Marvell intros 1.5GHz tri-core ARM chip
Boost for tablets, smartphones
Chip maker Marvell has raised the prospect of faster tablets and smartphones by sampling what it claims is the world's first three-core ARM-based system-on-a-chip clocked at 1.5GHz - 50 per cent higher than today's leading phone CPUs.
Only two of the Armada 628's three cores run at that speed, though - the third, "low power core" runs at 624MHz. It's the system monitor and handles "routine tasks", firing up the higher-clocked cores when the user does something that requires their horsepower.
The chip also supports 1080p HD playback - for up to ten hours, Marvell claimed - HDMI output and will allow device makers to incorporate USB 3.0 into their products.
It has an on-board 3D engine containing four unified shaders together capable of pumping out 200m triangles per second to two display simultaneously.
There's no word from Marvell when tablets and smartphones based on the 628 will appear, but if the chip's sampling now, expect it to go into volume production late Q1/early Q2 2011. ®
COMMENTS
Title goes here
"The chip also supports 1080p HD playback - for up to ten hours"
So what happens after that, does the chip malfunction or just stop working or something?
Faster, stronger, better...
No, not Steve Aston,
ARM chips just keeps getting better and better don't they?
Now let me dig out my RiscPC and we'll see if someone will bring out a CPU card for this Armada.
Well I can dream can't I? ;-)
@Tony Smith
True, but rather than a nice linear speed/time graph, technology happens in steps. It's starting to look like I've jumped on this step right before the next.
I wouldn't normally care, but seeing as my current Desire gives me 22 million triangles/sec, and the next step is claiming 10 times that, it's looking like a very big step indeed.
Re: agree with mr. paul
I'd wait six months. And then you can wait another six months for the next, faster model... and *another* six months for the next, faster model after that... and... and...
In this biz, there's always something faster/better/cheaper right around the corner. Buy now if you need/want, don't if you don't.
agree with mr. paul
Yes, does this mean we still go ahead and buy a shiny Android tablet in the next couple of months, just to have one, and then buy another one featuring this souped-up chip next year as well or should we just wait?
Of course, we probably *should* but will we?
