Nvidia Tegra 4i Processor Announced; Better Gaming For Cheaper Smartphones
Nvidia introduced its first mobile processor with integrated wireless data technology on Tuesday.
The company made the announcement in a press release that detailed the new 4G LTE processor known as the Tegra 4i which will give better processing power and 3D graphics to cheaper smartphones on the market.
Nvidia's Tegra 4i, known under the Project Grey codename, has 60 cores, a quad-core CPU with ARM's R4 Cortex-A9 and an integrated modem and better battery life.
Nvidia outlined the new LTE line-up in the hopes to take over from lead competitor Qualcomm which has the Snapdragon 800. The Tegra 4i is reportedly half the size as previous chips and around 2.5 times as efficient per square millimeter, according to PC Magazine.
The new processor was a joint design with Nvidia and ARM that was developed after Icera was acquired, according to a blog post by the tech company. The company used some of the acquired technology to build a dedicated modem circuitry for the radio-related functions that was able to move among various LTE and 3G networks.
The Tegra 4i is an upgraded version of its predecessor, the Tegra 4, and was designed to give better gaming capabilities to handsets in the $100 to $200 range.
Nvidia executive Phil Carmack told CNET that the new chip will be a big change for the company's current mobile business strategy.
"This is a huge step forward for Nvidia," Carmack said. "It's the first time we've had an integrated solution, and it radically changes the market availability for us."
The company also plans to demonstrate its latest technology at the upcoming Mobile World Congress that will take place in Barcelona, Spain starting on Feb. 25 and last until Feb. 28.
Nvidia expects the smartphone version of the Tegra 4i to arrive in commercial handsets toward the end of 2013.