GPUs improve standard for performance in cost-sensitive markets

Today’s consumers want the latest features and technologies in their devices, and they want those devices at the lowest possible prices. To keep costs down, many of these devices are currently shipping with older APIs such as OpenGL ES 2.0. Imagination’s Series8XE GPUs support the latest APIs to enable the best user experience at the industry’s lowest cost.

Peter McGuinness, director of multimedia technology marketing, Imagination, says: “Because of the differentiation they provide, PowerVR GPUs are at the heart of the best-selling phones, tablets, and automotive infotainment units. With the Series8XE, we’re enabling chip companies and OEMs targeting cost-sensitive applications to provide the best possible user experience at the lowest power and area budgets. We believe it is the best entry-level GPU core ever designed.”

The Series8XE GPUshave already been licensed by multiple lead customers for mobile/tablets, 4K TVs, OTT set-top boxes, automotive and wearables. They are now being released for general licensing, enabling an even wider range of companies to leverage PowerVR to gain competitive edge and build enduring success. This builds on the momentum of the XE family where there are licensees across all key market segments, double digit licensee growth and a strong pipeline of opportunities.

Joe Chen, executive vice president and co-chief operating officer, MediaTek, says: “Imagination’s PowerVR XE families of entry-level GPUs are designed to deliver the right feature set at the right price point for the next generation of connected devices. MediaTek is delighted to be working with Imagination to bring the benefits of Series8XE GPUs to manufacturers and consumers worldwide.”

PowerVR Series8XE GPUs are designed to deliver the best possible real world user experience for cost-efficient products including low-cost phones and tablets, industrial displays, IoT, 4K set-top boxes and TVs, and low- to mid-range automotive infotainment and cluster electronics. The GPUs are designed to provide the best experience on GUI, HMI, browser and email applications, as well as casual games. By the numbers:

• Up to 25% smaller versus Series7XE GPUs for the same fillrate, providing the same compelling user experience at lower cost
• 60% to 100% better performance per mm² over a range of industry benchmarks, and 30 – 45% area reduction versus competitors’ GPU IP cores with the same fillrate

Selected PowerVR Series8XE GPUs also include support for PVRIC3, the latest PowerVR lossless image compression technology, and 10-bit YUV for video streaming in hardware as options – key for optimal integration with H.265 10-bit profiles in set-top boxes and TVs. The new GPUs support Khronos APIs including OpenGL ES 3.2, and Vulkan 1.0 to deliver exceptional performance with reduced CPU requirements.

With support for hardware virtualisation and Imagination’s OmniShield multi-domain security, PowerVR GPUs uniquely enable customers to build systems in which applications and operating systems can run independently and reliably on the same platform in segments such as automotive, set-top boxes and TVs. This is becoming increasingly important as use models and services evolve across a wide range of connected products – demanding that devices be designed to support numerous unique applications, various content sources, and in-the-field software updates from service providers and operators, all while ensuring privacy and protection from security attacks.

Imagination provides developers with free access to the cross-platform PowerVR SDK, designed to support all aspects of 3D graphics application development; as well as tools and utilities that ease development of 3D graphics and GPU compute applications.

Physical Design Optimisation Kits (DOKs) for Imagination’s PowerVR Series8XE GPUs will also be available, offering customers the flexibility to optimise for power, performance and area. Imagination DOKs are comprised of optimised reference design flows, tuned libraries from partners, characterisation data and documentation.