NVIDIA Tegra 3: Fifth Companion Core

Check out all our Tegra 3 blog posts at: http://blogs.nvidia.com/tag/tegra-3/ The first mobile quad core CPU with The Fifth Companion Core is a look at how the Tegra 3 - Variable SMP processor works to deliver high performance while achieving the lowest power consumption.

Make sure to check out all NVIDIA Tegra 3 videos below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C30ShW... (Glowball Part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gl-UG... (Side-by-side Comparisons)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U2r3y... (Next-gen Games)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N11AYQ... (Mobility At The Speed Of Life)

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Darrell Berry]

That's a smart way to use those cores. Very impressed.

[AlphaDwg]

Y'all can argue specs all you want and pull up numbers to support whatever argument you have. All I know is that I have an asus transformer prime. It has 2x the ram, a tegra 3 processor, 32 gb hdd, micro hdmi port, micro sd port for expandable storage, and a REAL camera. All for $100 less than the ipad counterpart. No amount of spin can change these FACTS. I don't like being overcharged for something that isn't even as flexible as its competitors. keep your ipad. I don't want it.

[suvwolverine]

Nvidia Tegra 3 T30L ...one of the smartest SOC I came across so far.

[Athlor1]

Does anybody know what utility displays these 5 cores and if it can be downloaded?

[Ichiro Taniguchi]

nvidia should release an sdk so we can take advantage of all 5 cores! :D

hell i would love to shove that down those GS3/Note 2 owners!

the ability to optimise and use all 5 cores at once for gaming would just be insane for an older processor :P

[geminiMDZ]

Hmm... I got Tegra on my Nexus and on app with cores status first core never go off. So when companion core kicks in? If 5th core is invisible to system there should be situation where all 4 cores are inactive. Or 1st core is this companion core and 4th core is just not shown? I'm just curious. Maybe someone can explain?

[Moosa Mahsoom]

@nvidia so, the GPU keeps the display running while the CPU cores handles the tasks which require the CPU.

[jesusreignonhigh]

wouldn't it consume more battery if your keep on using simultaneous app since the companion CPU would shift back and forth with the other 4 major cores?..thanks for answer i'm just speculating

[zephyr90]

GTA 3 default player skin @ 1:29 :D

[Battlebird23]

Exactly my question? Anyone know this?

[themajnuranjha]

The companion core is running the music app whereas the four high performance cores stay in a low power standby state =)

[Dylan Bernardo]

actually, the companion core is clocked at either 500, or 600 Mhz depending on what version of the tegra 3 chip you have in your device. (you cant, however, overclock the companion core as far as i know as it is hidden to the operating system) for example the nexus 7's tegra 3 chip's companion core is clocked at 500Mhz while the transformer prime/infinity companion core is clocked at 600Mhz