Category Archives: Computer Chips

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Snapdragon 7s Gen 3

[Image credit: Qualcomm ( Snapdragon 7s Gen 3)]

Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon 7s Gen 3: Mid-Tier Upgrade with Cortex-A720

Qualcomm has launched the its latest SoC for mid-range smartphones. This new chip aims to offer improved performance and power efficiency for budget-friendly devices. Positioned as the entry-level chip in the Snapdragon 7 series, the 7s Gen 3 stands out with significant upgrades.

Upgraded CPU Performance

The new Snapdragon adopts Arm’s latest Armv9 CPU cores, using a 1+3+4 configuration. This setup includes one prime Cortex-A720 core clocked up to 2.5GHz. Additionally, it features three Cortex-A720 performance cores running at up to 2.4GHz. Four efficiency cores, based on Arm’s A520 design, support lighter tasks and can boost to 1.8GHz. This new architecture replaces the older A78/A55 cores from the previous generation, resulting in a 20% improvement in CPU performance.

Enhanced GPU and AI Capabilities

Qualcomm’s Adreno GPU powers the graphics in the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. While Qualcomm has not disclosed specific GPU details, they claim a 40% improvement in GPU performance over the 7s Gen 2. This will make gaming and multimedia experiences much smoother.

The chip also features an updated Hexagon NPU for AI tasks. This NPU supports INT4 for low precision inference, enhancing local AI processing. Users can expect a 30% boost in AI performance compared to the previous generation.

Improved Connectivity and Camera Features

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 supports both LPDDR4X and LPDDR5 memory. This flexibility allows manufacturers to choose based on the device’s price and performance requirements. The camera system uses a trio of 12-bit Spectra ISPs, supporting a maximum of 64MP resolution with zero shutter lag.

On the connectivity side, Qualcomm has integrated a 5G modem that supports Sub-6 and mmWave bands, with speeds reaching up to 2.9Gbps. The Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module, now branded as FastConnect, supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4, providing stable and fast wireless connections.

Efficient Design and Future Devices

Qualcomm has built the new Snapdragon on TSMC’s N4P process. This shift has enhanced power efficiency by 12%, ensuring longer battery life for smartphones. Xiaomi will be the first brand to use this chip in their new phones, with Realme, Sharp, and Samsung expected to follow soon.

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 offers an attractive upgrade for mid-range smartphones. It combines enhanced CPU and GPU performance with efficient AI support, making it a strong contender in the mid-tier market.

Comes Next, Computer Chips, TechNews

AMD Ryzen World Record

[Image by TeX9.net]
New World Record: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X Outshines the Competition

Before even hitting the market, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X has shattered records, solidifying its position as a powerhouse among processors worldwide and sets new world record. Chinese overclocker Tony Yu pushed this 16-core giant to new heights in Cinebench R23, achieving an astonishing 55,327 multicore points, surpassing the previous record held by its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 7950X.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X has already claimed its first title, even though it’s not yet officially on sale. Chinese overclocker Tony Yu set new records for a 16-core processor in Cinebench R23 with this chip.

After its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 7950X, led the charts for nearly two years, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X now tops the Cinebench benchmark rankings. Tech influencer Tony Yu achieved an impressive 55,327 multicore points with the processor. AMD’s internal overclocking team had previously reached similar, albeit slightly lower, scores.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X typically operates at 4.3 GHz. For the record, Tony Yu naturally boosted the frequency, first to 5 GHz, then to 6 GHz, and finally to 6.5 GHz. He managed to break the predecessor’s record at the middle setting.

Such performance is not achievable with standard means. To elevate the CPU to this level, he had to use liquid nitrogen for cooling. This method is common in extreme overclocking attempts, temporarily lowering temperatures to -165 degrees Celsius.

The new Ryzen processors will hit the market soon. Sales start in August with the Ryzen 5 9600X and the Ryzen 7 9700X. A week later, the Ryzen 9 9900X and the aforementioned Ryzen 9 9950X will follow. The computer processors were originally scheduled for an earlier release but had to be delayed due to a typographical error.

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nVidia & Snowflake cooperation for AI models from cloud

nVidia and Snowflake announce cooperation for generative AI models from the cloud.

The US graphics card manufacturer nVidia and the US software company Snowflake have announced a cooperation. They want to offer companies generative AI from the cloud.

Image: Artificial Intelligence, AI (Inteligencia artificial), via: pixabay, by: geralt.
Image: Artificial Intelligence, AI (Inteligencia artificial), via: pixabay, by: geralt.

The nVidia Corp. and Snowflake Inc. announced at the Snowflake Summit 2023 that they have entered into a partnership.

The goal of the agreement: Providing companies to build generative AI applications using their own data within the Snowflake Data Cloud. Snowflake along with Nvidia enables enterprises to use data in their Snowflake account clouds. So they can build advanced generative AI service. This includs chatbots.

“Data is the foundation for building generative AI applications that understand the complexities and unique voice of each businesss” said Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of Nvidia.

“nVidia and Snowflake will create an AI factory that will help companies transform their own valuable data into custom generative AI models to build breakthrough new applications. Right from the cloud platform they can run their businesses” added Jensen Huang.

Expanding AI capabilities in Data Cloud enables these customers to build generative AI applications, just where the data they manage already resides. This will reduce costs and latency.

The Snowflake Data Cloud has more than 8,000 customers. In Future it will offer the companies the ability to unify, integrate, analyze and share data within their organizatio, customers, partners, suppliers.

Snowflake’s unified platform offers industry-specific data clouds. Advertising, media and entertainment, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing, retail and consumer goods, technology and telecom are included.

Snowflake also recently launched the Government and Education Data Cloud to enable data-driven decision-making for the public sector.

Snowflake plans to host and operate NeMo. NeMo is nVidia’s cloud-native enterprise platform for building, customizing and deploying generative AI models, on the data cloud.

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Competition for SSD

Competition for SSD: 1.4 petabytes of data on future magnetic tape

Tape storage technology seemed to be falling short of expectations recently. Now it looks like it’s catching up again – thanks to a new material.

Linear Tape Open (LTO) first appeared on the market in 2000. At that time, the storage media that recorded data as encoded tracks on magnetic tape still had a capacity of 200 gigabytes.

The tapes have now reached their ninth generation and are currently able to record data volumes of 18 terabytes (uncompressed). The technology is a cost-effective way, especially for companies, to preserve critical data reliably and durably.

Image: Data Storage, Free Stock Picture, MorgueFile.com.
Image: Data Storage, Free Stock Picture, MorgueFile.com.

LTO09 still fell short of expectations

But what sounds like an incredible amount of storage space was initially a disappointment. LTO09 was originally supposed to offer 24 terabytes of space, but could not meet these expectations.

According to a new roadmap presented by the developers IBM, HPE and Quantum at the beginning of September, it should be possible to store a whopping 1,440 terabytes (1.4 petabytes) from the 14th generation, which is expected to appear in 2033/34.

Magnetic storage tapes: New material creates new possibilities

According to Heise Online , this is made possible by coating the magnetic tapes with strontium ferrite (SrFe) instead of barium ferrite (BaFe), which has been used up until now. The first prototypes have already been developed and tested by Fujifilm. The new material is to be used from LTO13.

In contrast to SSD hard drives, whose maximum capacity is currently around 100 terabytes, LTO is also significantly cheaper. While the most expensive SSD medium with a price of 40,000 US dollars causes costs of 2.5 dollars per gigabyte, LTO are only 0.01 dollars per gigabyte.

According to Sam Werner, IBM vice president of storage product management, LTO “provides organizations with a sustainable, reliable and cost-effective solution to protect and store their critical business data.”

Business, Comes Next, Computer Chips, Gaming, Streaming, TechNews

Nvidia GeForce Now adds mobile touch controls to a new collection of games

Nvidia has expanded the list of titles available on its cloud gaming platform that work with touch controls.

GeForce Now has already offered some onscreen controls for mobile gamers – notably for Fortnite and Genshin Impact. This list is now expanding to include a number of games that work without a joypad on phones and tablets.

These include Trine 2, Slay the Spire, and Dota Underlords. There are also some games that only work with touch controls on the tablet, including Shadowrun Returns, Talisman: Digital Edition, and Magic: The Gathering Arena.

Image: Video Game, Free Stock Picture, MorgueFile.com.
Image: Video Game, Free Stock Picture, MorgueFile.com.

The full list of touch-enabled games:

Mobile and tablet

  • Dota Underlords (Steam)
  • Fortnite (Epic Games)
  • Genshin Impact (HoYoverse)
  • Into the Breach (Steam und Epic Games)
  • Papers, Please (Steam)
  • Slay the Spire (Steam)
  • Tabletop Simulator (Steam)
  • Trine 2: Complete Story (Steam)

Tablet only

  • Bridge Constructor Portal (Steam)
  • Door Kickers (Steam)
  • Magic: The Gathering Arena (Wizards.com und Epic Games)
  • March of the Empires (Steam)
  • Monster Train (Steam)
  • Shadowrun Returns (Steam and Epic Games)
  • Talisman: Digital Edition (Steam)

Nvidia’s GeForce Now works with your own games purchased from various supported digital stores such as Steam and Epic Games Store. Some, like Fortnite, are free to play.

The GeForce Now app for Android also now has a new Mobile Touch Controls row where you can find supported games. The Android app now also includes Apaptive VSync support for select games to improve performance.