This week in the Microprocessor Report, the Linley Group announced its Analysts’ Choice Award winners and declared the Nvidia Tegra 3 to be the top mobile processor announced in 2011. As published in the article announcing the winners:
“Choosing the Best Mobile Processor of 2011 was difficult, but we selected Nvidia’s Tegra 3 application processor. Tegra 3 is the first mobile processor with four primary [ARM Cortex-A9] CPU cores, delivering twice the peak CPU performance of competing dual-core processors…
Using its in-house graphics expertise, Nvidia also built in a powerful GPU that outperforms all other merchant application processors on GLBenchmark and other graphics tests. Rounding out the high-end design is a Blu-ray capable video engine.”
Microprocessor Report also singled out a particular feature of the Nvidia Tegra 3 processor that made the choice somewhat easier:
“We did not choose Tegra 3 simply because of its industry-leading performance or Nvidia’s decision to double the number of CPUs. To balance the power equation, Nvidia added a unique fifth [ARM Cortex-A9] CPU known as the “companion core.” This low-power core takes over when peak performance is unneeded, extending battery life.”
For more technical information on the Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, see this prior blog post in the EDA360 Insider: “Processor Wars: NVIDIA reveals a phantom fifth ARM Cortex-A9 processor core in Kal-El mobile processor IC. Guess why it’s there?”
