CES 2013: NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 4 to be twice as fast as Tegra 3

NVIDIA's new Tegra 4 mobile processor is expected to take smartphones and tablets to a whole new level thanks to its LTE-enabled quad-core architecture which has 72-GPU cores. This translates to twice the speed of the current Tegra 3 processor and an abundance of performance for a SoC (System on a Chip). What is more impressive is improved battery consumption with NVIDIA stating 45 per cent less power than the Tegra 3 in “common use cases” as per reports.

The Tegra 4 has also been designed to enhance photo and video functionality in devices for an even better generation of smartphone cameras. Hit jump to get the specs on Tegra 4.

KEY INNOVATIONS

• NVIDIA GeForce® GPU with 72 custom cores -- Enjoy a variety of unique mobile device innovations in media, gaming, and web—including WebGL and HTML5.
• Computational photography architecture -- This new mobile architecture fuses together the processing power of the CPU, GPU, and ISP to allow device makers to dramatically enhance mobile imaging. This enables the first Always-on HDR camera with features like live HDR preview, instant HDR photos, HDR video, HDR burst, and HDR Flash.
• LTE capability -- Tegra 4 leverages proven Icera technology in an optional chipset to deliver exceptional mobile communication capability.
• Quad-core ARM Cortex-A15s -- Tegra 4 harnesses ARM's most advanced CPU cores ever, plus a second-generation battery saver core, to deliver record levels of performance and battery life. This Variable SMP architecture invented by NVIDIA, enables four performance cores to be used for max burst, when needed, with each core independently and automatically enabled and disabled based on workload. The single battery-saver core handles low-power tasks like active standby, music, and video playback, and is fully transparent to the OS and applications.

Source: NVIDIA

--Full CES Press Release

NVIDIA Introduces World’s Fastest Mobile Processor

Tegra 4 Features 72 Custom GPU Cores, Quad-Core Cortex-A15 CPU for Superb Performance and Efficiency; LTE Enabled with Optional Chipset

LAS VEGAS—CES—Jan. 6, 2013—NVIDIA today introduced NVIDIA® Tegra® 4 , the world’s fastest mobile processor, with record-setting performance and battery life to flawlessly power smartphones and tablets, gaming devices, auto infotainment and navigation systems, and PCs.

Tegra 4 offers exceptional graphics processing, with lightning-fast web browsing, stunning visuals and new camera capabilities through computational photography.

Previously codenamed “Wayne,” Tegra 4 features 72 custom NVIDIA GeForce™ GPU cores – or six times the GPU horsepower of Tegra 3 – which deliver more realistic gaming experiences and higher resolution displays. It includes the first quad-core application of ARM’s most advanced CPU core, the Cortex-A15, which delivers 2.6x faster web browsing and breakthrough performance for apps.

Tegra 4 also enables worldwide 4G LTE voice and data support through an optional chipset, the fifth-generation NVIDIA Icera® i500 processor. More efficient and 40 percent the size of conventional modems, i500 delivers four times the processing capability of its predecessor.

“Tegra 4 provides enormous processing power and efficiency to power smartphones and tablets, gaming devices, auto systems and PCs,” said Phil Carmack, senior vice president of the Tegra business at NVIDIA. ”Its new capabilities, particularly in the area of computational photography, will help improve a whole range of existing products and lead to the creation of exciting new ones.”

Computational Photography Capability

Among the Tegra 4 processor’s breakthroughs is its Computational Photography Architecture, which automatically delivers high dynamic range (HDR) photos and video by fusing together the processing power of the GPU, CPU and the camera’s image-signal processor.

Its HDR capability captures images, including those taken with a flash, the way they are seen by the human eye – with detail in both bright and dark areas.

Unprecedented Power Efficiency

Designed for maximum energy efficiency, Tegra 4 includes a second-generation battery saver core for low power during standard use, and PRISM 2 Display technology to reduce backlight power while delivering superior visuals.

Tegra 4 consumes up to 45 percent less power than its predecessor, Tegra 3, in common use cases. And it enables up to 14 hours of HD video playback on phones.