14 DAY TRIAL // Not long ago Chinese white box vendor Pipo launched one of the first tablets running the new Rockchip RK3288 processor. Subsequently, the chip maker also demoed a tablet featuring the same chip architecture but capable of sustaining Chrome OS.
Now it appears we’re getting closer and closer to seeing Chrome OS tablets and laptops running Rockchip RK3288 (and desktops for that matter) being made available on the market.
The Rockchip RK3288 processor is a 1.8GHz ARM Cortex-A17 quad-core processor with ARM Mali T-760. The chip has been designed to be implemented in mid-range tablets and offers better performance compared to earlier chips like the RK3188.
On top of that, the chip features ARM Mali-T765 graphics, which can bring support to 4K video and H.265 video decoding.
Anyway, Google’s own François Beaufort draws attention to the fact that a new ARM development board is now present in the Chromium OS repository featuring the same chip.
Currently, most Chrome OS devices available on the market come packing Intel processors, but there are a few exceptions to the law. For example, Samsung and HP offer products running on Sammy’s Exynos 5 dual-core and octa-core architecture.
So, in case the Rockchip-supported system arrives on the market, it’s going to be the first one of the first ARM-based Chrome devices to pack a non-Samsung processor.
The new RK3288 is a newcomer in the world of silicone, so at this moment it’s a bit tricky to make predictions on how it might compare to Samsung in terms of performance.
Chromium OS represents the open source version of Chrome OS and is also used as testing grounds for new features, bug fixes and trying out new enhancements.
However, it should be noted that not every device that shows in Chromium ends up making a real-life appearance on the market. Nevertheless, most Chromebooks and Chromeboxes did show up in the Chromium code before making a debut in real life, albeit under obscure code-names. Speaking of which, the code name for the RK3288 board is Veyron.
Earlier this month, rumors started flying high on the internet, suggesting Acer might be looking to unveil the first Chrome OS tablet at its New York event.
Details about specifications were sketchy and we had no idea what kind of processor such a tablet could end up running, but as we know the Chrome OS tablet failed to materialize.
Even so, all the speculation revolving around the topic does prove a point – we’re certainly going to see a Chrome OS tablet arrive sooner or later. And it might just be that it runs the Rockchip RK3288.