mobile processor

A CPU chip designed for laptops, tablets, smartphones and other

portable devices. Mobile processors use lower voltages and are
designed to run cooler than the CPUs in desktop computers. They
typically have more "sleep modes" that enable sections of the chip to
be throttled down or turned off when not used. The most widely used
mobile processors are ARM chips. See ARM, Intel Atom, mobile
platform.
Today’s smartphones and tablets rely on processors to carry out their
every task, yet few people know how the technology works and where
it’s headed. Processors are an incredibly important factor in selecting
any type of computing device, including your smartphone. There is a lot
to learn when it comes to processors, so we’ll start with the basics:

What is a Mobile Processor?

Just as the name implies, a processor processes instructions in order to

carry out certain functions that make your device operate properly.
Processors are often described as the brain of computers, smartphones
and tablets because of the central role they play in the functioning of
your devices.

All of the different components that make up your computer’s

processor have to be condensed to fit in your smartphone, where they
exist as a mobile application processor, or a System-on-a-Chip(SoC).
These chipsets have to be particularly small in order to make room for
the much larger battery that supplies energy to the system. Mobile
application processors are found in many different mobile devices, such
as smartphones, tablets, eReaders, netbooks, navigational devices and
gaming systems.

Unlike computers that are plugged into a power supply, mobile devices
are used on-the-go to access multimedia content and to perform other
tasks that consume a lot of battery power. That’s why low power
consumption is such an important feature in smartphones and tablets
you use to play games, browse the Web and watch high-quality videos.
Samsung specifically uses ARM® cores in its processors because they
consume less energy and help preserve battery life. While companies
adapt their chipsets differently, ARM® gives each of them a high-
performance, low-power core to build on. In addition, Samsung uses its
own advanced low-power process to manufacture their chipsets,
making the Exynos line of mobile processors more power-efficient than
others.

To help you understand the inner workings of a mobile application

processor, we’ll go over the different elements within one: the CPU,
GPU and other sub-processors.

CPUs and the Speed of Your Smartphone

The CPU, or central processing unit, is responsible for most of the

functions on your smartphone, such as running the operating system
and relaying touch-screen input. Some CPUs work faster than others.
For example, a 500 MHz single-core processor handles certain
information significantly slower than the 1.2GHz dual-core processor
that you’ll find in the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Whether a processor is single-core, dual-core or multi-core depends on

how many CPU cores it has. Processors with multiple CPU cores make it
easier for a system to perform high-level functions simultaneously,
meaning you can multi-task on your smartphone without sacrificing
performance speed. Smartphones with multi-core CPUs allow you to
browse the Web faster, watch 3D content and run applications that use
advanced graphics – all while conserving battery life. Upcoming
advancements in processors will lead to a new generation of
smartphones that are faster and more powerful than ever.

How GPUs Affect What You See

In addition to a CPU, your mobile device’s processor has a GPU, or a

graphics processing unit. This element of the processor handles
graphical and visual data, so it’s responsible for displaying Web pages
and 3D graphics in games. Even if you aren’t gaming on your
smartphone, the GPU plays an important role in rendering the main
display of your phone. Without the GPU, navigating your main screen
would feel slower and the graphics would be less smooth.
There are also a number of sub-processors that handle other functions,
such as video recording and camera operation, although the number
and types of sub-processors vary across different systems. While the
technology can be complicated, even understanding the basics of how
mobile application processors work can help you make a more
educated decision the next time you’re choosing a new mobile device.