Marvell announces 1.5 GHz tri-core mobile processor

By on Sep 23, 2010 at 1:03 PM
Hardware September 23, 2010

Just this year, we crossed the 1 gigahertz threshold in the smartphone processor market. We know, thanks to recent reports, that several dual-core chips are being sold by manufacturers… but what is next? How about some tri-core goodness. Marvell has announced that they have a tri-core, 1.5 GHz system-on-a-chip (S0C) — designed specifically for “ultra-low-power, long battery life smartphones and tablets” — that is ready to be shipped to manufacturers in sample quantities. The new SoC, dubbed the ARMADA 628, has two 1.5 GHz processors along with a third, more power conscious, 624 MHz processor and 1 MB of L2 cache. Marvell boasts that the chips engine can handle 3D graphics and 1080p video encoding and decoding, all while driving up to four displays simultaneously; supporting display resolutions of 2048 x 2048. How’s that for some mind-bending specs? Hit the read link to read more about this sexy, new piece of silicone.

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  • d(*_*)b

    FIRST TO COMMENT BOOYAKA!!

    • IPHONEFAN

      no, im the first.

      IPHONE IS THE BEST!

  • um …

    yes Marvell, we all NEED this before we can get a smartphone battery that can adequately support this … have you been paying attention to the devices with 1Ghz+ CPU’s that have to be plugged back in to their umbilical cord before lunch? Oh I beg you, please hurry to market with this …

    • Bryan

      Even tho I won’t pretend to be an expert by any means but my understanding is even tho these are more powerful CPUs the smaller die size actually equates to using less power. Trust me, battery life on smart phones is always on the back of my mind too.

    • X

      You must not own a Droid X, that baby lasts me anywhere from 10 to 16hrs w/ moderate use.

  • GALAXYDROID

    This is what PALM needs for the next PRE or PRE ENVY(RUMORED)

  • http://www.twitter.com/jr0065 JayR

    Wait so if I’m reading correctly, this thing has a total of ~3.6 GHz of processing power? ?? WoW!

    • helebek

      No, it doesn’t work like that. It has two 1.5 GHz processing power, plus 600 MHz.

      • Badonkadonk

        Which would add to…. what?
        The PR indicates all cores are coherent, which means running an SMP OS would use all cores. Cortex A9 has a Dhrystone result of 2.0 DMIPs/MHz, so this chip would offer something like ~7200 raw DMIPs / MHz – though that’s not the same as a single A9 running at 3.6 GHz – the raw # is the same, but the ability for an SMP OS to fully utilize all cores is not the same as a non-MP OP running on a single core. I would still reasonably expect > 6500 DMIPs/MHz, which is more than the OMAP4430 or MSM8660 (for the same reason – 2x 1.0 or 1.2 GHz A9 does not give you the same result as 1 x 2.0 or 2.4 GHz in reality)

  • http://pwn3d.com dav1dz

    Is this still an ARM license or a totally different architecture? I’m concerned about porting current generation mobile OSs to this. Wouldn’t care if the next iOS, Android, webOS or BB needs to be completely overhauled just so we can brag about tri-core.

    • Badonkadonk

      Uhh.. Marvell’s “ARMADA” line are definitely ARM compliant. Marvell was showing off their PXA510 over a year ago with the PJ4 core which is ARMv7 compliant, like Qualcomm’s Scorpion core. I assume this chip is therefore using three PJ4′s in MP config, like the A9.

      More than that.. you can contact their customer relations :)

  • GN

    this is where Viagra comes into play…..jeeeezus good lord…..how about we all just trade our pc’s/notebooks in to the mobile companies for some sort of credit next..they keep this crap up, mobile is all you will need, whether it be a tablet or just a do all phone…

    • superchunk

      This is why I won’t buy any tablet. My phone by the end of this year will probably have a dual-core setup and be more than doable for any mobile computing needs.

  • Ray

    I’d almost be willing to bet the idea is that that ‘ultra low power’ 628 Mhz cpu handles ALL functions when the phone is in standby with the screen and everything off…..it’s what idles and will provide extended standby times. When you wake the phone up and need the performance of the dual 1.5Ghz cores, they take over and perform the functions requested. Once back in ‘sleep’ or standby mode, the little guy again takes control. Good idea in concept, why waste the energy needed to keep the dual 1.5Ghz cores running, wen you can employ the little guy when his big brothers aren’t needed.

    Can anybody say multiple days between charging?

    • GN

      sounds about right..

  • techjunkieforlife

    For the Blackpad, Torch2 and Storm3 Berry loves the 624MHz

    • Me

      Call me a crazy psycho, but i immediately thought that the BlackBerry Tablet might show this off since this is the company that seems to always be in bed with RIM

  • Mitch

    Wow, the device running this better have a 3,000mAH battery.

    • GN

      thats the whole idea of the triple core…is soo they can still use the 1800+ but utilizing alot less power, resulting in less battery drainage….Hence Ray’s comment above…I still think they will up the battery though, to compensate a bit for that lighting chip strikes:p

  • B_Eazy

    I wouldn’t be surprise and would be EXTREMELY happy to see RIM adopting this new processor for their future devices with the new QNX OS that will be coming to their new mobile lineup!!
    I know RIM and Marvel processors are like unseperable it seems!!

  • Unsubscribe

    Silicone? That really is amazing tech!

    Next time, have an adult check your article before posting it.

  • ICU

    i think this just game be a semi.

  • JMo

    Now if I could get that processor in a Blackberry 9700/9780 with a iPhone-like resolution, touchscreen, along with the same formfactor I have now while I’d be set.

  • JM

    Overkill?

  • Will

    So let me get this straight…mobile phones, with chips like this, ram that rivals netbooks and entry level laptops and desktops, and upcoming 64+GB microSD cards with silly fast data transfer speeds, and damn near 4-5 inch full touchscreen smartphones that run on 3 & upcoming and expanding 4G networks that are pretty much HD camcorders and almost full functioning cameras, media players, and MP3 replacements…. and all the carriers are wanting to tier and limit data consumption? If within a year someone like HTC brings out a 4.5-5″ full touchscreen phone with a chip in it like this with like 2 gigs of ram and 16 gigs of useable memory and micro-SD slots for expandable memory, data useage is obviously begging to be used. I mean, who wouldn’t. The carriers better begin to re-think their future pricing and data tiering strategies. With frickin’ handheld pretty much full on computers in peoples’ pockets, people are going to use them and the data necessary to operate them. They will consume and demand lots of data. It seems like the carriers are looking at what’s available now in their current line up and what’s being demanded of their current network useage instead of looking to the future of what’s to come in terms of the evolution of the cellphone/tablet, and in terms of accommodating their customers’ needs by providing a better experience for them by EXPANDING their networks.

  • don

    *drool*

  • mostlyDigital

    Certainly has the potential to be a sexy chip if they’ve implemented it in silicone. My suspicions are that it will be a great chip even if it’s based on silicon.

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