Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor first to use TSMC’s 28HPM advanced process technology

Citation

(2013), "Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor first to use TSMC’s 28HPM advanced process technology", Microelectronics International, Vol. 30 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/mi.2013.21830caa.009

Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor first to use TSMC’s 28HPM advanced process technology

Article Type: Industry news From: Microelectronics International, Volume 30, Issue 3

Snapdragon 800 processor on 28 nm HPM process delivers high performance and low power for mobile devices

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., will be the first company to produce working silicon on TSMC’s 28 nm HPM process technology. TSMC’s 28HPM is the first production process that can support 2 GHz+ application processors with low power consumption. The process is ideally suited for tablet and high-end smartphone applications.

The first 28HPM production device is a Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800 processor with quad core Krait 400 CPUs with speeds of up to 2.3 GHz per core, customised for low power consumption. It also is the first SoC to integrate a 4G LTE Advanced modem with Carrier Aggregation and Category 4 data speeds up to 150 Mbps. Compared to previous generations, Qualcomm Technologies has significantly improved overall power efficiency via reduced leakage and active power while substantially increasing speed in its Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors.

With its large speed and power range, TSMC’s 28HPM process is optimised for mobile computing applications. It also supports wide market applications from application processors, integrated application processors with multimode LTE-Advanced Qualcomm Gobi modems to cloud-computing networking applications. The process could support CPU speeds of 2-2.3 GHz with less than 750 mW of power consumption per core. Compared to TSMC’s 40LP, 28HPM devices are 2.5-2.7X faster, and cut active power in half.

“By utilizing TSMC’s 28HPM process, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors will deliver industry leading performance and outstanding battery life,” said Jim Lederer, executive vice president and general manager, Qualcomm Technologies. “In working closely with TSMC, we maximise the impact this process will have on bringing Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processors to tablet and high-end smartphone solutions, while continuing to find ways to align our business and strategic objectives that help to define the value of our partnership.”

“Qualcomm Technologies uses its world-class architecture and deep familiarity with 28 nm design to achieve breakthrough 2.3 GHz performance and power characteristics high-end smartphone users want today,” said Rick Cassidy, President, TSMC North America. “We are happy to see Qualcomm Technologies’ achievement in producing the first 28HPM device and congratulate them on their on-going mobile device leadership.”

www.tsmc.com