TAIPEI, Taiwan — The global processor IP developer ARM launched the latest processor architecture ARM Cortex-A72, providing the better experience of high-end handset devices, which is 3.5x faster than 2014's 32-bit Cortex-A15 and consumes 75 percent less power.
According to ARM, the Cortex-A72 The A15 powers the Nvidia Tegra K1, Samsung's Exynos 5 range, and others. The A72 can run ARMv7 32-bit and ARMv8-A 64-bit code, and includes the usual TrustZone, hardware virtualization support, and so forth. It also can be scaled up to four cores per processor cluster.
However, ARM's A72 teamed up with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) of its 16nm FinFET process that means TSMC will be responsible of manufacturing orders from Hisilicon, MediaTek, and Rockchip.
In other words, TSMC, among other chip manufacturers, is due to roll out 16nm FinFET+ A72 system-on-chips in the first half of 2016.
Nevertheless, the cores can be clocked up to 2.5GHz, although ARM's keen to stress that a lot of the performance boost and power-use cuts come from changes to the microarchitecture and process shrink, rather than just jacking up the core clock.
Moreover, ARM's graphics processing unit IP Mali-T880 is also a product under TSMC's 16nm FinFET process.
