octacore
Latest
Xiaomi's $125 phone has the same heart as HTC's flagship
For those who don't know, Xiaomi has a budget line of smartphones called Redmi, but they've kind of fallen off our radar for some time. That's not the case with the latest model announced today. Following its predecessor, this Redmi Note 2 is sticking with the same 5.5-inch screen size but with a higher resolution of 1080p. What really caught our attention, though, is that despite the phone's $125 base price, it's powered by MediaTek's high-end Helio X10 chipset. That's the same octa-core silicon inside HTC's flagship M9+, which costs almost four times as much as the Redmi.
Samsung's Galaxy A8 is its thinnest phone yet
Samsung has quietly launched its slimmest smartphone ever in China. The Galaxy A8 isn't a spec-monster, but it's certainly a design feat for a company that gets criticized a lot on that front. The all-metal body is just 5.9mm thin, weighs a mere 151 grams (5.3 oz) and has a bezel size that you can basically round down to zero. The internals are still good enough to fight any mid-range device: a 5.7-inch 1080p OLED display, 8-core Snapdragon 615 chip, a 16-megapixel f/2.2 rear/5-megapixel wide-angle f/1.9 front camera and 2GB of RAM. Despite the size, Samsung managed to squeeze in a generous 3,050mAh battery that's larger than the Galaxy S6's.
LG's next phone will be the first with one of its own CPUs inside
LG has been trying for years to catch up to Samsung and Apple in phone sales, and its next step on that path is to make a device with an LG CPU inside. The G3 Screen phone that it's releasing this week in Korea will have an eight-core "NUCLUN" (pronounced NOO-klun) processor, based off of an ARM big.LITTLE design similar to Samsung's octacore Exynos chips. NUCLUN has four 1.5GHz cores for the tough tasks, and four 1.2GHz cores for easier stuff that help it save on battery life. Otherwise, there's also a 5.9-inch 1080p screen and support for the new, faster LTE-A networks that download at up to 225Mbps. Until now, LG's phones have mostly relied on Qualcomm chips for their processing needs, but Dr. Jong-seok Park believes going its own way will help the company "achieve better vertical integration" and greater flexibility going forward. Of course, we're wondering when a NUCLUN-powered phone will go on sale outside of Korea, but considering the progression of Exynos, that could take a while.
Here's another 'PlayStation Phone' that Sony could have made
Sony may have given up on its Xperia Play, but Chinese gaming companies 78point and Much think there's still a demand for Android phones with built-in gaming buttons and joysticks. Funnily enough, both brands ended up sourcing their hardware from the same OEM, which is why 78point's P01 and Much's W1 are technically identical, with the exception of their Android 4.2 skins. This dual-SIM (WCDMA/GSM) device is essentially a typical Chinese mid-ranger, for it features a 5-inch 720p IPS display plus MediaTek's 1.7GHz octa-core MT6592 SoC (with 2GB of RAM and Mali-450 MP4 graphics). You also get 16GB of internal storage, microSD expansion of up to 64GB, 8MP/2MP cameras and a generous 3,000mAh battery.
Intel flaunts 8-core Extreme Edition Haswell with support for DDR4 memory
Since Intel's next Haswell chips are aimed squarely at enthusiasts, what better place to unveil them than at the Game Developer's Conference? Aimed at power users, the 4th-gen Core-i7 Extreme Edition CPU will feature eight unlocked cores and 16 threads, trumping the last model's six cores. It'll also support the latest DDR4 memory standard for much higher transfer speeds and lower power drain than DDR3. Also arriving soon is an unlocked 4th-gen "Devil's Canyon" Core chip for overclockers and a "Black Brook" reference all-in-one PC packed with tech like the RealSense 3-D camera (see the video after the break). Finally, Intel revealed that its 5th-gen Broadwell 14-nanometer processors will be available unlocked and with Iris graphics. While those chips were delayed, the new 4th-gen CPUs will arrive in mid-2014 -- so it might be prudent to put off any upgrades. Update: Intel has informed us that the unlocked 4th-gen chips are code-named "Devil's Canyon," not the Extreme Edition CPU. We've updated the post to reflect that.
Kazam wants you to come for the hardware, stay for the service
Kazam has a battle on its hands. The company may have been launched by former HTC execs, but it can only trade on that association for so long. That's something the firm is directly addressing here at MWC, it seems, with the launch of two new octacore handsets -- the Tornado 2 5.0, and Tornado 5.5. Two phones that it hopes will have mass appeal. We got to look at a pre-release version of the former, which uses MediaTek's MT6592 (clocked at 1.7GHz) that launched late last year. The Tornado 2 5.0 will also come with a 5-inch, 720p IPS display, sport an SD card slot (to augment the 8GB onboard), have dual SIM capabilities, and an 8-megapixel camera. When it launches in Europe later this year, it'll do so somewhere in the £250 region (depending on markets). The device itself is unassuming in its design. The all-black body and minimal design are simplistic. While not at all unattractive, it's not a handset you will be able to pick out at a distance. The version we got to spend some time with didn't have final software, so we're unable to comment on its performance, but that's something we hope to be able to report on in more detail sooner rather than later. That's also why you'll see capacitive buttons, and on screen ones in the gallery below.
Archos intros 8-inch Helium 4G tablet, octa-core Oxygen smartphone ahead of MWC
Even though Mobile World Congress 2014 doesn't officially kick off until February 24th, Archos has gone ahead and revealed some products it will be bringing to the event. For starters, there's the 80 Helium 4G, an 8-inch, £230 tablet that packs a Cortex-A7 quad-core processor, 4G/LTE and Android 4.3. Additionally, Archos is also introducing a 5-inch, dual-SIM smartphone called 50c Oxygen, which features a 720p IPS display, MediaTek octa-core CPU, Jelly Bean (sorry, no KitKat here) and a 6.77-mm thick body. Archos' 80 Helium 4G and 50c Oxygen won't launch until later this year, but the company is indeed planning to show them off in Barcelona -- and you know we'll be there.
MediaTek's new octa-core processor to compete with Qualcomm over the premium LTE smartphone market
MediaTek, a chipset manufacturer based out of Taiwan, has been making some huge moves lately. Just over two months ago, it came out with the "world's first true octa-core" processor, which consisted of eight Cortex-A7 cores capable of operating simultaneously. Now that ARM has announced Cortex-A17 technology, however, MediaTek is ready to start sampling a new octa-core chip that consists of four 2.2-2.5GHz A17 cores and four 1.7GHz A7s, and comes with a Rogue PowerVR Series6 GPU to take care of any graphical needs you might have. As an aside, the A17 cores come with a 60 percent improvement in performance over the current-gen A9s, and are primarily designed to make midrange smartphones and tablets even faster. That said, MediaTek tells us that its new chips, known as the MT6595, are actually meant to be featured in premium devices and will square off directly against Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 and 805. And it's certainly got a few noteworthy features: first, the chip will use ARM's big.LITTLE architecture and Heterogeneous Multi-Processing, which means you can use all eight cores for the most intense tasks, or you can use just one or two at a time for incredibly basic activities. The company claims that this chip will be faster and more power efficient than the octa-core Exynos options, which feature four A15 cores and four A7s at lower frequencies. Additionally, the MT6595 claims to be the first octa-core LTE system-on-chip with an H.265 Ultra HD Codec built-in to the platform, which offers 4K2K video recording and playback capabilities. In much the same way that most manufacturers don't enable all of a chip's features, however, it'll be up to each individual company to add it in. The chips will begin sampling to phone makers and carriers in the first half of this year, and it's expected to arrive in products during the second half. And while it should find its way into smartphones and tablets around the world, MediaTek wants the MT6595 to enjoy a huge presence in the US.
Gionee Elife E7 mini launched with Oppo-like swivel camera, octa-core CPU
Chinese phone maker Gionee has just released the Elife E7 mini version of its mega-spec'd 5.5-inch, 1080p Elife E7 phone, but it resembles its larger sibling in name only. First off, the 13-megapizel camera and flash are on a swivel at the top, Oppo N1-style. The specifications are otherwise a step down, starting with the 4.7-inch, 720p screen and continuing with the 1.7GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6592 CPU (instead of a 2.5GHz Snapdragon 800) and 1GB of RAM in lieu of 3GB. It also sports 16GB of storage, dual-SIM 3G capability and Android 4.2. Still, the folks at FoneArena, who got their hands on one during its launch in India, said it feels just as premium as the Elife E7 and it looks to have skipped the fingerprint-prone glossy finish of that model. Though it likely won't arrive in the US, selfie self-portrait lovers in India will be able to grab it for 18,999 (about $310). For more pics, hit the source. [Image credit: FoneArena]
MediaTek launches world's first true octa-core mobile chip, first devices due end of year
Qualcomm's nightmare has finally come true. Earlier today, MediaTek officially introduced the world's first true octa-core mobile processor, MT6592, and the first devices to feature it are expected to arrive as soon as end of year. This 28nm chip packs eight low-power Cortex-A7 cores, and courtesy of the Heterogeneous Multi-Processing use model on top of ARM's big.LITTLE architecture (though it's actually "LITTLE.LITTLE" in this case), all eight cores can operate simultaneously -- at up to between 1.7GHz and 2GHz, depending on the bin. MediaTek pointed that Chrome can already make use of all eight cores, and likewise with some map apps, video players plus multi-window function. According to the company's figures, the MT6592 manages to beat what appears to be the quad-core Snapdragon 800 in benchmarks, power consumption (as low as 40 percent) and temperature. You can see the full detail in this article's gallery.
Exynos 5 Octa demos 8 cores working at once and other feats of CPU strength (video)
Just in case yesterday's news that Samsung is ready to enable new features on its Exynos 5 Octa chips wasn't clear, ARM has published a few demo videos to show what it can do. All three are embedded after the break, and the first one highlights how the Exynos 5 Octa 5420 can activate some or all of its 8 cores to maximize responsiveness while launching and using Quickoffice. As you can see above in the screenshot, all eight cores are activated while launching the app, then unused ones switch off for more efficiency. Another video shows how it runs Angry Birds Rio on just the four Cortex-A7 "LITTLE" side of the CPU, rarely activating any of their more power-hungry A15 friends. The last demo video shows how its Mali-T628 GPU activates to process images faster and more efficiently than the CPU alone can.
Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa CPUs will be able to use all eight cores at once in Q4
We'll have to change our terminology for Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa mobile chips now. We've been calling them "not-quite" eight core CPUs since they can't actually use all eight at once, but the company's new Heterogeneous Multi-Processing solution is going to change that. Once it's available in Q4 it will let devices access both sides of the big.LITTLE ARM configuration simultaneously, which it claims will increase both performance and efficiency. While software threads with high priority use the "big" A15 core, lower priority tasks can run on the "small" A7 without needing to switch back and forth. Samsung isn't the only one running this setup however, as MediaTek announced an implementation for its MT8135 back in July. There are more details included in the press release (after the break) but we're not seeing any confirmation if this will ever be enabled on existing / announced devices like some flavors of the Galaxy S 4 or the Meizu MX3. Either way, the folks at Qualcomm might want to put together another video.
Qualcomm trolls MediaTek's octa-core tech with not-so-subtle video (updated)
When MediaTek announced that it would be producing true eight-core mobile processors later this year, we knew it was only a matter of time before its main rival Qualcomm chimed in. As illustrated by a set of guitar amplifiers, the San Diego gang explains that while they rebuild their CPU cores for each generation (the latest architectures being Krait 300 and Krait 400), they claim that "Our Competitor" -- which is labeled with the same font and colors as MediaTek's logo -- simply "chooses to duplicate the same old cores" based on ARM's slower Cortex-A7 architecture. That said, it's worth a reminder that Qualcomm's cheaper Snapdragon 400 range also uses Cortex-A7. Later on in the video, Qualcomm uses a Guitar Hero-like visualization to compare the performance difference, as well as show how octa-core is overrated for most apps. Apparently only 17 out of the top 20 Android apps in China use two cores at most, hence the bare fretboard for the octa-core side. The Snapdragon side, meanwhile, combs through a denser bunch of apps at a higher speed. Of course, there's bound to be some bias here, so only time will tell how close to reality this argument is. Until then, enjoy the cheeky clip after the break. Update: After reaching out to MediaTek's reps, the response we got was the company "has no comment about the activities of its competitors." But hopefully it's also cooking up a retaliation.
Samsung caught boosting benchmark performance numbers on Exynos devices (updated)
Benchmarks often catch the ire of critics because their scores don't necessarily reflect real-world experience, and it appears that some Samsung devices aren't helping that reputation out at all. Our friends at Anandtech started sifting through data for two Exynos octacore variants of the Galaxy S 4, and discovered multiple benchmarks that appear to run those devices at higher CPU and GPU clock speeds than they normally run. Some of the apps included in the report are GLBench 2.5.1, AnTuTu, Quadrant and Linpack. Coincidentally, the site also found code within the GS4 that indicates the existence of a program called "BenchmarkBooster," which is responsible for overclocking the processors when certain apps are running. Is this an evil plot by Samsung to take over the world using rogue benchmarking results? Is this something other manufacturers are doing? It's hard to say, but there is certainly something curious afoot. Check out the source to get all of the skinny on what exactly is going on. Update: Samsung has posted a short response on its official Korean-language blog, proclaiming its innocence, saying that the GS4 is designed to run at a higher clock speed on many full-screen apps, and that benchmarking apps simply fall into that category. On the other hand, it hasn't explained the "BenchmarkBooster" code, so we're still waiting on a more detailed explanation from the manufacturer. 2nd update: We now have an English language response from Samsung, which accepts that benchmark apps may run at higher clock speeds than some games, but again denies that this is a deliberate attempt to distort specific scores: "Under ordinary conditions, the GALAXY S4 has been designed to allow a maximum GPU frequency of 533MHz. However, the maximum GPU frequency is lowered to 480MHz for certain gaming apps that may cause an overload, when they are used for a prolonged period of time in full-screen mode. Meanwhile, a maximum GPU frequency of 533MHz is applicable for running apps that are usually used in full-screen mode, such as the S Browser, Gallery, Camera, Video Player, and certain benchmarking apps, which also demand substantial performance. The maximum GPU frequencies for the GALAXY S4 have been varied to provide optimal user experience for our customers, and were not intended to improve certain benchmark results. Samsung Electronics remains committed to providing our customers with the best possible user experience."
MediaTek confirms true octa-core processor in the works
Earlier this month there was a whisp of octa-core colored smoke coming from MediaTek. Today it's more of a roaring camp fire, with the chip-maker going official -- fully announcing its new octa-core processor ambitions. The firm stops short of giving us the actual nitty-gritty specifications that many of you will be waiting for, instead taking the chance to remind us that Arm-based chips will be true eight-cores-at-once processing, and none of this big.LITTLE dallying. The word is these will float around the 2GHz mark on arrival, which last we heard was pegged for November. We're not suggesting the timing of this announcement was planned, but it looks, for now, like 8 is the current lucky number.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 with Exynos Octa-core: what's different?
More Info Samsung Galaxy S 4 review Samsung announces eight-core Exynos 5 'Octa' chip at CES Dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy S 4 launches in China with an Exynos 5 Octa inside Samsung's latest flagship, the Galaxy S 4, comes in two distinct flavors -- and they're both good. One uses the much-hyped Exynos Octa-core chip, while its identical twin takes advantage of the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600. In either case, the availability depends on where you live: the Exynos-powered I9500 is difficult to find in North America (at least for now), but our friends at Negri Electronics, an online retailer currently stocking the Octa-core device, gave us the opportunity to play with a unit for a few days. During our time with the device, we were able to get a solid feel for how this particular version of Samsung's flagship compares to the Snapdragon 600-powered model. So how does it hold up against its Qualcomm brother in terms of performance and battery life? Read on to find out.%Gallery-187610%
AMD FX-8350 review roundup: enthusiasts still won't be totally enthused
Now that AMD's fresh new FX processors based on the Piledriver architecture are out in the wild, the specialist hardware sites have seen fit to benchmark the top-lining FX-8350. Overall, the group feels that AMD has at least closed the gap a bit on Intel's Core juggernaut with a much better FX offering this time around, but overall the desktop CPU landscape remains unchanged -- with Intel still firmly at the top of the heap. Compared to its last-gen Bulldozer chips, "in every way, today's FX-8350 is better," according to Tom's Hardware: cheaper, up to 15 percent faster and more energy efficient. Still, while the new CPUs represent AMD's desktop high-end, they only stack up against Intel's mid-range Core i5 family, and even against that line-up they only edge ahead in heavily threaded testing. But if you "look beyond those specific (multithreaded) applications, Intel can pull away with a significant lead" due to its superior design, says Anantech. As for power consumption, unfortunately "the FX-8350 isn't even the same class of product as the Ivy Bridge Core i5 processors on this front," claims The Tech Report. Despite all that, Hot Hardware still sees several niches that AMD could fill with the new chips, as they'll provide "an easy upgrade path for existing AMD owners and more flexibility for overclocking, due to its unlocked multipliers." That means if you already have a Socket-AM3+ motherboard, you'll be able to do a cheap upgrade by swapping in the new CPU, and punching up the clock cycles might close the performance gap enjoyed by the Core i5. Finally, AMD also saw fit to bring the new chip in at a "very attractive" $195 by Hexus' reckoning, a much lower price than an earlier leak suggested. Despite that, however, the site says that AMD's flagship FX processor still "cannot tick as many desirable checkboxes as the competing Intel Core i5 chips." Feel free to scope all the sources below to make your own conclusions. Read - Tom's Hardware Read - Hot Hardware Read - AnandTech Read - Hexus Read - The Tech Report
AMD updates its FX processors: 8-core chip has 4GHz base clock, '15 percent' more oomph, $195 price tag
If you get the impression that AMD is diverting its energy away from traditional CPUs and towards APUs and fresher PC form factors such as all-in-ones, then you're certainly right -- but you're also slightly ahead of the game. The company promises there's a still a good few years of life left in its CPU-only chips and the AM3+ socket, and it's putting today's announcement forward as evidence. As of now, last year's eight-core FX-8150 has been superseded on retailers' shelves by the FX-8350, which notches the stock clock speed up to 4GHz, or 4.2GHz on turbo (alas with no obvious sign of that resonant mesh we once heard about). The full stack (codenamed 'Vishera') includes eight-, six- and four-core options, all based on the new Piledriver architecture which -- when combined with these higher clock speeds -- promises an overall performance uplift of around 15 percent versus the old Bulldozer cores. To be fair though, those Bulldozers weren't so snappy to begin with, and besides, the most significant performance claims with this upgrade relate to multi-threaded applications and a few gaming titles like Skyrim and Civ 5. Judging from the slide deck below, gains in other areas of performance may be lower -- perhaps in the region of seven percent -- so as usual we're going to roundup a bunch of reviews later today before we jump to any conclusions. If it turns out that stock performance alone isn't enough to sell these chips, then potential buyers still ought to check out FX's pricing relative to Intel -- not least because, as is typical, AMD sells overclockable chips at no extra charge. The top-end FX-8350 will hit the market at $195, which is not only cheaper than some earlier leaks suggested, but also $40 cheaper than an unlocked Core i5-3570K that has a lower clock speed and a smaller L3 cache -- although the relative performance of these two chips remains to be independently tested. Meanwhile, the entry-level quad-core FX-4300 will virtually match the price of a locked i3-2120 at $122, but can be readily overclocked to 5GHz with water-cooling. AMD is also making a few claims based on the cost of multiple components in a rig: for example, that you can spend $372 on an FX-8350 and Radeon HD 7850 combo that delivers a 25 to 70 percent gaming advantage over a similarly priced Core i5 3570K with a GeForce GTX 650 Ti. Again, stay tuned for our roundup and we'll figure out just how compelling this really is.
AMD shaves 800 million transistors from Bulldozer chip, swears nothing's wrong
When a company cuts 40 percent of its transistors from an upcoming processor, one question comes to mind: why? According to ExtremeTech, AMD issued an update stating that its Bulldozer eight core / four module CPU would feature 1.2 billion transistors, as opposed to the previously stated two billion transistors. The reduction occurred despite the fact that the die size remains unchanged at 315 square millimeters -- putting it on par with AMD's lesser Llano chip -- and depriving the chip of valuable horsepower before I/O, an integrated memory controller or HyperTransport are added. When approached for comment, company representatives stated they were simply correcting a mistake regarding the chip's actual specifications. Before you bemoan the fate of the Bulldozer chip, remember that the drummer from Def Leppard has had a terrific musical career with only one arm, so what's the loss of several hundred million transistors to AMD's latest?
AMD FX processor brings eight cores to battle, we go eyes-on (video)
AMD fans have endured a long wait for this, while being reduced to spectators as Intel spews out an ever-increasing horde of Sandy Bridge variants and builds up the hype around its next-gen Ivy Bridge architecture. But the new FX series of processors is finally here and will be available to buy in the next few days, with the top-end FX-8150 priced at $245 in exchange for eight cores, a 3.6GHz base clock speed and easy over-clocking to 4.8GHz using the packaged Overdrive software. Your AM3+ motherboard is crying out for the upgrade, but don't succumb until you've clicked past the break -- we've got details of the full range and pricing, our initial impressions and an eyes-on video that includes a detailed chat with the guys from AMD.
