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http://www.anandtech.com/show/3891/samsung-epic-4g-review-the-fastest-android-pho ...
vivekv80
Samsung can overtake HTC to make better Android devices :)) Loving the Epic 4G ...
Samsung launches dual-core A9 processor
Peter Clarke
9/7/2010 9:17 AM EDT
LONDON – Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. has introduced a dual-core Cortex A9-based applications processor, codenamed Orion, capable of running at a clock frequency of 1-GHz and intended for advanced mobile applications. The processor is designed for such applications as tablets, netbooks and smartphones, Samsung said.
Designed using Samsung's 45-nm low-power process technology, Orion features a pair of 1-GHz ARM Cortex A9 cores, each comes with a 32-kbyte data cache and a 32-kbyte instruction cache. Samsung also included a 1-Mbyte L2 cache to optimize CPU processing performance and provide fast context. In addition, the memory interface and bus architecture of Orion support multimedia applications including high-definition video playback. A graphics processing unit allows Orion to deliver five times the 3-D graphics performance of the previous processor generation from Samsung.
Samsung did not state whether the GPU is based on Mali licensed from ARM Holding plc, a PowerVR core licensed from Imagination Technologies Group plc or a third alternative.
Orion, originally slated to come in at 800-MHz clock frequency, is set to be followed by Pegasus, Hercules, Mercury, Venus, Draco and Aquila, according to Samsung's ARM roadmap leads to quad-core Aquila.
Orion includes interfaces commonly used in mobile devices to configure various peripheral functionalities. Storage options include NAND flash, moviNAND, solid-state disk or hard disk drvive, providing both SATA, and eMMC interfaces. Customers can also choose between LPDDR2 and DDR3 DRAM styles. A global positioning system (GPS) receiver baseband processor is embedded in the processor.
Orion features a triple display controller so that it can drive two on-device screens as well as driving a third external display such as a TV or a monitor, via an on-chip HDMI 1.3a interface. Orion is designed to support package-on-package (POP) with memory stacking to reduce the footprint. A derivative of Orion, which is housed in a standalone package with a 0.8-mm ball pitch, is also available.
Samsung's new dual-core application processor, Orion, will be available to some customers, but not to others, in the fourth quarter of 2010 and is scheduled for mass production in the first half of 2011.
Related links and articles:
Samsung's ARM roadmap leads to quad-core 'Aquila'
A4 chip drives AppleTV, iPod Touch
Samsung's Galaxy S smartphone: What's under the AMOLED?
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chanj
9/7/2010 11:02 AM EDT
The gap between mobile device and laptop is closing. Will laptop be completely replaced by smaller mobile device? On the other hands, as ARM becomes more powerful, will it replace the MCU of a laptop?
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RobDinsmore
9/7/2010 11:20 AM EDT
I think augmented mobile devices could replace laptops. What I am thinking of is a mobile device with a laptop-like docking station to provide the workspace needed to create documents and presentations.
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elctrnx_lyf
9/7/2010 12:50 PM EDT
@Chanj - This has been already a hot topic and definitely ARM will move into the microprocessors inside the netbooks very soon. The lowest power consumption of ARM always plays a critical role and could definitely take them into laptops too. In past there was also some openings with microsoft for ARM programming for server applications. ARM is every where!!!
I've recently come across one processor from Quallcom which is operated at 1GHz already used in a particular smart phone. I also think it will be really interesting to compare all these mobile processors along with Apple A4 chip. Do anyone already have such information?
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Sanjib.Acharya
9/7/2010 2:14 PM EDT
Great to know about the new dual-core cortex A9 based processor from Samsung. Apart from the other attractive features, Orion also embeds a Global Positioning System (GPS) directly into its silicon. Is this specifically designed for Samsung products only or will this be made available in the market for anybody by 2011? Which one would be its closest competitor, Intel's Atom processor or Apple's A4?
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Warren
9/7/2010 3:27 PM EDT
The interesting "news" here, to me, is the announcement of the part's availability relative to its April Arm roadmap announcement. The part is being touted as 25% faster than first announced but seems slightly delayed for first silicon (but still on track for full production). Certainly more details have been introduced, and working through these will be fun; the on-silicon GPS sounds good and so too does driving two on-device screens plus an external display via HDMI.
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jimcondon
9/7/2010 9:27 PM EDT
I find it interesting that the specification for this chip looks very much like the specification that MIPS is calling out to support GoogleTV. The only thing that it's missing is the floating point processor.
Could this be targeting the Android based TV that Samsung has been discussing? (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20015661-17.html)
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eewiz
9/7/2010 11:27 PM EDT
Impressive. But yet to see how the performance compares with the dual core A9 chips from
other vendors. ie Qualcomm Snapdragon, nVidia Tegra2, TI OMAP 4Kseries.
@ Kiran_NSN , I would think, this new processor is based on Intrinisty's custom designed silicon, just like the last generation Hummingbird processors from samsung. So apple A5 processors when released will have similar performance.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/08/apple-ipad-and-samsung-wave-share-a-brain/
@warren, the reason for 25% speed increase is obvious, i.e competition already hit that speed
@sanjib, I feel the GPS inbuilt version may be for samsung only, as it doesnt make much sense for others to use this since WiFi/BT/GPS/FM comes in a single package these days.
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spingal
9/8/2010 9:17 AM EDT
Does Samsung have to pay 2 x licensing fee !
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vivekv80
9/8/2010 10:00 AM EDT
Samsung can overtake HTC to make better Android devices :)) Loving the Epic 4G :)
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vivekv80
9/8/2010 10:01 AM EDT
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3891/samsung-epic-4g-review-the-fastest-android-phone
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