Ever since the global chip shortage has begun, we are witnessing the top smartphone companies develop their own chipsets, Google was one of the earlier ones that developed its own Tensor chipset which is integrated into the Google Pixel 6 Series. Apple has always made its own chip and its latest offering was the A15 Bionic chip that is found in the iPhone 13 Series.
Oppo is the latest company to join this group as during its Oppo INNO Day 2021 event that was held earlier today, the 14th of December, 2021, the company unveiled a number of new technologies. However, the highlight of the event was its first self-developed NPU chip, the MariSilicon X.
The Chinese smartphone maker’s founder and CEO, Chen Mingyong, showcased the new first self-developed chipset. As per the official announcement, the new MariSilicon X NPU is an imaging-based chip that has been independently designed and developed by the company.
The senior executive stated that the chip was named after the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, the deepest point in the world. This name signifies the depth of Oppo’s “imagination” and innovation.
During the announcement, the Founder also added that tech giants need to develop core technologies to be prepared for any challenges that may arise in foreseeable future.
In other words, the MariSilicon X NPU is manufactured using the 6nm process from TSMC and seeks to improve the imaging performance of upcoming Oppo devices. The company further added that the new chip will be available in handsets starting from next year.
The MariSilicon X NPU will offer real-time AI computing to improve energy efficiency while also offering “industry-leading” ultra HDR capabilities. This chip would also enable lossless real-time RAW captures and maximize the RGBW sensor’s performance as well as offers extreme dynamic range via 20bit HDR.
Notably, Oppo has also officially announced that this new chip will be featured in the 2022 Oppo Find X Series, its next flagship series. This would mark the arrival of dual-chip technology.
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