Series5xt
Latest
MediaTek unveils quad-core MT8125 processor for budget tablets
MediaTek told us to only expect its tablet-focused SoC in the summer, but it's clearly something of a keener: we're already looking at the part today. The new MT8125 builds on the familiar formula of a quad-core Cortex-A7 processor and PowerVR Series5XT graphics, with most of the improvement coming from a higher 1.5GHz clock speed. That extra grunt helps the chip handle up to a 1,920 x 1,200 display on top of earlier support for 13MP cameras and 1080p videos. Focusing on tablets gives MediaTek some freedom in configurations, too -- it can offer the SoC with basic EDGE cellular data, full HSPA+ or WiFi alone. Customers won't have to wait long to try the MT8125 when tablets like Lenovo's IdeaTab S6000 series should be using it now, although there's no word on how much of that hardware will reach the US.
Imagination Technologies' PowerVR Series6 mobile GPU debuts at CES, we go eyes-on
Last week, Imagination Technologies gave us a glimpse of its next-gen PowerVR Series6 mobile GPU and its prowess with OpenGL ES 3.0. That demo didn't showcase Series6's full potential, as the company could only let us see a test chip on an FPGA board that could deliver only 1 GB/s of bandwidth -- one tenth of the GPUs performance capability. Now that Imagination Technologies' first Series6 partner, LG, has given the go ahead, the time has come to see what Series6 can really do on an optimized board destined for an HDTV. In addition to the Series6, the company also demoed an older Series5XT GPU that's been upgraded with some recently released API extensions. Those APIs are meant to breathe new life into Imagination Technologies' older GPUs and give them some of the rendering features found in the Series6. Interest piqued? You can see the GPUs do their thing in our demo video after the break. Update: Imagination Technologies' blog has identified LG's SoC as the H13.
Samsung signs up PowerVR SGX MP GPUs for future devices, keeps its options open
Even though it's already listed on the dance card for ARM's upcoming MALI-T658 mobile GPU, Samsung is also licensing tech from Imagination Technologies. The new agreement will allow it to include Imagination's PowerVR SGX multiprocessor GPU (a.k.a Series 5XT a form of which already resides in the A5 chip used by Apple's iPad 2 and iPhone 4S as well as the PlayStation Vita) in its upcoming devices, but doesn't specify how many cores or what configuration may be used. MobileTechWorld also speculates this could be in preparation for SoCs built to run Windows 8, but until we actually get a peek inside whatever devices are up Samsung's sleeve it's impossible to know for sure.
