These two chips are three years apart, built on different process nodes, and they compete in the same entry level 5G price band. In the raw benchmark numbers, the older one still wins. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 (September 2022, 4nm) outscores the Dimensity 6400 (February 2025, 6nm) in every AnTuTu and Geekbench figure reviewed here, and it leads the graphics comparison by about 1.5 to 1.6x. The Dimensity 6400's case rests on newer phones, a stable scheduler (99.5 percent stability in beebom's stress test), and a chip family that is still receiving 2026 refreshes.
At a Glance
- Dimensity 6400 (MediaTek, February 2025): TSMC 6nm, 2x A76 at 2.5GHz plus 6x A55 at 2.0GHz, Mali-G57 MC2, R16 modem (MediaTek official)
- Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 (Qualcomm, September 2022): 4nm, 4x A78 at 2.2GHz plus 4x A55 at 1.8GHz, Adreno 710, LPDDR5 (Qualcomm product brief)
- AnTuTu 11: 6 Gen 1 averages about 737K across 70 samples; 6400 labs measure 545K to 604K
- Geekbench 6: 6 Gen 1 about 930 to 948 single and 2,700 to 2,764 multi; 6400 about 764 to 825 single and 1,350 to 1,980 multi
- Graphics: 3DMark Wild Life Extreme 611 (6 Gen 1, 3DMark database, iQOO Z8x) against 373 (6400, beebom chip test), about 1.6x, different test sources flagged
- 2026 context: the 6400 line is still active (6400 Turbo, 6400 Ultimate in April 2026); the 6 Gen 1 now powers 2025 to 2026 value phones like the Honor X9b and Oppo Reno14 F 5G
Head to head specs
Sources: MediaTek Dimensity 6400 product page (official), Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 product brief (official), 91mobiles spec pages, nanoreview spec page, phonedb, faceofit 2025 comparison. The 6 Gen 1 core layout comes from four independent aggregator sources; the Qualcomm brief excerpt reviewed confirms the node, part number SM6450 and memory.
Why This Matters
This is the comparison that decides which entry level 5G phone is the smarter buy in 2026, and it pairs a current budget chip with a three year old midrange chip that has dropped into the value tier. The Dimensity 6400 is the current budget 5G workhorse in Asia, found in phones from Motorola, realme, Tecno, Vivo and others, and MediaTek is still refreshing the family: a 6400 Turbo shipped in February 2025 and a 6400 Ultimate in April 2026, per 91mobiles. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is a 2022 chip, but it still appears in 2025 and 2026 value phones such as the Honor X9b, Honor X9C, Honor X60 Pro and Oppo Reno14 F 5G, per unite4buy's 2026 device list.
The practical stakes: the 6 Gen 1 tier is a US $150 to $250 price band, per faceofit; European street prices for the equivalent value phones are not specified in the sources reviewed. At that money, a chip that is three years older but measurably faster changes the answer to "should I buy last year's value phone or this year's budget phone."
Main Story
Why these two compete in 2026
The two chips never shared a launch window, but they share a 2026 shelf. The 6400 is in brand new budget 5G phones, often paired with 6,000 to 7,000mAh batteries. The 6 Gen 1 is in slightly older value phones that are now discounted, usually with 5,000 to 6,000mAh batteries. When the price gap between the two phones narrows, the chip question becomes the buying decision, which is why this comparison keeps coming up in 2026.
What the CPU numbers show
The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 leads in single thread by a comfortable margin, roughly 930 to 948 in Geekbench 6 against 764 to 825 for the 6400, depending on lab. Multi core, the gap is wider: about 2,700 to 2,764 for the 6 Gen 1 against 1,350 to 1,980 for the 6400. The faceofit comparison calls the 6 Gen 1 "in a different league," crediting the four A78 performance cores, the faster RAM and the newer architecture.
One fairness note on the 6400 multi core spread: 91mobiles lab measured 1,349 while beebom measured 1,978, and the 6400 Turbo and Ultimate refreshes both measure near 2,068 to 2,084. The base 6400 sits between those, and the exact figure depends on the phone's tuning.
Where the 6 Gen 1 pulls ahead: graphics
The 6 Gen 1's Adreno 710 beats the 6400's Mali-G57 MC2 by about 1.5 to 1.6x in the data reviewed. In 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, the iQOO Z8x, a confirmed 6 Gen 1 phone, scores 611 in the UL Solutions 3DMark database, against 373 for the 6400 in beebom's chip test. Both figures are from the same 3DMark suite, but from different test sources and methods (a user submission median versus a lab stress test), so treat the 1.6x ratio as directional rather than a controlled delta. In AnTuTu's GPU sub test the same shape appears: 74,254 for the 6 Gen 1 (nanoreview average) against 47,882 for the 6400 (91mobiles lab), and beebom's AnTuTu GPU test failed outright on the 6400 device they tested.
In games, per unite4buy's testing, the 6 Gen 1 holds 60fps in PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile, about 44fps in Genshin Impact, and 28fps in Fortnite. Beebom's own 6400 versus 6300 comparison, both chips on the same Mali-G57 MC2, concludes that "neither is designed for heavy gaming." For buyers who game, the 6 Gen 1 is the deciding number.
Efficiency and stability
The 6 Gen 1 sits on a 4nm process against the 6400's 6nm, with a reported sustained power limit of 7W, now two sourced (nanoreview, versus.com). The 6400's counters are stability and freshness: beebom's stress test found 99.5 percent loop to loop stability in 3DMark and a flat CPU throttle curve (88 percent throttle efficiency), which translates to predictable performance without hot spikes. On the endurance side, the iQOO Z8x (6 Gen 1, 6,000mAh) logged a 24 hour 32 minute PCMark Work 3.0 battery run in the 3DMark database, a device level data point that mixes chip, battery and software tuning. The 6400 also pairs with much larger batteries in its phones, which at this tier matters as much as chip efficiency.
The feature gap runs the other way from age: Wi-Fi 6E versus Wi-Fi 5, LPDDR5 versus LPDDR4X, 4K HDR video versus 2K, and the X62 modem. The 6 Gen 1's feature set shows how far the midrange moved in 2022.
Benchmark results, chip level
Sources: 91mobiles, beebom, nanoreview, UL Solutions (3DMark database). Ranges, not single figures, because scores move with AnTuTu version and phone tuning. The WLE row is a cross lab pair from the same 3DMark suite, flagged rather than averaged.
Phone level scores
Sources: 91mobiles device price list (June 2026), nanoreview user tests (2026), unite4buy device list, UL Solutions 3DMark database (iQOO Z8x, updated 2026). Scores vary with RAM and storage configuration and AnTuTu version; chip lab scores apply to every phone with that chip. The realme P3x scores low for a 6400 phone, which points to device tuning rather than a chip defect.
The 2026 context
Both chips are now value tier. The current midrange has moved to the Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 (about 806K AnTuTu, TSMC 4nm, per beebom) and 6 Gen 4 (about 969K, per nanoreview) class, plus MediaTek's Dimensity 6300 and 7300 lines. What is notable is that MediaTek is still selling 6400 derivatives in 2026 (the 6400 Ultimate, April 2026), which signals the 6400 line is the current budget 5G baseline in Asia, while the 6 Gen 1 is the discounted carryover in the value tier.
The verdict, by use case
- Daily apps, social, browsing: both are fine; the 6400's measured stability and the 6 Gen 1's raw speed are both more than enough.
- Gaming: 6 Gen 1, on the graphics numbers.
- Battery life: the 6400 phone, usually, because the phones pairing with it carry 6,000 to 7,000mAh batteries.
- Longevity of features: 6 Gen 1, with Wi-Fi 6E, LPDDR5 and 4K video that the 6400 lacks.
- Best 2026 buy: if the two phones are within a few dollars of each other, the 6 Gen 1 phone is the better machine; if the 6400 phone is meaningfully cheaper or has a much larger battery, the value flips.
What Remains Unknown
- AnTuTu version differences muddy the totals: the 6 Gen 1's 500,847 figure (unite4buy) comes from an older AnTuTu version, while its AnTuTu 11 average is 737,054 (nanoreview). Only like version comparisons are fair, and the 6400's lab figures sit in the AnTuTu 11 range.
- unite4buy's "3Dmark ranking 2,211" for the 6 Gen 1 does not specify which 3DMark test; the UL Solutions data (iQOO Z8x: 2,375 in non Extreme Wild Life, 611 in Extreme) suggests it is a non Extreme Wild Life figure. This article uses the Extreme scores for the graphics pair.
- The 6400's multi core spread (1,349 to 1,978 across labs) is not resolved by the sources reviewed; phone tuning is the likely cause.
- One source (unite4buy) lists the 6 Gen 1's GPU as "Adreno 653"; every other source reviewed says Adreno 710, and this article follows the majority.
- No controlled, same lab power test of the two chips was available in the sources reviewed, so the efficiency edge of the 6 Gen 1's 4nm node stays architectural reasoning plus a two source reported TDP figure.
What Happens Next
- The 6400 line will keep receiving Asia budget 5G phones through 2026, with the Turbo and Ultimate derivatives as the reference points.
- The 6 Gen 1 will keep fading as 6 Gen 4 class chips move downmarket; its phones are the discount tier for 2026.
- Watch for a controlled power and thermals test of 6400 versus 6 Gen 1 devices from a single lab, which would settle the efficiency question with data instead of node size.
FAQ
Which is better overall, Dimensity 6400 or Snapdragon 6 Gen 1?
On paper, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1: it leads in AnTuTu 11 (about 737K against 545K to 604K), in Geekbench single and multi, and in 3DMark Wild Life Extreme (611 against 373, about 1.6x, cross lab). The 6400 counters with a 2025 launch, measured 99.5 percent stress stability, and phones with much larger batteries.
Is the Dimensity 6400 good for gaming?
For light and casual games, yes. For PUBG Mobile at 60fps or Genshin Impact, it trails the 6 Gen 1: the Mali-G57 MC2 scores 373 in 3DMark Wild Life Extreme against 611 for the 6 Gen 1 in the 3DMark database, and beebom's comparison of the two Mali-G57 chips concludes "neither is designed for heavy gaming." If gaming matters, the 6 Gen 1 is the clear pick.
Why is the newer chip slower?
Node and core design. The 6 Gen 1 sits on 4nm with four A78 performance cores, while the 6400 uses 6nm with two A76 big cores and six A55 efficiency cores. MediaTek's 6400 line is iterative by design: the same A76 plus A55 formula from the 6100+ and 6300, slightly overclocked, optimized for cost and stability rather than peak speed.
Which budget 5G phone should I buy in 2026?
Compare the specific phones, not just the chips. If a 6 Gen 1 phone (Honor X9b, Oppo Reno14 F 5G class) and a 6400 phone (Moto G37 5G class) are close in price, take the 6 Gen 1. If the 6400 phone is cheaper, has a 6,000mAh or larger battery, and gaming is not a priority, it is the value pick. Prices vary by region; check current local pricing before deciding.
Will the Dimensity 6400 keep getting updates?
The chip line is active: MediaTek shipped a 6400 Turbo in February 2025 and a 6400 Ultimate in April 2026, per 91mobiles. Individual phones get the OS support their maker promises, which varies by brand and is not something the chip determines.
Bottom Line
What is confirmed: the 6 Gen 1 leads the 6400 in every benchmark category reviewed (AnTuTu 11, Geekbench single and multi, 3DMark Wild Life Extreme at about 1.6x, cross lab), the 6400 measures 99.5 percent stress stability, and both chips now sit in the 2026 value tier with the 6400 line still receiving refreshes.
Why it matters: at entry level 5G prices, buying the older chip in a discounted value phone is the better machine in most configurations, and the 6400's win is the battery and price of the phones that carry it, not the silicon itself.
What remains uncertain: a same lab AnTuTu and 3DMark pass on both chips, a controlled power comparison, and device level scores for several 6 Gen 1 phones.
Sources / Attribution
- MediaTek, Dimensity 6400 product page (official): CPU layout 2x A76 at 2.5GHz plus 6x A55 at 2.0GHz, R16 5G modem with 3.3Gbps downlink via 2CC CA, 140MHz spectrum support, HyperEngine
- Qualcomm, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Product Brief (official PDF, SM6450): 4nm process, LPDDR5 up to 2750MHz up to 12GB, Spectra triple 12-bit ISP, Quick Charge 4+, Bluetooth 5.2
- UL Solutions (3DMark official database), Vivo iQOO Z8x page (updated 2026): chipset confirmed Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, 3DMark Wild Life Extreme 611, Wild Life 2,375, Sling Shot Extreme 4,022, PCMark Work 3.0 9,149 with 24h 32min battery
- 91mobiles, Dimensity 6400 processor page: launch date February 2025, 6nm, lab AnTuTu (595,362), Geekbench (825/1,349); 6400 Turbo and 6400 Ultimate pages (February 2025, April 2026); Dimensity 6400 phone price list (June 2026) with per device AnTuTu scores
- 91mobiles, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor page: SM6450, 4nm, 4x A78 + 4x A55, Adreno 710, lab AnTuTu (846,599), Geekbench (948/2,764)
- beebom, "MediaTek Dimensity 6400: Benchmarks and Specs" (December 2025): AnTuTu 544,835 (GPU test failed), Geekbench 764/1,978, 3DMark WLE 373 with 99.5 percent stability, CPU throttle curve, Speedometer 5.88
- beebom, "MediaTek Dimensity 6400 vs Dimensity 6300" (December 2025): AnTuTu 604,303, WLE 373 best loop, "neither is designed for heavy gaming"
- beebom, "Snapdragon 6s Gen 4 vs Dimensity 6400" (December 2025): 6s Gen 4 AnTuTu 805,947, TSMC 4nm context
- nanoreview, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 page: 4nm, core layout, 7W sustained limit, AnTuTu 11 average 737,054 (70 samples), Geekbench 930/2,700, 2026 user tests; 6 Gen 4 vs 6 Gen 1 comparison page (969K context); 7200 and 7s Gen 2 comparison pages (6400 AnTuTu 11 context)
- unite4buy, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 page: 2026 device list (Oppo Reno14 F 5G, Realme 12 Pro, Honor X9b/X9C/X60 Pro, iQOO Z8x), AnTuTu 500,847 (older version), gaming frame rates, 3DMark 2,211 (test unspecified)
- faceofit, "Dimensity 6400 vs. Snapdragon 6 Gen 1: 2025 Chipset Comparison" (September 2025): architectural comparison, feature table, US price band, "different league" verdict
- phonedb, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 (SM6450) datasheet: 4nm, core layout, X62 modem, LPDDR5
- versus.com, Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 record page: TDP 7W (corroborating source)
Note: PetaTech24 did not independently benchmark these chips. AnTuTu figures mix versions across sources and are given as ranges where versions differ. The graphics pair (373 vs 611) comes from two different test sources running the same 3DMark suite, and is flagged as directional. The single source "Adreno 653" GPU label for the 6 Gen 1 (unite4buy) was excluded in favor of the Adreno 710 reported by 91mobiles, nanoreview and phonedb.
Source Verification
Internal link suggestion: PetaTech24's Dimensity 9300+ vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 article for the step up from this tier.
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