Jep, two A35 cores with 2 or 4 A72 would be somewhat sensible solution. Most stupid configuration so far are 4 slow A53 with 4 "fast" A53 cores *facepalm*
But most probably we need a new version to replace A72 with something more energy efficient and then put it together with this.
In practice the 4 slow A53 with 4 "fast" A53 core thing actually works pretty well. I've got that setup in my Moto X Play and I normally get 2 days of moderate to heavy use out of it or it will stretch to 3 if I go easy on it.
afaik, idea behind A53+A53 setup is that depending on tech process, you can build cores that better run at higher or lower freqs. so first quad is aimed to background activity and second quad at max speed. they are not using A57/A72 since it's much larger (4x or so) and has higher IP cost (i.e. payments to ARM)
Finally! This one was needed. The Mercury codename confirms once again that the slide that leaked some months ago was real. So Ares, Ananke, Prometheus got to be real too. If they release Ananke soon to replace A53, we could see it paired with that and Artemis for 3 cluster configs.
I used to think they're "useless" too. But there's merit in more smaller cores, especially for low budget Android handsets (and Windows 10 Mobile).
Not only does multi tasking benefit, but most 1st and 3rd party Android apps now are written to take full advantage of most of these core. - More cores for individual apps. - More cores for the system to make multi-tasking faster and more efficient.
We still don't know whether that's "faster" than fewer, wider cores, but we know that it's relatively efficient with good processing speed. Smaller cores = smaller SoCs = cheaper, faster SoCs for budget devices.
So at 16nm FFC the smallest A35 core is only 0.15mm2...... I wonder if this fit into Apple Watch use case? But the S1 / A5 used in the watch runs Cortex A9 and is OoO design.
The A35 represent most power efficient cortex based on ARMv8 architecture up to date, compared with cortex M7 in base configuration (including MMO, cache...) it will lose in larger margins by any metric. The purpose of the A35 lies more as the compatible (64 bit) companion core for a loo power tasks (for background tasks & wite noise) wile big brother's are sleeping (ega. Device sleep mode) that can be later shifted for offloading from big cores as the: NAND controler, senzor data processing, lo power music playback & cetera wile working on compatible 64 bit v8 instructions set on same OS lv. We still don't need more clusters. One thing I don't see & that will be needed is a optional DSP block for it so I hope ARM have or at least it's developing a turn key IP block for it. At the end this whose much needed solution & it trumpets just announced MIPS 6250 cores. This (A35)is not the best solution for IoT M & R series remain for that.
All the multiple core talk reminds me of my Advent Tegra4 note 7" tablet with Nvidia soc . It uses a low power 5th core when doing simple tasks which means longer battery life, but it does get rather slow when just near battery dead level. Having said that it is the one tablet I use most for watch video on or sending the video to my TV. The 5th core seemed odd to me at first but works good in use.
I do have a 8 x 7A core mediatek Phablet but is slower graphic wise (GPU low end ) and drains it's battery quicker. Cube talk7X model u51GT C8
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haukionkannel - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
Jep, two A35 cores with 2 or 4 A72 would be somewhat sensible solution.Most stupid configuration so far are 4 slow A53 with 4 "fast" A53 cores *facepalm*
But most probably we need a new version to replace A72 with something more energy efficient and then put it together with this.
krumme - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
May I recommend Andrei prior articles. Good stuff.lilmoe - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
+1Flunk - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
In practice the 4 slow A53 with 4 "fast" A53 core thing actually works pretty well. I've got that setup in my Moto X Play and I normally get 2 days of moderate to heavy use out of it or it will stretch to 3 if I go easy on it.Bulat Ziganshin - Thursday, November 12, 2015 - link
afaik, idea behind A53+A53 setup is that depending on tech process, you can build cores that better run at higher or lower freqs. so first quad is aimed to background activity and second quad at max speed. they are not using A57/A72 since it's much larger (4x or so) and has higher IP cost (i.e. payments to ARM)jjj - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
Finally! This one was needed.The Mercury codename confirms once again that the slide that leaked some months ago was real. So Ares, Ananke, Prometheus got to be real too.
If they release Ananke soon to replace A53, we could see it paired with that and Artemis for 3 cluster configs.
jeremyshaw - Monday, May 20, 2019 - link
Wow, Ares took a long while to come.extide - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
I wonder if MTK will make a 4x A35 + 4x A53 + 2x A72 hehBut yeah a 4x A35 + 2-4x A72 along with a nice fat GPU would be a great SoC.
hojnikb - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
I bet they would do 16 core version. 4 of each (a35, a53, a57, a72).Because why not.
MrSpadge - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
No, I'd rather bet on 16 cores like this: 8 A35 + 8 A53.phoenix_rizzen - Monday, September 26, 2016 - link
MediaTek just announced/released details on the Helio X30:2x A73 + 4x A53 + 4x A35
Nicely done on the prediction front. :)
http://www.xda-developers.com/mediatek-officially-...
tipoo - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
Is it odd that ARM is now saying Cortex A7 - A35, and A9 - A53? I though the A53 was the evolution of the A7, since both have no OoO.hojnikb - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
Their naming is a bit of a clusterfuck.But it makes sense, since A7 is actually more power efficient at same node than A53.
ZolaIII - Saturday, November 14, 2015 - link
It's not if you look at it from power efficiency perspective as A9 stil represent most power efficient (/Watt) OoO design up to date.tipoo - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
20% smaller? Get ready for useless 12 A35 core SoCs from Mediateclilmoe - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
I used to think they're "useless" too. But there's merit in more smaller cores, especially for low budget Android handsets (and Windows 10 Mobile).Not only does multi tasking benefit, but most 1st and 3rd party Android apps now are written to take full advantage of most of these core.
- More cores for individual apps.
- More cores for the system to make multi-tasking faster and more efficient.
We still don't know whether that's "faster" than fewer, wider cores, but we know that it's relatively efficient with good processing speed. Smaller cores = smaller SoCs = cheaper, faster SoCs for budget devices.
hojnikb - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
Also more cores mean you can powergate them with more granularly then bigger,fatter cores.hans_ober - Tuesday, November 10, 2015 - link
Mediatek, time for an octacore version of this, 16 core would be even better.iwod - Wednesday, November 11, 2015 - link
So at 16nm FFC the smallest A35 core is only 0.15mm2......I wonder if this fit into Apple Watch use case? But the S1 / A5 used in the watch runs Cortex A9 and is OoO design.
darkich - Wednesday, November 11, 2015 - link
This can only mean that the successor to the A53 is on the waydarkich - Wednesday, November 11, 2015 - link
This can only mean that the successor to the A53 is on the waydarkich - Wednesday, November 11, 2015 - link
This can only mean that the successor to the A53 is on the wayZolaIII - Saturday, November 14, 2015 - link
The A35 represent most power efficient cortex based on ARMv8 architecture up to date, compared with cortex M7 in base configuration (including MMO, cache...) it will lose in larger margins by any metric. The purpose of the A35 lies more as the compatible (64 bit) companion core for a loo power tasks (for background tasks & wite noise) wile big brother's are sleeping (ega. Device sleep mode) that can be later shifted for offloading from big cores as the: NAND controler, senzor data processing, lo power music playback & cetera wile working on compatible 64 bit v8 instructions set on same OS lv. We still don't need more clusters. One thing I don't see & that will be needed is a optional DSP block for it so I hope ARM have or at least it's developing a turn key IP block for it. At the end this whose much needed solution & it trumpets just announced MIPS 6250 cores. This (A35)is not the best solution for IoT M & R series remain for that.monkeynut - Friday, November 27, 2015 - link
Soon to be in the flagship Allwinner SoC! Possibly aside the Mali 470... ;)theguyuk - Sunday, May 1, 2016 - link
All the multiple core talk reminds me of my Advent Tegra4 note 7" tablet with Nvidia soc . It uses a low power 5th core when doing simple tasks which means longer battery life, but it does get rather slow when just near battery dead level. Having said that it is the one tablet I use most for watch video on or sending the video to my TV.The 5th core seemed odd to me at first but works good in use.
I do have a 8 x 7A core mediatek Phablet but is slower graphic wise (GPU low end ) and drains it's battery quicker. Cube talk7X model u51GT C8