MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 | MTK’s Best Mid-End 5G SoC

Today, MediaTek Dimensity 720 released which added another entry to the mid-end Dimensity SoCs range. It’s the first SoC of the 7xx series. So after the introduction, which is the best mid-end MediaTek SoC including 800 and 820? To know the answer, let’s do a MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 comparison and know which SoC is the best mid-end 5G soC when we compare each processor’s specs, features, and AnTuTu scores.

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – An Internal Competition for the Best Mid-End 5G SoC?

Specifications Sheet Comparison

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – Release Date Comparison

Let’s start our MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 comparisons with the release date. The Dimensity 720 is the latest SoC among the three. Dimensity 720 release date is July 23, 2020. This SoC further improved the price of mid-end 5G smartphones and is the lite version of the other two processors.

Dimensity 800 is the oldest among the three SoC. Dimensity 800 release date is January 5, 2020, releasing at the start of 2020. This was a great SoC back then because it was one of the first mid-end SoC which had integrated 5G modem in it.

Last but not least is the MTK Dimensity 820. The Dimensity 820 release date is May 18, 2020. Among the mid-end SoC, it’s release destroyed other mid-end SoCs including Kirin 820, Snapdragon 765G, and SD 720G. The AI engine of this SoC is the same as the flagship Dimensity 1000.

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – Process Comparison

All of the three SoCs are based on the 7nm process FinFET LPP process by TSMC. It’s good to see this process on mid-end SoCs. Though the latest process is 7nm EUV found in Snapdragon 765G, however, there’s not that much difference in performance, only a slight difference in energy-efficiency.

Since all three SoCs have the same process, let us consider this section a tie, and allow other factors like CPU, GPU, and AI to determine the performance and power-efficiency.

Winner: None (Tie)

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – CPU Comparison

All three SoCs have the same octa-core, dual-cluster (4+4) design, only the CPU frequency is different.

Dimensity 720 and 800 have the same configuration consisting of 4 x Cortex A76 high-performance cores running @2.0GHz and 4 x Cortex A55 power-efficient cores running at the same frequency of 2.0GHz.

Dimensity 820 has a much better frequency with the 4 x Cortex A76 cores running @2.6GHz and 4 x Cortex A55 @2.0GHz. In comparison to Dimensity 800, we can see how the upper cores frequency has increased up to 600MHz. It is almost 37% better than the 800 and 720.

So, the winner of this section of MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 comparison is Dimensity 820 because of higher upper cores frequency.

820 > 800 = 720

Winner: Dimensity 820

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – GPU Comparison

All three SoCs have the mid-performance Mali-G57 GPU. The difference can be seen in the number of cores and optimizations each SoC has.

First, Dimensity 720 has the lowest GPU performance since it only has 3 cores (MC3). Plus, there are no gaming optimizations, since there’s no HyperEngine 2.0.

Dimensity 800 GPU is better than Dimensity 720 because it has 4 cores (MC4). Plus, there’s HyperEngine 2.0 as well.

Dimensity 820 has 5 cores (MC5) making it the strongest among the three. Similar to Dimensity 800, it also has HyperEngine 2.0 gaming optimizations.

800 and 820 can easily run games at mid graphics on FHD+ (820 might even run games on high graphics). However, 720 might struggle a bit since there’s no HyperEngine 2.0 which improves gaming experience with low latency networking.

Winner: Dimensity 820

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – AI Comparison

Sadly, Dimensity 720 doesn’t have the iconic MTK APU 3.0 but instead has an AI accelerator. Though AI camera features exist in the SoC but are basic.

Dimensity 800 an 820 has the same APU 3.0 as the DSP/AI of the SoC. That’s right, it’s the same APU used in the high-end, flagship-level Dimensity 1000 series. In the AI benchmark scoring, the Dimensity 820 is on 2nd position beating SD 865, Exynos 990, Kirin 990 5G, and Dimensity 1000. It only gets beaten by Dimensity 1000+.

Winner: Tie (Dimensity 800 and 820)

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – AnTuTu Comparison

Since Dimensity 720 has just released, the AnTuTu score of this SoC is not available. However, considering the specs we expect the score to be around 301,380 points on Realme V5.

Dimensity 800 AnTuTu v8 score is around 316,328 points on Huawei Enjoy Z

As expected, Dimensity 820 AnTuTu score is the highest which is around 410,000 to 415,000 points on the Redmi 10X. It’s the highest score in all mid-end SoCs as of July 2020.

Winner: Dimensity 820

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – Connectivity Comparison

All three SoCs support 5G as they integrate Balong 5G01 modem which as a download rate of up to 2.4Gbps. Also, note that the modem is the most power-efficient 5G modem because of MediaTek 5G UltraSave. It supports 5G across all frequency bands including sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave (mmWave).

Other connectivity features which are common: WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.1.

Winner: None (Tie)

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – Camera Comparison

Dimensity 720 camera section has also been stripped down. Now we have the single-camera support up to 64MP and dual-camera support up to 20MP+16MP only. Like said, we do have AI camera features and other camera features are completely changed removing Video HDR / Video NR / Video Bokeh / Video EIS / AI-Shutter / AI-AE / AI-AF / AI-AWB / AI-NR HDR / AI-HDR / AI-FD and replacing them with HDR-ISP, Multi-Frame NR, 3D Noise Reduction, Depth Engine, Warping Engine, AI-FD. In simple words, HDR mode has been removed along with some other AI camera features, leaving only the basic AI camera features.

Dimensity 800 and 820 has the same ISP powered by MediaTek Imagiq. It supports a single camera up to 80MP and dual camera up to 32+16MP. There is advance AI features as well as 4K 30fps video recording. Camera features include: Video HDR / Video NR / Video Bokeh / Video EIS / AI-Shutter / AI-AE / AI-AF / AI-AWB / AI-NR HDR / AI-HDR / AI-FD.

Winner: Tie (Dimensity 800 and 820)

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – Display Comparison

Each SoC supports Full-HD+ display resolution. The only difference is in the screen refresh rate.

Dimensity 720 supports a refresh rate of 90Hz. While 800 and 820 support refresh rate up to 120Hz.

Winner: (Dimensity 800 and 820)

MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 – Other Features Comparison

All three SoCs have Miravision enhanced HDR10 video decoding. Dimensity 720 has extra multiple voice assistants support but miss HyperEngine 2.0. While Dimensity 800 and 820 have HyperEngine 2.0.

Winner: (Tie)

Price Comparison

Since it’s MediaTek, the company has the best price/performance ratio SoCs which aren’t limited to a specific manufacturer. Moreover, the price range of these mid-end SoCs will have a huge difference, not because of the SoCs but the manufacturers (Realme has a better price than OPPO etc.). No doubt, Dimensity 720 will be the cheapest, but it’s Dimensity 820, which will have the best price/performance ratio.

Winner: Dimensity 720 (cheapest)

Winner: Dimensity 820 (Best price-to-performance ratio)

Our Verdict

If you have to decide between Dimensity 800 and 720, then just go for Dimensity 800. I don’t expect the price difference to be that great. On the budget side, 720 is the best, on the gaming side, 800 is the best with HyperEngine 2.0. However, the best of all three is 820. If provided at a good price similar to 800 and 720 phones, don’t wait, just grab that phone. It will be the best mid-end performance phone.

MediaTek Dimensity 720 (4 points) | Dimesnity 800 (6 points) | Dimensity 820 (10 points)

*1 point is given to each in case of tie*

Overall winner: Dimensity 820

We hope you loved this MediaTek Dimensity 720 vs 800 vs 820 comparisons. Did I miss something? Want to know anything about the SoCs? Let me know in the comments.

Information is taken from (1), (2), (3)