MediaTek True Octa-Core Position Paper

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Table of Contents
A leading multi-core solution .................................................................................................................... 3 Concurrent core processing ...................................................................................................................... 3 MediaTek True Octa-Core benefits ........................................................................................................... 5 Enhanced multi-tasking capabilities ..................................................................................................... 5 Improved current-application experiences ........................................................................................... 5 What's next for mobile SoC? .6 Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 7

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MediaTek True Octa-Core

A leading multi-core solution
As the worlds leading provider of multi-core System-on-Chip (SoC) Reference Designs for mobile devices, MediaTek has long provided cutting-edge solutions to address the rapidly growing demands of smartphone and tablet users who seek quality cameras, music, video, email and gaming all in one device. MediaTek is the first adopter of a true, authentic octa-core SoC in a mobiles device, while leveraging its benefits and optimizing the system approach to the absolute maximum. The move towards multi-tasking devices requires increased performance while creating greater power efficiency that can be achieved through an optimized multi-core technology. This means that multi-core processing capability is fast becoming an integral part of mobile SoC platform, resulting in the call for growth to octa-core SoC. The ground-breaking True Octa-Core solution from MediaTek integrates the most advanced graphics and processing technologies available, all of which have been carefully optimized to produce a one-of-akind product that offers the ultimate combination of performance and power-efficiency.

Concurrent core processing

Unlike existing octa-core solutions in the market, which can only activate half of their CPU cores at once (Figure 1), MediaTek True Octa-Core technology allows for all eight of its cores to run simultaneously.

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Competitor Octa-Core Configuration 1

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Figure 1: Existing octa-core solutions can only run four cores concurrently.

The key to this ability lies in the True Octa-Core solutions CPU core configuration and supporting software, which allows its cores to operate independently and flexibly (Figure 2).

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MediaTek True Octa-Core

Figure 2: MediaTek True Octa-Core solution houses independent cores that run concurrently.

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MediaTek True Octa-Core benefits

Enhanced multi-tasking capabilities Todays mobile device users are far less tolerant of products unable to offer stable multi-tasking experiences. The trouble with this, however, is that the growth in processor demands of mobile applications has far outpaced the growth in device core counts. MediaTek True Octa-Core solution directly addresses this conundrum. By allowing tasks to run concurrently with the use of multiple different cores, MediaTek True Octa-Core intelligently allocates processing power to where it is needed, both on a per-application and per-task basis. This architecture reveals a significant departure from the load handling systems of other multicore solutions even those with eight cores which typically tend to restrict tasks that are too demanding, resulting in poor response times or shutdowns. With MediaTek True Octa-Core, users can enjoy heavy web downloading, hardcore gaming, high-quality premium video viewing or other types of rigorous multitasking without experiencing lag times or excessive battery consumption. Improved current-application experiences Advanced web browsing: With the unique ability to allocate individual browser tabs to CPU cores, MediaTek True Octa-Core allows for a faster, more stable web browsing experiences that avoid burdening users with shutdowns or slow page-loading times. Smoother user interfaces: With the ability to delegate user inputs to individual cores and render 3D effects more smoothly, the functionality and appearance of user interfaces in both applications and operating systems are significantly enhanced. Superior gaming experiences: Mobile gaming is becoming increasingly more sophisticated. To address this trend, the advanced multi-threaded programming deployed in the MediaTek True Octa-Core SoC, enables different sequences to be allocated to different cores, delivering enhanced video frame-rate processing and exceptionally low-latency gaming experiences. Efficient video playback: When on decoding mode, the battery used for decoding HEVC (H.265) FHD video can be reduced by up to 18 percent compared to current quad-core solutions (Figure 3). While on display mode, MediaTek True Octa-Core provides users 20 percent more frames.

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Figure 3: MediaTek True Octa-Core offers higher video quality with reduced video battery consumption.

Whats next for mobile SoCs?

As the first in the industry to address future demands, MediaTek offers solutions that improve futureapplication experiences. The innovative True Octa-Core technology brings users today and tomorrow significant advantages. This is largely due to its inherent ability to handle resource-intensive applications with high thread level parallelism (TLP) (Figure 4). Typical functions carried out by such applications include video authoring and imaging processing.

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Figure 4: Future computing-intensive applications will have higher TLP implementations.

Summary
With its state-of-the-art processing capabilities and efficient battery use, MediaTek True Octa-Core solution will enable mobile device makers to produce world-class products that confer a wealth of superior multi-tasking and application capabilities to device users.

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