible, as MediaTek's Dimensity 9000 Plus – its top-tier 2022 processor – has been announced, which includes support for this epic resolution (as does the original Dimensity 9000).

To put this in context: it's a massive boost over the previous MediaTek Dimensity 8100, as featured in the Realme GT Neo 3 as one example, which was able to support resolutions up to 200-megapixels – not that any handset has yet reached this level of resolution as yet. 

This is thanks to Dimensity 9000+'s MediaTek Imagiq 790 image signal processor (ISP). This is an 18-bit processor capable of handling high dynamic range (HDR) in both stills and video. It can process a massive 9Gpixels per second, meaning nine billion pixels can be throughput every second. You can pick your jaw up from the floor now.

The difference between Dimensity 9000 and the Plus variant isn't dramatically different otherwise, however, with a claimed five percent boost in CPU performance and more than 10 percent improvement in GPU performance.

Is Dimensity 9000+ better than Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1?

Beyond the camera side of things, Dimensity 9000+ is an impressive chipset that we'll clearly see appear in some future top-tier handsets – such as in the best gaming phones – although none have yet been announced, so exactly what is yet to be seen. But the charge is clear: to give Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset a run for its money.

Dimensity 9000+ supports 144Hz WQHD+ (2960 x 1440) displays or even 180Hz on Full HD+ (2220 x 1080) displays. Compared to Qualcomm 8+ Gen 1's max-out of QHD+ (2560 x 1440) at 144Hz, MediaTek takes the upper hand in theory. Both chipsets support 4K HDR video at 60Hz too.

People often ask whether Dimensity is better than Snapdragon. Both chipsets offer many of the same features, such as 5G connectivity, and are the most powerful mobile phone options in existence for 2022. MediaTek's top-tier chipsets can handle more resolution and higher refresh rates, though, which goes to show how rapidly the brand has risen in a short period of time.