From CNET: When it comes to the processor that powers your phone, size matters. And Qualcomm and Samsung are going smaller than ever.
The two companies on Thursday showed off the Snapdragon 835 chip, the first mobile processor to lean on a 10-nanometer manufacturing technique from Samsung, which packs millions more transistors -- the engines for processing power -- into a tinier chip. The process deals with an almost unfathomably small scale; 10 nanometers is 6,000 times shorter than the diameter of a strand of human hair.
"Obviously it's more and more complex as time progresses to move to more advanced nodes," said Qualcomm's senior vice president of product management, Keith Kressin. "You see other vendors backing off but we're very proud to be partnering with Samsung on 10 nanometers."
The result is a processor that can do more in a smaller package, meaning handset makers can fit the Snapdragon 835 in a thinner phone. Or they can use the extra space to pack in a larger battery or other bells and whistles. The chip is also expected to be more power-efficient.
The stats are compelling. The companies say the chip will use 30 percent less space, perform 27 percent faster and use 40 percent less power than the previous Snapdragon 820 and 821 processors, which utilized a 14-nanometer manufacturing technique.
View: Article @ Source Site
