Samsung outs Cortex A9 dual-core to power next gen devices
updated 05:05 am EDT, Tue September 7, 2010
Blistering performance due late 2010
Samsung today unveiled its new 1GHz ARM Cortex A9-based dual core processor, codenamed Orion, for ‘advanced mobile applications’. Highlighting the generational leap in performance, Orion is capable of simultaneously supporting two on-device display screens, while driving a third external display such as a TV or monitor through an HDMI interface. Built on a 45nm process, each 1GHz core is equipped with a 32KB data cache and a 32KB instruction cache. Also integrated is 1MB of L2 cache, which is designed to optimize multitasking.
Additionally, the new system-on-a-chip offers full 1080p video recording and playback at 30fps and includes a graphics core capable of delivering five times the performance of previous mobile chip generations. The new chip is destined for the next generation of tablets, netbooks and smartphones, and will become available late 2010 and will reach full-scale production in early 2011.
Although not confirmed, the design is likely to find its way into the next generation of the Samsung Galaxy Tab and serves as a preview of what may arrive in the next iPad. Apple implements its own version of the Cortex-A8 in the A4 and should do the same for the A9, but it uses Samsung to manufacture the chips and often has similar goals to its Korean counterpart.
