Qualcomm debuts next-gen 2.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon chipset
by Steven Mostyn - Feb 15 2011, 17:59
More bite for Qualcomm's fire-breathing CPU. Image: Qualcomm.
Given the recent rush of smartphone handsets carrying the Snapdragon processor, you’d be forgiven for thinking that chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. only manufacturers its popular platform in a singe-core 1GHz variant. Not so.
More pointedly, with market rival NVIDIA pushing mobile boundaries with its dual-core Tegra 2, Qualcomm has used the Mobile World Congress in Spain to officially unveil a new quad-core Snapdragon capable of churning up to 2.5GHz of performance. Woof!
Built on the new “Krait” micro-architecture and created to cater to the demands of next-gen tablet computers and mobile devices, the quad-core APQ8064 arrives as Qualcomm’s flagship chipset and, beyond its obvious performance strength, also minimises power consumption and heat generation.
In terms of advancement, the APQ8064 should enable hardware support for larger screen sizes and increased pixel resolutions, along with the hosting of more complex operating systems, multi-tasking, multi-channel audio, HD gaming, and even glasses-free stereoscopic 3D.
“We’re excited about the new, innovative devices the APQ8064 will enable in the market,” commented Luis Pineda, senior vice president of computing and consumer products at Qualcomm.
Other aspects of note associated with Qualcomm’s latest chipset include up to 20 mega-pixel camera support, 3D video recording, and support for both PCDDR3 and LPDDR2 memory, serial and PCIe interfaces, and multiple USB ports.
It also boasts the integrated Adreno 320 quad-core GPU, which provides 15 times the performance of the original Adreno GPU and conjures up a 75 percent power reduction when compared to the first generation of Snapdragon processors.
The APQ8064 also utilises Wi-Fi integration and an ability “to seamlessly interface with Qualcomm’s 3G and LTE modules,” to provide original equipment manufacturers with “a flexible, cost effective and fast time to market” for their upcoming tablets and next-gen computers.
According to Qualcomm, sample units of the APQ8064 should be ready for shipping to industry partners by the first quarter of 2012.
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