We’ve described Tegra 3’s unique architecture in a number of ways since its launch back in November 2011 – as variable symmetric multiprocessing, as having a “companion core” or as wielding a “ninja core“.
Today, we’re officially calling it the 4-PLUS-1 quad-core architecture and trademarking the name.
The reason is that, the more popular this technology became, the more our customers wanted a name for it that’s unique and descriptive. A name they could put on a box or a store sign that immediately represents its value.
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| The Tegra 3 processor’s 4-PLUS-1 quad-core architecture, visualized |
What this revolutionary architecture does is simple: It provides both exceptional processing power and great battery life. It does this by using four powerful CPU cores to handle demanding tasks, such as gaming, and a fifth low-power, battery-saver core to manage less strenuous tasks – like processing e-mail or operating in standby mode.
Don’t be surprised to see it turning up more and more in devices at next week’s Mobile World Congress and beyond.
And while Prince Rogers Nelson initially changed his stage name to Prince and then to TAFKAP (the Artist Formerly Known as Prince) when he took up a symbol combining elements of male and female symbology, 4-PLUS-1 is here to stay.
You can learn more about it in our whitepaper on the technology, which has just been updated.
Tagged: 4+1, 4-plus-1, battery saver, companion, core, mwc, mwc12, ninja, quad-core, quadcore, Tegra, Tegra 3, variable smp, vsmp
