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The Snapdragon 710 will add flagship features to mid-range phones
Expensive flagship phones won't be the only way for you to play with advanced features like AR Emoji, Animoji and Face ID much longer. Qualcomm is making it easier for companies to create mid-range smartphones that pack those functions by launching a new mobile processor. The Snapdragon 710 will come with a multi-core AI Engine and support neural network processing, as well as image signal processors and graphics units that are typically found in higher-end chipsets. The 710 is the first of the 700-series, which was announced at MWC this year, and will sit above options like the 600- and 400-ranges but below top-tier chips like the Snapdragon 845.
Why Qualcomm’s Tech Summit this week mattered
Qualcomm had so much news to share this year that it decided to throw a three-day "Tech Summit" in Hawaii for hundreds of press and analysts. In addition to unveiling the latest generation of its high-end mobile processor, Qualcomm also announced new Snapdragon-powered laptops from HP and ASUS, a new dedicated Hi-Fi audio DAC and a partnership with AMD. Speaking of partnerships, many of the companies that work with Qualcomm also attended the event to discuss the future of technologies like AI, 5G, AR and VR.
Huawei's next mobile chipset is ready for our AI-powered future
A big part of Huawei's multi-year push to improve its image has been improving the hardware it builds to go inside them, and its latest processor is more than up to the challenge. Unveiled today at IFA 2017, the Kirin 970 chipset goes beyond the initial machine learning implementation of previous designs and is ready to be an AI processing powerhouse. Earlier this year Huawei introduced "the intelligent phone" with its Mate 9 (pictured above), but the new hardware could help fix some annoying AI-related drawbacks of the device. While AI work done in the cloud is one thing, on-device AI computation will continue to grow, with the need for sensors to operate without waiting to send any information back and forth over wireless connections. Native AI processing will enable faster image and voice recognition, as well as "intelligent photography." A few people first spotted some specifications at the company's IFA booth, showing that it's sticking to last generation's octa-core setup with four 2.4Ghz Cortex-A73 processors and four 1.8GHz Cortex-A53 cores, but produced using an improved 10nm process instead of the old 12nm.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 is its first 10-nanometer chip
Qualcomm has unveiled its next-gen Snapdragon 835 flagship SoC (system on a chip) and confirmed rumors that it will be built by Samsung using its 10-nanometer FinFET process. Compared to the current 14-nanometer Snapdragon 821 (also built by Samsung), the new processor packs 30 percent more parts into the same space, yielding 27 percent better performance while drawing up to 40 percent less power, the company says. It also improved the design, which will yield "significant" improvements to battery life
Unnamed Samsung exec says quad-core Exynos inside Galaxy S III, LTE on-chip
An unnamed Samsung exec hinted to the Korea Times that its upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S III, will include a next-gen quad-core Exynos chip that will incorporate LTE and WCDMA radios. Of course, such a revelation shouldn't come as too much of a surprise since both its predecessors were built around home grown silicon... at least originally. According to the source, Sammy is trying to become more self reliant and distance itself from Qualcomm which has provided single-chip solutions for a number of the manufacturer's high-end handsets. The new AP appears to be the 32nm slab of silicon we heard about before MWC, which is sporting four A9 cores and not the more powerful A15. The executive said the development of the all-in-one chip is complete and its simply a matter of sticking them inside smartphones. Now, when exactly we can hope to see such a device hit the market is still a bit of a mystery.
NVIDIA says Tegra 3 is a 'PC-class CPU,' has screenshots to prove it
Asus can't be absorbing all those limelight photons today. Not when its freshly detailed Transformer Prime depends so heavily on NVIDIA's special sauce. Admittedly, we already know a lot about Tegra 3 from its Kal-El days, but we haven't seen much in the way of real-world performance claims. Until now, that is. Below you'll see newly released screenshots of Android games that have been souped-up to capitalize on the imminent Asus Eee Pad as well as other Tegra 3-powered devices -- including smartphones -- that are expected early next year. NVIDIA has also put out slides containing in-house benchmarks and head-to-head comparisons with the Tegra 2, which you'll find right after the break. %Gallery-138769%
ARM doubles Q3 profit, sees surge in revenue, is understandably pleased
The news just keeps getting better and better for ARM Holdings. Today, the chip designer reported third quarter net profits of £31.5 million ($50.4 million), more than double the £14.8 million it reported during Q3 2010. Revenue, meanwhile, rose to $192.3 million -- a 22 percent increase over the previous year, and a slightly higher figure than previously expected. In a statement, chief executive Warren East attributed these results to a "continued high level of design activity, with many new customers licensing ARM technology for the first time, driven by end-market requirements for smarter, low-power chips." Indeed, a total of one billion ARM mobile chips were shipped this quarter (up ten percent from last year), and the company expects to rake in about $763 million in total revenue, by the end of 2011. Find figures and facts galore, at the source link below.
ARM unveils Cortex-A7 processor, 'big.LITTLE' computing
Fancy a glimpse of the future? That little psychedelic beauty on the right is ARM's brand new Cortex-A7 processor. Its spec sheet might not seem so colorful at first glance, because it doesn't really do things any faster than existing high-end smartphone processors. However, this UK-based chip designer isn't known for bumping its gums, so it pays to look a little deeper. For a start, the Cortex-A7 is built using a 28nm process that makes it five times smaller and more efficient than the current-gen Cortex-A8. It's also cheap enough to power sub-$100 handsets, so we could be pulling GSII-like tricks on budget phones within a couple of years. Is that it? Nope, there's more: perhaps the most important feature of the A7 is that it can be combined with much higher-power cores like the Cortex-A15 side-by-side on the same chip. This allows a super-phone or tablet to switch between two totally different processing units depending on how much power is needed at the time. ARM calls this "Big.LITTLE" computing," and a similar concept is already in use on NVIDIA's Tegra 3 (aka Kal-El) SoC, which we'll see imminently in the next Asus Transformer. However, the Tegra 3 uses five identical Cortex-A9 cores, whereas a device that mix-and-matches the A15 and A7 could potentially deliver higher highs and lower lows, giving you speed when you need it and amazing battery life when you don't. How cute is that? Full PR after the break.
Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon roadmap, 2.5GHz CPUs coming early next year
We've been hearing about Qualcomm's next generation of 2.5GHz processors for a few months now, but the company's quad-core future has now become a little bit clearer. Speaking at the Innovation Qualcomm event in Istanbul yesterday, Senior Vice President of Product Management Cristiano Amon confirmed that the chipmaker's S4 line of silicon will be shipped to manufacturers by the end of this year and should appear in consumer products by the beginning of 2012. Available in single-, dual- or quad-core models, the new, 28nm additions to the Snapdragon family will also support Adreno graphics, 3D and 1080p HD, in addition to 3G and LTE connectivity. If all goes according to schedule, then, we could see a slate of S4-equipped handsets at next year's Mobile World Congress in February, though we'll try to contain our excitement until we get a more specific launch date.
Intel prices fresh Core i5 and i7 mobile parts
We'd say Intel is delivering its new chips like clockwork, but then our favorite timepieces don't usually leak anywhere near as often as Chipzilla's roadmaps. The now well known 2.66GHz Core i5-580M has finally been made official, costing $266, alongside an identically clocked family mate in the Core i5-560M, which will set bulk buyers back $225 a piece. From what we know of those two, the major difference is that the 580M can Turbo Boost its way to 3.33GHz whereas the 560M maxes out at a humbler 3.2GHz. Both are overshadowed, however, by the new i7-640M colossus, which runs at 2.8GHz by default and will reach 3.4GHz when called upon -- yours for only $346. Of course, should the 35W TDPs of those chips seem too gaudy for you, Intel's wisely dropping a pair of 18W parts as well: the Core i5-560UM slinks along at 1.33GHz and asks for $250, while the Core i7-680UM raises those numbers to 1.46GHz and $317, respectively. Finally, for the perfect balance of power and efficiency, the i7-660LM couples 2.26GHz (or 3.06GHz in Turbo mode) to a 25W thermal envelope. It matches the 640M with a $346 unit price. All these CPUs sport a pair of 32nm cores alongside a 45nm integrated graphics unit and there are absolutely no Performance Upgrade Card anywhere in sight!
Intel's quad-core i7-740QM and i7-840QM show up on Dell laptop menu
Dell's propensity for dishing out new hardware without an announcement has struck again, though this time the company might have jumped the gun as not even Intel has yet officially acknowledged the existence of these Core i7 CPUs. The i7-740QM and its senior sibling are straight replacements for the i7-x20QM models: they retain the same cache and eight-threaded operational paradigm while jacking default and Turbo Boost clock speeds up to a maximum 3.2GHz single-core pace on the i7-840QM. Best of all? Dell's price for the 740QM is currently lower than that for its predecessor, so you might wanna order one up before somebody wakes up -- literally and figuratively -- over at Round Rock HQ. [Thanks, Paul]
Intel Core i5-580M speeding toward a fall release at 2.66GHz?
The Core i5-540M is still quite rare on the ground, but we're hearing word that Intel is already prepping the assembly line for its successor. A new Core i5-580M has been dug up by the sleuths at Notebook Italia, who say it'll run at a default 2.66GHz and ramp up to 3.33GHz via Turbo Boost when needed. Those numbers compare favorably to the 2.53GHz and 3.06GHz of the 540M, and if Intel and company get their timing right,the 580M should be stealing some of that Core i7 thunder just in time for the back to school shopping rush. Won't hear any complaining from us if that turns out to be the case.
Congatec BM57 fits mobile Core i7 onto tiny mobo
Should you be lusting after some of that Core i7 oomph but have a distaste for the large thermal and physical footprint of desktops, you'll want to hear more from Congatec. A relative unknown hailing from Germany, the outfit has just announced its BM57 small form factor setup, which looks to be ideal for homebrew HTPC enthusiasts -- primarily because its i7-620M CPU is both powerful (up to 3.33GHz with Turbo Boost) and relatively easy to cool (35W TDP, including chip-integrated graphics). The kit is able to support up to 8GB of dual-channel DDR3, as well as drive two video outputs concurrently. Choices include HDMI, DisplayPort and VGA, leading to some tantalizingly versatile possibilities for the creative self-builder. Prices are not yet available, but the BM57 will be demonstrated at the International Gaming Expo in London at the end of this month.
Samsung confirms a Tegra-based smartphone is in the works, all other details shrouded in mystery
NVIDIA's Tegra chip has shown itself to be quite a gem, especially in the field of augmented reality zombie destruction. Looks like Samsung agrees with that sentiment, and has confirmed that it's currently developing a smartphone with the powerful processor. That's not a lot to go on, but knowing the capabilities of the CPU, we're excited. It's probably safe to assume an AMOLED touchscreen is a given, as well as a plethora of TouchWiz widgets, but whether or not the phone goes with Windows Mobile or Android is still a mystery. A recent rumor suggested one of the "top five" smartphone makers would be releasing a $199 GSM-based Tegra device by year's end -- no indication if these two reports are one in the same, but we'd love to see what Sammy has in store sooner rather than later.
Intel's 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme Mobile X9000 gets tested
Who says you need a desktop chip packed within a 3-inch thick, 15-pound beast of a "laptop" to get decent FPS while at a LAN party? Intel's speedy Core 2 Extreme Mobile X9000 checks in at 2.8GHz (prior to overclocking, of course), and promises to punish today's latest games while sipping less power and generating less heat than the aforementioned alternatives. The gurus over at HotHardware were able to sit down with said chip and put it to the test; overall, the Mobile X9000 "proved itself to be as fast as its desktop counterparts in many scenarios, all the while consuming less power as a complete system in the Dell XPS M730 notebook testbed." If you're the type that gets all hot and bothered by benchmarks and graphs, there's plenty of those in the read link below.
Intel readying slew of 45nm Penryn mobile CPUs?
Hot on the heels of Intel's mobile Core 2 Extreme X7900 comes word that the chip maker has eleven 45-nanometer CPUs in the backroom just waiting to take the laptop scene by storm. DigiTimes has it that Intel will indeed launch the five Penryns we heard about recently "in the first quarter of 2008," and also notes that Q2 holds six more chips destined for the Montevina platform. More specifically, "sources at motherboard makers" suggested that the Q2-bound processors will consume between 25 and 35-watts of energy, sport a 1,066MHz front-side-bus, boast between 3MB and 6MB of L2 cache, and feature clock speeds ranging from 2.13GHz to 3.06GHz. As expected, no model numbers have been assigned just yet, and considering that Intel "declined the opportunity to respond to this report," we suppose you should tuck this all away in the rumor folder for the time being.[Via TGDaily]
Intel launching Core 2 Extreme X7900 mobile CPU?
All set to one-up the 2.6GHz X7800, Intel has reportedly launched the 2.8GHz successor, unsurprisingly dubbed the Core 2 Extreme X7900. The processor purportedly relies on a 65-nanometer die, but boasts updated specs to go along with the 200MHz jump in speed. The chip will apparently offer up an 800MHz front-side-bus, chew through 44-watts of power, and arrive at OEMs unlocked and ready for a (likely minor) does of overclocking. At the GC Press Day, an Intel representative was said to be demonstrating the new CPU on the Asus G2 and a Dell M1730, but nothing was mentioned about a release date.
