Arm's next-gen mobile computing platform to deliver improved AI, 3D and gaming to 2024 phones
Gaming performance on smartphones next year is set to take off according to Arm. The latter's new platform for mobile computing, the TSC23 SoC, will feature the Armv9 Cortex-X4 CPU core, the "balanced" Cortex-A720 cores, and the Immortalis-G720 GPU. The octa-core cluster is named the DSU-120 which replaces the DSU-110 currently employed on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
The cluster includes a pair of high-performance Cortex-X4 cores which are 15% faster while using 40% less power than the Cortex-X3. Four Cortex-A720 cores deliver balanced performance and energy efficiency (they are 20% more efficient than the previous generation Cortex-A715 cores). That adds up to six cores so we need two more. Those will be the pair of Cortex-A520 cores for tasks that don't require too much power. 22% more efficient than the Cortex-A515 core, Arm says that the A520 core is the "most performant high-efficiency core ever."
Arm's new high-efficiency Cortex-X4 core is its fastest CPU ever built by Arm
In the first paragraph, we mentioned the Immortalis-G720 GPU graphics chip. This chip delivers 15% more performance while using 40% less memory bandwidth. The new Immortalis GPU chip is expected to be a nice update over the previous generation's G715 GPU chip which was Arm's first to allow for ray tracing on a mobile device. This helps create a more realistic simulation of light including reflections, refractions, shadows, and more. Ray tracing helps developers design more realistic-looking video games. Arm says, "The new Immortalis-G720 is Arm’s most performant and efficient GPU ever."
Arm's new TSC23 platform could be a major part of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC
Arm's DSU-120 compute cluster, when paired with the Immortalis-G720 GPU, helps create the TSC23, which replaces the TSC22 in Arm's lineup. Arm says that its new platform is designed for high-end smartphones and could be a major part of next year's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset which might be introduced this coming November.
Arm introduces its next-gen Immortalis-G720 GPU
Arm also unveiled two new Mali-branded GPU chips, the Mali-G720 and Mali-G620. Arm says that these chips are designed to bring "premium GPU capabilities and features to a wider market." That means the two new GPU components will be earmarked for more affordable flagship phones.
We should see much improved smartphone gaming performance next year with the TCS23 platform although we probably won't hear much more in the way of official announcements until later this year.
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