If you've been following smartphones over the past few years, you've probably seen endless debates around MediaTek's Dimensity 810 and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 695. When they arrived in 2021, both chips powered a wide range of affordable 5G phones and were direct rivals in the mid-range market. Today, there are so many phone which comes in mid-range budget offers high-end performance. Learn More

Now it's 2025, and while the industry has moved on to far more powerful chipsets, many people still use phones with these processors. Some buyers are also looking at them in the second-hand market. So, does it still make sense to compare them? Absolutely — let's revisit these two classics and see where they stand today.

The Background: Why People Compared Them

Back in 2021, 5G was just starting to become mainstream. Having a phone with 5G at a budget price was a big deal.

  • Dimensity 810 was MediaTek's affordable 5G chip, focusing on power efficiency and value for money.
  • Snapdragon 695 was Qualcomm's counter, offering its usual strengths in gaming, cameras, and overall stability.

Because they often showed up in phones priced around the $200–$300 range, they were natural rivals.

Specs Overview

Here's a quick rundown of what each chip brought to the table when they launched:

Dimensity 810

  • Launched in 2021
  • Built on a 6 nm process
  • CPU: 2x Cortex-A76 @ 2.4GHz + 6x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0GHz
  • GPU: Mali-G57 MC2
  • Supports up to 64 MP cameras
  • Supports Full HD+ displays at 120 Hz

Paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage

Snapdragon 695

  • Also launched in 2021
  • Built on a 6 nm process
  • CPU: Kryo 660 cores based on Cortex-A78 + Cortex-A55
  • GPU: Adreno 619
  • Supports up to 108MP cameras
  • Supports Full HD+ displays at 120 Hz
  • Paired with LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.2 storage

On paper, they looked very close, but Qualcomm had a slight advantage in graphics and camera processing.

Performance Then vs Now

  • Everyday Use: Both chips still feel fine for messaging, browsing, social media, video calls, and streaming. If you're not pushing them too hard, they remain smooth in 2025.
  • Gaming: The Snapdragon 695 had a better GPU back in 2021, and that remains true today. The Adreno 619 gives smoother gameplay compared to the Dimensity 810's Mali-G57. Still, neither chip handles modern heavy titles very well—expect to lower settings.
  • Benchmarks: At launch, the Snapdragon 695 usually scored slightly higher on Antutu and Geekbench. In daily use, the gap isn't huge, but the Snapdragon does age a little more gracefully.

Battery and Efficiency

Both chips were built on a 6 nm process, which was cutting-edge for 2021. This made them efficient and helped phones last longer on a single charge.

  • Phones with Dimensity 810 often delivered excellent standby time and good battery life for light users.
  • Snapdragon 695 struck a balance between efficiency and stronger performance.

Even in 2025, devices with either chip can easily last a full day if the battery health is still decent.

Camera and Multimedia

This is another area where Qualcomm had the upper hand.

  • The Dimensity 810 maxed out at 64MP cameras and delivered decent results, but its image processing wasn't always consistent.
  • Snapdragon 695 supported higher-resolution sensors (up to 108MP) and generally produced more refined photos, especially in tricky conditions like low light or HDR scenes.

So if you care about photography, Snapdragon-powered phones usually perform better.

Software Support and Longevity

By 2025, most phones with these chips will already be on their last official software updates. Many started with Android 11 or 12 and may have received updates to Android 13 or 14 at most.

  • Snapdragon devices tend to have better developer support, so you're more likely to find custom ROMs or longer unofficial updates.
  • Dimensity devices often lag behind in this area, which means their software life cycle ends sooner.

Who Are These Chips For in 2025?

  • Budget buyers: If you're buying a second-hand phone under $200, either chip is still fine.
  • Casual users: Perfect for social media, video streaming, and light tasks.
  • Not for gamers: Heavy 3D games will be tough to run smoothly on either processor in 2025.

Final Verdict

Both the Dimensity 810 and the Snapdragon 695 were strong performers in their time, and they're still reliable for everyday use.

  • Go for the Snapdragon 695 if you care about gaming, photography, and longer-term software support.
  • Pick the Dimensity 810 if you find a cheaper deal and just need a reliable phone for basic use with strong battery life.