Samsung couldn't contain the excitement, and just had to let us know the details about the chip powering the "Next Galaxy" that's coming on May 3. It's called the Exynos 4 Quad, and it looks impressive. What, exactly, makes it so special? It's built on a 32nm HKMG process, which is geek talk for high-performance with low power consumption. How good is the performance? Samsung claims it's twice as fast as it's predecessor, the 45nm Exynos 4 Dual, while consuming 20 percent less power. To further help power consumption, each core can be turned off when it's not needed, and the ones that are running can adjust their clock speed to match the demands of what you're doing.
Each core will be running at 1.4 HGHz, and are based on the Cortex A9 architecture. It has the other essentials as well, with support for 1080p/30fps recording, boasts an embedded image signal processor, and has support for HDMI 1.4 output. They didn't give any specifics as to what GPU they are pairing it with, though, but it's sure to be impressive. Excited yet? I know some of you are.
Discuss it in the Android Hardware forum!
Source: Samsung
Reader comments
Samsung announces the Exynos 4 Quad, coming to the 'next Galaxy'
Hope this is on the right comment I'm replying to, anyway, as you travel nearer to the speed of light time slows down more, if you go faster than the speed of light, time goes backwards, as in a tachyon, where the signal arrives at the reciever before it is sent.
Great! Just in time for the Galaxy Note 2.
Maybe they should get excited about radios and work on those so you have a phone that works as a phone before a computer. Just my 2¢
We can already record 1080p @ 30 fps with the year-old S2, so this is underwhelming really.
This news overall is slightly underwhelming, a combination of what was to be expected plus the same old video recording.
Next they'll be saying it only has USB 2.0
:/
So you were expecting 2140p @ 30 fps or 1080p @ 60 fps? Seeing as movies and tv shows are typically between 24 and 30 fps, anything over than 30 fps is pointless. That's not even considering 60 fps would pretty much double the space used by videos, and the 2140p would eat up way more space than that.
I think that Gearu was reffering to the fact that out of all the new and wonderful types of technologies out there, it seems underwhelming that Samsung made a point to emphasize this as important or that it's "news."
Would like to have seen some A15 love, but only time and real world experience will tell. Also, the "embedded image signal processor" does seem to refer to some awesome cameraness similar to HTC's Image Sense processing unit.
Needless to say, May 3rd awaits with some serious anticipation.
I believe you mean 2160p? As in 1080 x 2?
No no I meant 2140p... :)
There are a lot of snarky comments about Exynos, mainly from Americans who haven't actually used an Exynos device.
In use an Exynos device just feels better than anything else ive used to date. Its smooth, lag free and just does everything better. Compare the dual core in the S2 to a tegra 2 and its like night and day. The Note, with the dual core unit and the same number of pixels to shift as a Galaxy tab 10.1 or 8.9 is in a different league. Always smooth, always ready, where as the Tabs are laggy and slow.
The dual core in the S2 very nearly matches the T3 in benchmarks when running at the same clock speed, a quad core version is going to destroy it, and ive no doubt will have a better feel in use.
A post calling other people snarky, then goes on to make unfounded assumptions about an entire country... Ironic.
-Suntan
I just want a smartphone that actually takes advantage if LTE's capabilities and LOADS web pages fast!!!
Being that phones that came out last year display web pages really fast, i dont think it will be an issue with the flag-ship phones coming out this year. For instance i have the EVO 3D which has the S3 duel-core A8 processor. this thing displays web pages incredibly fast if i have a good signal, i can't complain at all. The new EVO has a processor that will benchmark almost twice as high. i don't think we have anything tho worry about.
Why are ppl assuming LTE isn't built-in to the Exynos 4??? LTE isn't new anymore.
I suppose just going along with rumors... It would be a really big selling point I would think and they didn't mention it at all while boasting about it in that press release.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-s-iii/169675-hspa-versio...
Because Samsung didn't say that it IS built-in. It's still new enough that having it built-in to the SoC is a major selling point. What was a huge selling point for the Snapdragon S4? Built-in LTE baseband. Heck, HTC built two versions of the One X just to have one that has the built-in LTE baseband for the markets that need it.
I am excited to see this compared to the S4 that is in the One X. I know that the processor in the One X is a 28nm processor that incorporates some features of A15, though I have no clue what that really means. Should get better battery life anyway since it is 28nm vs 32 here. I also wonder about LTE. If it has to be a second chip for the Exynos quad that means an additional battery hit I would guess.
I really look forward to unbiased comparisons. I doubt I will change my mind about the EVO LTE though unless the S3 has no pentile, has an sd card slot and a kickstand. If they do all that and release at a similar time I have no clue how I would decide.
One thing I do know is when I had my Tranformer Prime web pages and everything was damn fast. If these two processors are similar or better then it doesn't really matter which one you go with. Your experience is going to be awesome.
Does GPUVmattwr for somebody who just wants sebpages to load fast & snappy?
I just want that faster Chrome browser that Android 4.0+ has!!!
Mildly disappointing... S4 (A15) > anything A9 based, regardless of core count. They just don't have an A15 part ready, Qualcomm fell slightly behind last year with the S3 design (so they ramped up clock speeds to make up for it) but they lapped everyone this year with S4 built on a 22nm process.
We'll see if the new Exynos can at least redeem itself on the GPU...
I think u mean 28nm. S4 is built on 28nm silicon not 22. This thing is gonna destroy anything on the market. Everything else is obsolete even the one x
Yeah I meant 28nm not 22, been reading too much about Intel's new 22nm parts lately and it stuck with me. I honestly don't see how you can claim it's gonna destroy everything, this is Samsung's equivalent to Tegra 3...
In all likelihood it's gonna be competitive with that (while being more efficient) as well as S4, but it won't hardly destroy either. Samsung is putting this out because their A15 parts won't be out this year, plain and simple. TI should be following suit soon.
Those leaked GPU results, if accurate, are certainly impressive... But outside of hardcore gaming a faster GPU hasn't really paid much dividends on Android imo, mostly because there's far too many devices with low end GPUs so game devs program for the least common denominator.
That's one of the few areas where the iPhone has a clear cut technical advantage imo.
Uh....no.
mr nruz: regarding "destroy anything"... sorry, you are wrong.
I realize that all benchmarks shouldn't be considered the gospel, but heres your answer...
http://www.androidpit.com/en/android/blog/404676/samsung-galaxy-s3
Those are just GL/GPU (graphics) benchmarks, not CPU. Yes, they are impressive, though. But it says nothing about raw CPU power nor energy use :)
Such a typical benchmark nonesense:
"the biggest question in the minds of many is how it will perform"
"As you can see from the results, there is a pretty clear winner here."
They are implying that GPU performance is ALL THAT MATTERS... IT ISN'T!!! And don't even mention in the text that it is only a GPU only benchark.
S4 is not an A15. Don't jump the gun. It's only just a refined A9 that takes some ques from the A15 architecture.
For somebody like myself who cares more about speedy web browsing than gaming, should I really care about the difference between A9 & A15 architecture?
Gaming has more to do with the GPU than the CPU, so that's a different story. As far as A9 quad vs A15 dual, in grossly oversimplified terms, the A15 is significantly faster clock for clock but the A9 can obviously handle more threads (tasks) at once.
Real world they're both gonna be fast, but the S4 is built on the smallest process right now which should make it more efficient, and it should come out ahead on any test or usage that's not heavily threaded (which is really the majority of what you do)... Whereas the quad A9 (new Exynos or Tegra 3) could potentially handle multi tasking better, and/or heavily optimized apps that make better use of the extra cores (photo editing perhaps).
You'll notice I prefaced a lot of my statements with should, could, or might... Real world implementation of these things doesn't always play out the same as it does on paper. We haven't even gotten a good look at S4 + LTE yet since the AT&T One X isn't out, battery life tests on that device will probably determine whether S4 lives up to it's potential imo.
Personally I think whichever SoC ends up being the more efficient one will end up being the media darling, they're both gonna perform well enough to handle anything you throw at them... Even Tegra 3's performance is top notch, it's just built on a 40nm process (physically larger chip) and lacks built in LTE which makes it a poor choice for US phones.
Thanks man, that helped me allot
Excellent answer! Similar to the type of response I would have given!
what's the deal with the benchmarks that came out supposedly showing a dual core SGS3?
Either faked or just plain wrong. Samsung has been known to change components during developement.
Definitely trust Samsung more than a clandestine screenshot of a third party benchmark test.
...as long as theATT version has LTE. and don't gimp the phone with a substandard proc.
Expected a 1.5ghz dual core running on A15 with Mali 600. Instead it's a quad core based of A9 with over clocked mali 400. While this is still beastly, not near beastly enough to make me think about canceling my S4 One X pre-order. :) What tipped the scale for me is that I prefer HTC design over Samsung's.
But you haven't even seen the SGS3 design.
I hope this one isn't like the SGS2 because I have my 3rd free one, and all of them have suffered from slow data speeds...
-SGS2 ET4G
That is entirely Sprint's fault
I really hope it doesn't take about 8 months for this phone to come to the US...
Just tell me how much I'm paying and when.
Ill have the money waiting...
The Week of May 3rd is going to be sick: the "Next Galaxy" (hopefully the S3) and The Avengers May 4th... good stuff.
That's what I was talking about to my friends the other day. I can not WAIT!!!! The suspense of both of these great iconic moments in life....is too unbearable!!! LOL
8 days to go til ALL specs are -official-!!!
I'm wondering how it stands next to the dual core 28nm a15 s4 that I'm really interested in!!
Probably not enough difference with typical use to even notice- either way.
So twice as fast as a dual core, and less battery consumption that a dual core..... Its just another quad core? Or am I missing something..
Nope. You got it.
What's important is if the software is written to take advantage of the potential. Samsung could make this phone amazing, or it could be "just" another high end Android phone.
No, it also allows you to find the Higgs Boson, and gives you the formula to unite the Theory of Special Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, whilst at the same time transforming into a quantum computer. And if that wasn't enough, it gives you the ability to travel faster than the light, thereby allowing you to go back in time... You sound spoiled.
We're all spoiled. Phones are fantastic these days. They have been for quite some time. That's why it's getting harder and harder to impress some of us.
If you traveled faster than light you could could go forward in time, not back, just sayin'.
I've never been tempted by a non-Nexus Samsung phone, but this is starting to look awfully tempting. It's a big jump.
Hmmm, this smells like the international flavor... I see 3 possibilities:
1. The US versions will use a different SOC than these new Exynos chips...
2. Th US versions will have these chips but will have a separate LTE radio, thereby making the phone thicker..
3. The US Versions will not be LTE capable...
1 or 2 more likely. Wouldn't be surprised if these do support LTE. Maybe this press release is not only to build hype for the new Galaxy, but to also get other companies to order these new Exynos with the impending Snapdragon S4 shortage looming.
My guesses:
1. The version for US carriers will have S4 for LTE capabilities.
2. GSM US carriers (or AT&T alone) will have the same specs as the international version: Exynos Quad core
edit 2: sprint AND AT&T since sprint's version of gs2 has the same processor as its international version
Exynos doesn't work with LTE.
This chipset won't make it stateside.
AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint are only doing LTE phones from here on out.
The newer Tegra3+ chipsets might make it here though.
Are you sureeeeee?
I thought the whole reason for the delay and the hype with the exynos is that it will be compatible with the LTE networks.
Exynos does work with LTE, I have the Snapdragon S3 in my Galaxy Note, and I'm on AT&T's LTE network in NYC...Which by the way is blazing fast, getting around 35 Mbps down and 12 Mbps up on average.
I hope a really meaty GPU is paired up with this. This may be my next upgrade from an iPhone 4.
Samsung has always released phones with meaty GPUs. I think it's a safe bet that this will be no different.
umm, yeah...BEAST!
Interesting choice for them to announce a single component ...
lte?
i was gonna ask the same thing *fingers crossed*
Samsung has already released a phone to work on LTE (Skyrocket), why wouldn't they now?