News & Analysis
Imagination preps three-tier Meta processor roadmap
Peter Clarke
8/5/2009 3:32 PM EDT
"If you see what we are offering is actually what you need in a modern SOC — communications, graphics and a CPU. We have a road-map to a more complete solution. Meta runs Linux and we are looking to bring Android onboard," said Tony King-Smith, vice president of marketing, at Imagination.
The Meta HTP line is aimed at the high-end and distinguished by a full processor offering including caches and memory management units. The MTP range is for more embedded applications built around particular applications while the LTP is for low-end microcontrol applications, while providing code compatibility. The similarity to the A,R,M trifurcation of the Cortex processor cores by ARM Holdings plc (Cambridge, England) is striking.
All the Meta HTP, MTP and LTP cores are based on the Meta2 architecture and well suited to 65-nm and smaller geometries, said King-Smith. "The HTP cores are capable of running at 400-MHz clock frequency in a 65-nm low-power process and at 700-MHz in a 65-nm general-purpose process," he said.
"The Meta-3 architecture is in planning. We plan to bring it in at 32-nm or 28-nm in a couple of years," King-Smith said.
King-Smith pointed out that multi-threading as well as a mix of multi-threading and multiprocessing have become popular recently even though Imagination has been doing this for many years. "For general purposes two to four threads is still a nice balance, although there is nothing to stop us going beyond that architecturally."
Related links and articles:
Imagination considers growth by acquisition
Imagination sales, profits up as PowerVR pays off
Apple follows Intel, tops up stake in U.K. graphics provider
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