the first system-on-chip for smartphones is faster than Intel ARM

The first major announcement of the Intel CES 2012 concerning the entry into the smartphone market with Penwell, the first system-on-chip (SoC) company ever in Santa Clara. Better late than never, it is appropriate to say.

Penwell is concealed behind not anything terribly new. We find the usual Atom 1.6GHz single core with hyperthreading (ie able to run two threads in parallel simulating a dual-core) which has been operating for years in almost every netbook and a PowerVR SGX GPU, all packaged in the format PoP (Package on package), a case of just 12 × 12mm.

But how does a chip with x86 architecture in a smartphone? The first numbers released by Intel regarding energy consumption, Penwell seems to behave just fine in the browsing that is in standby, which consumes less SoC based on ARM architecture of the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II. Less rosy the situation during the conversation or video playback, but still speak of numbers in line with other offerings on the market.

But it is on the performance front, too, that the new Intel chip behaves in a truly brilliant. Both in JavaScript benchmark than in navigation smartphone reference platform with Intel beats everyone, but all the SoC devices of competition or Nexu Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy II S, 4S iPhone, Motorola RAZR Droid and Droid X2. Follow the article after the break for a short video on the Lenovo K800, one of the first devices to incorporate the new Intel SoC, but if you want a detailed approffondimento rimandiato excellent article by Anand Tech.