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Read more about Intel's new Cherry Trail

Subject: General Tech | March 2, 2015 - 01:49 PM |
Tagged: SoFIA, silvermont, modem, LTE, Intel, Cherry Trail, atom x7, atom x5, atom x3, 7260

With MWC in full swing Intel showed off their mobile silicon to Ryan and to The Tech Report who compiled complete specifications of the Cherry Trail based Atom x5-8300 and 8500 as well as the x7-8700.  All three of these chips will have an Intel designed XMM 7260 LTE modem as well as WiFi and NFC connectivity with the X7 also featuring Intel WiGig. You can also expect RealSense, True Key facial recognition and Pro Wireless Display to send secure wireless video to compatible displays for meetings.  Check out the full list of stats here.

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"Intel says the dual-core Atom x3-C3130 is shipping now, while the quad-core Atom x3-C3230RK is coming later in the first half of the year. The LTE-infused Atom x3-C3440 will follow in the second half. In all, the chipmaker names 19 partners on board with the Atom x3 rollout, including Asus, Compal, Foxconn, Pegatron, Weibu, and Wistron."

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Source: The Tech Report

Intel Launches Atom x3, x5 and x7 Processors for Phones, Tablets, and 2-in-1s

Author:
Date: March 2, 2015
Subject: Processors, Mobile
Manufacturer: Intel
Tagged: SoFIA, silvermont, modem, LTE, Intel, Cherry Trail, atom x7, atom x5, atom x3, 7260

SoFIA, Cherry Trail Make Debuts

Mobile World Congress is traditionally dominated by Samsung, Qualcomm, HTC, and others yet Intel continues to make in-roads into the mobile market. Though the company has admittedly lost a lot of money during this growing process, Intel pushes forward with today's announcement of a trio of new processor lines that keep the Atom brand. The Atom x3, the Atom x5, and the Atom x7 will be the company's answer in 2015 for a wide range of products, starting at the sub-$75 phone market and stretching up to ~$400 tablets and all-in-ones.

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There are some significant differences in these Atom processors, more than the naming scheme might indicate.

Intel Atom x3 SoFIA Processor

For years now we have questioned Intel's capability to develop a processor that could fit inside the thermal envelope that is required for a smartphone while also offering performance comparable to Qualcomm, MediaTek, and others. It seemed that the x86 architecture was a weight around Intel's ankles rather than a float lifting it up. Intel's answer was the development of SoFIA, (S)mart (o)r (F)eature phone with (I)ntel (A)rchitecture. The project started about 2 years ago leading to product announcements finally reaching us today. SoFIA parts are "designed for budget smartphones; SoFIA is set to give Qualcomm and MediaTek a run for their money in this rapidly growing part of the market."

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The SoFIA processors are based on the same Silvermont architecture as the current generation of Atom processors, but they are more tuned for power efficiency. Originally planned to be a dual-core only option, Intel has actually built both dual-core and quad-core variants that will pair with varying modem options to create a combination that best fit target price points and markets. Intel has partnered with RockChip for these designs, even though the architecture is completely IA/x86 based. Production will be done on a 28nm process technology at an unnamed vendor, though you can expect that to mean TSMC. This allows RockChip access to the designs, to help accelerate development, and to release them into the key markets that Intel is targeting.

Continue reading our look at the new Intel Atom x3, x5 and x7 Processors!!

Intel Revamps Atom Branding, Next Generation Atoms Will Come in x3, x5, and x7 Tiers

Subject: General Tech | February 26, 2015 - 02:02 AM |
Tagged: SoFIA, moorefield, Intel, Cherry Trail, branding, atom

Intel is updating its Atom processor branding to better communicate the expected performance and experience customers can expect from their Intel powered mobile device. In fact, the new branding specifies three tiers. Atom processors will soon come in Atom x3, x5, and x7 flavors. This branding scheme is similar to the Core processor branding using the i3, i5, and i7 labels.

The Atom x3, x5, and x7 chips are low power, efficient processors for battery powered devices and sit below the Core M series which in turn are below the Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. The following infographic shows off the new branding though Intel does not reveal any specific details about these new Atom chips (we will hopefully know more after Mobile World Congress). Of course, Atom x3 chips will reside in smartphones with x5 and x7 chips powering tablets and budget convertibles. The x7 brand represents the flagship processors of the Atom line.

The new branding will begin with the next generation of Atom chips which should include Cherry Trail, the 14nm successor to Bay Trail featuring four x86 Airmont cores and Gen 8 Intel graphics. Cherry Trail (Cherryview SoC) will be used in all manner of mobile devices from entry level 8"+ tablets to larger notebooks and convertibles. It appears that Intel will use Moorefield (a quad core 14nm refresh of Merrifield) through 2015 for smartphones though road maps seem to indicate that Intel's budget SoFIA SoC will also launch this year. SoFIA and Moorefield processors should fall under the Atom x3 brand with the higher powered and higher clocked Cherry Trail chips will use the Atom x5 and x7 monikers.

What are your thoughts on Intel's new Atom x3/x5/x7 brands?

Source: Intel

Intel has some good news for GLOFO

Subject: General Tech | January 10, 2014 - 12:18 PM |
Tagged: UMC, SoFIA, Intel, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, atom, 28nm

GLOBALFOUNDRIES will be the primary supplier of Intel's 28nm baseband chips according to this unconfirmed report at DigiTimes.  It seems that Intel really is moving towards a new business model and will be outsourcing some of their upcoming chips to both GLOFO and UMC.  Their 28nm PolySiON process will be used to make the next generation of baseband transmitter chips and the new Atom SoC for cellphones and phablets will use TSMC's 28nm HKMG process.  The higher end Broxton SoCs will remain at Intel and use their FinFET process.  This is a big win for GLOFO and could mean the beginning of a lasting partnership with what was once an AMD asset.

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"Intel has contracted Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to manufacture its forthcoming Atom mobile processor series codenamed SoFIA, and also placed orders for entry-level baseband chips with Globalfoundries and United Microelectronics (UMC), according to industry sources."

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Source: DigiTimes