14 DAY TRIAL // Forget the current Tegra 2 mobile processor and the impressive performance levels it can offer. Clocked in at only 1GHz, the CPU might soon be left behind by another chip from Nvidia, running at 1.2GHz, and being capable of delivering more capabilities and power to smartphones and tablet PCs.
Only a rumor for the time being, the SoC (System on a Chip) is expected to become official at the upcoming Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Previous reports on the matter suggested that Nvidia might bring to that event the Tegra 3 chip, which should pack 4 cores and low power consumption.
While still set to make a presence at the show, Nvidia might actually release this processor, capable of bringing 3D goodness to smartphones and tablet PCs, provided that it is indeed real and that manufacturers choose to include it in their devices.
“The new Tegra 2 3D will be based on a Dual Cortex A9 clocked at up to 1.2 GHz, offering 5520 MIPS,” TechEye, which brought to light leaked info on Nvidia's plans for the said event, notes in a recent article.
According to the news site, the chip should start emerging in smartphones and tablets as soon as this spring.
The upcoming availability of 3D capable mobile devices does not come too much as a surprise, nor does the fact that Nvidia would plan further focus on the mobile area.
Some of the latest rumors around the Internet suggest that T-Mobile and LG might be on their way to launch such a tablet PC in the next few months, the T-Mobile G-Slate, which was announced officially at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Rumors on smartphone manufacturers moving to 3D screens have started to emerge a while ago, but no specific info on these devices and on the technology powering them (whether they would require glasses or not) emerged.
However, it seems that more details on this might emerge as soon as next month, when Nvidia would unveil its 1.2GHz Tegra 2 SoC with 3D capabilities, so stay tuned to learn the news.