The Tegra – Nvidia’s addition to the mobile device market, could be in the hands of consumers as early as April of 2009 – directly competing with Intel and Apple’s low-powered mobile processor solutions.
The new Tegra chip will have an ARM based processor core, high-definition video decoder, a variation of the GeForce graphics core, among other promising components. According to Jen-Hsun, Nvidia’s president, the lineup would launch with the Tegra 600 operating at 700 MHz, and the Tegra 650 operating at 800 MHz, Tegra APX 2500 operating at 600 MHz.
According Jen-Hsun, the development phase of the chip is going very well and the company plans to launch it sometime between April and June of 2009. According to information currently available, this is what we know about the proposed lineup:
Tegra APX 2500
Processor: ARM11 600 MHz MPCore Processor
Memory: NAND flash, Mobile DDR or NOR
Graphics: Image Processor [FWGA 854 * 480 pixels]
Up to 12 Megapixel camera support
LCD controller resolutions up to 1680x1050
Storage: IDE for SSD
Video Codecs: Up to 720p H.264 & VC-1 Decoding and Up to 720p H.264 Encoding
MP3, WMA, and AAC playback
Includes GeForce ULV support for OpenGL ES 2.0, Direct3D Mobile, and programmable shaders
Output: HDMI, VGA, composite, S-Video, Stereo Jack, USB
USB On-The-Go
NVIDIA nPower™ technology, enabling over 10 hours of HD video playback and up to 100 hours of audio
Processor speed, graphics and southbridge will vary depending on the lineup each of the products target.
Tegra 600
Targeted for GPS segment and automotive
700 MHz
Memory: low power DDR
SXGA, HDMI, USB, stereo jack
HD camera 720p
Tegra 650
Targeted for GTX of handheld and notebook
800 MHz
LP-DDR (200 MHz)
2.5 4 watts envelope
Common Features
All-day media processing, for 130 hours audio, 30 hours HD video playback
HD image processing for advanced digital still camera and HD camcorder functions
Optimized hardware support for Web 2.0 applications for a true desktop-class internet experience
Display support for 1080p HDMI, WSXGA+ LCD and CRT, and NTSC/PAL TV-Out
Direct support for WiFi, disk drives, keyboard, mouse, and other peripherals
A complete Board Support Package (BSP) to enable fast times to market for Window Mobile-based designs
No mention has been made which partners will be taking on the Tegra craze, however it looks to be a pretty solid contender for the mobile device market. Its proposed capabilities, clock speed, and apparently low battery usage requirement definitely make it interesting. Tom’s will be keeping a close eye on developments surrounding this topic!
If the Tegra does well and a lot of device manufacturers onboard with Nvidia, it could be a pretty good revenue year for 2009.
