Quad-Core Smartphones: Exynos 4212, OMAP 4470 details

If you have been following my blog closely, I said that I would discuss the 'OMAP 4470' in another post in conjunction with the 'Nvidia Tegra 3' (in 'The 'Core' Enigma (Contd.) - 1' post). As we are done with the 'Tegra 3' let's now get down to the 'OMAP 4470' processor.

As you already know by now, I had mentioned that 'Texas Instruments' manufactures 3 SoCs: OMAP 4430, OMAP 4460, and OMAP 4470. Well, it actually manufactures another SoC: OMAP 4440, but it is only a minor upgrade from the OMAP 4430. So, why is 'OMAP 4470' special??

The 'OMAP 4470' uses an architecture which is very similar to the one found on the 'Tegra 3'. The 'OMAP 4470' is actually a dual-core processor (2 ARM Cortex A9s) but in addition to these 2 cores, it contains 2 other cores (2 ARM Cortex M3s). While the Cortex A9s are clocked at a maximum frequency of 1.8 Ghz, the Cortex M3s are clocked at a maximum frequency of 266 Mhz. The 'Cortex M3s' kick-in when less CPU intensive tasks are running like 'Playing Music', 'Editing a document' or 'Checking E-Mail'. But once you start playing 'HD games' on the smartphone device (inside which the SoC is present) the 'Cortex A9s' make their presence felt. Very Impressive architecture indeed..!!! :D

As far as the GPU is concerned, Texas Instruments went with the leader in the GPU space: 'Imagination Technologies'. I have already mentioned that currently 'Imagination Technologies' produces one of the best GPUs in the market. The GPU inside the 'OMAP 4470' is 'Power VR SGX 544' (Surprisingly this is a single-core GPU). Supposedly, it offers tremendous improvement in the GPU performance as compared to the other OMAP SoCs. Now as in the CPU, there is an additional 2D graphics core that kicks-in when less graphic intensive tasks are performed, it is only when applications which demand better graphics performance are run does the 'Power VR SGX 544' actually kick-in. So, there is a by-pass for the GPU too. Wonder what all crazy steps are being taken by SoC makers for saving battery life. :-|

Anyways, the 'OMAP 4470' is actually being touted as a competitor to the 'Tegra 3' and given it's architecture it's hard to conclude why it won't offer performance similar to the 'Tegra 3'. And don't worry Samsung is out to compete with both of them with the 'Exynos 4212' and Qualcomm won't be far behind in its development of 'Snapdragon S4'.

With this post, I will be shutting up on CPU and GPU :). In the next post, I will tell you whether you absolutely need to have a 'Dual-Core' smartphone to enjoy it's features completely.

GPU in Smartphones: Mali, Power VR, ULP Ge-Force and Adreno

Well... By now, you guys must have got to know that CPU or Microprocessor or 'The Core' is one of the most important things to know about while finalizing your smartphone purchase. But, CPU only takes care of the normal processing functions for example, rendering Web Pages in a browser and it has a minor say in rendering Images, Video and Graphics, most importantly in Games. The thing that takes care of these functions is the GPU or 'Graphics Processing Unit'. So, if only the CPU is class-leading and the GPU is not, you won't be able to get the best experience from the smartphone you are about to buy. The presence of a very good GPU in today's smartphone devices is the exact reason you are able to play high performance games like 'Riptide GP' and 'Shadowgun' on a device like the smartphone.

So, the role of a GPU is primarily to not only provide hardware acceleration to 3D games and applications  but also to draw the main user interface in mobile operating systems.So, while your switching screens inside your iPhone or Windows Phones and you find the transitions from one screen to another silky smooth, you have to thank the GPU for it.

Right. So who are the market leaders in manufacturing high performance GPUs. Oh!! We have a list here too. Let's dig in.

1. ARM
• Ah! Yes!!, one of the market leader in manufacturing mobile CPUs is also the one of the market leader in manufacturing mobile GPUs. It markets it's GPUs under the brand name of 'Mali'. ARM has recently revealed 'Mali T658' GPU for next generation smartphone devices. 
• The GPU that has brought ARM the most recognition in the recent times is the 'Mali 400 MP'. You have this GPU in the 'Samsung Galaxy S2'. The GPU is one of the reasons the smartphone has become so popular as it is one of the best GPUs to be found on an SoC.
2. Imagination Technologies
• You might find this company new, but it definitely is NOT new in the GPU space. Imagination Technologies manufactures world class GPUs and markets them under the brand name of 'Power VR SGX' which has been used in a plethora of smartphones till date.
• The 'Power VR SGX 543 MP2' is the best GPU currently in the market and you can find it in none other than 'Apple iPad 2'. Now, you can see why Apple's devices get the best ratings not only on the external smooth-running software but also the internal rugged-hardware.
3. Nvidia
• Ya!! Nvidia sources the CPU to be used in it's Tegra SoCs from ARM but uses it's own GPU. It markets the GPU under the brand name of 'ULP Ge-Force'. The ULP stands for Ultra Low Power. Most of you would remember that the Ge-Force GPUs manufactured by Nvidia were used in PCs. Well, Nvidia went back to the drawing board and figured out how it could fit the same performance while consuming lower power and generating lesser heat in a device as small as a smartphone and that wondering led to the ULP Ge-Force GPU being born.
• You can find this GPU in all the 'Tegra 2' SoCs like in the 'LG Optimus 2X'.
4. Qualcomm
• I already mentioned in my previous posts that Qualcomm is the company which manufactures the CPUs and the GPUs used in it's SoCs by itself. Qualcomm had actually purchased the GPU business from ATI Radeon but nevertheless, it's got its own GPU business right now. It markets its GPUs under the brand name of 'Adreno'
• The 'Adreno 220' GPU is the best GPU from the Qualcomm stable in the market right now and it can be found in smartphones like 'HTC Sensation' and 'HTC Sensation XE'.

So, that's it for today. Stay tuned!!!