ARM Cortex-A8

{{Short description|Processor core in computers}}

{{Infobox CPU

|name = ARM Cortex-A8

|image = Tolino shine - controller board - Freescale MCIMX507CVM8B-1996.jpg

|image_size =

|caption =

|produced-start = 2005

|produced-end =

|slowest = 0.6 GHz

|fastest = at least 1.0 GHz{{cite web|url=https://developer.arm.com/Processors/Cortex-A8|title=Cortex-A8|publisher=ARM Developer|access-date=January 3, 2023}}{{Additional citation needed|date=January 2023}}

|slow-unit =

|fast-unit =

|fsb-slowest =

|fsb-fastest =

|fsb-slow-unit =

|fsb-fast-unit =

|size-from =

|size-to =

|soldby =

|designfirm = ARM Holdings

|manuf1 = TSMC

|core1 =

|pack1 =

|brand1 =

|arch = ARMv7-A

|cpuid =

|code =

|numcores = 1

|l1cache = 32 KiB/32 KiB

|l2cache = 512 KiB

|l3cache =

|application =

|predecessor =

|successor =

}}

The ARM Cortex-A8 is a 32-bit processor core licensed by ARM Holdings implementing the ARMv7-A architecture.

Compared to the ARM11, the Cortex-A8 is a dual-issue superscalar design, achieving roughly twice the instructions per cycle. The Cortex-A8 was the first Cortex design to be adopted on a large scale in consumer devices.{{cite news | url=https://www.themobileindian.com/news/arm-cortex-the-force-that-drives-mobile-devices-7980 | title=ARM Cortex: The force that drives mobile devices | work=The Mobile Indian | date=April 26, 2013 | access-date=2023-07-30 | last=Gupta |first=Rahul}}

Features

{{Main|Comparison of ARMv7-A cores}}

Key features of the Cortex-A8 core are:

  • Frequency from 600 MHz to 1 GHz and above
  • Superscalar dual-issue microarchitecture
  • NEON SIMD instruction set extension [http://arm.com/products/processors/cortex-a/cortex-a8.php?tab=Specifications Cortex-A8 Specification Summary; ARM Holdings.]
  • 13-stage integer pipeline and 10-stage NEON pipeline {{citation|url=http://www.arm.com/files/pdf/A8_Paper.pdf |title=ARM Cortex A8: A High Performance Processor for Low Power Applications |first1=David |last1=Williamson |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101062932/http://www.arm.com/files/pdf/A8_Paper.pdf |archive-date=2015-01-01 }}
  • VFPv3 floating-point unit
  • Thumb-2 instruction set encoding
  • Jazelle RCT (also known as ThumbEE instruction set)
  • Advanced branch prediction unit with >95% accuracy
  • Integrated level 2 Cache (0–4 MiB)
  • 2.0 DMIPS/MHz

Chips

Several system-on-chips (SoC) have implemented the Cortex-A8 core, including:

  • Allwinner A1X
  • Apple A4
  • Freescale Semiconductor i.MX51 {{Cite web |url=http://www.freescale.com/files/training/doc/APF_CON_T0805_i.MX515.pdf |title=i.MX51 Applications Processor and Linux Hands on |access-date=2011-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119202439/http://www.freescale.com/files/training/doc/APF_CON_T0805_i.MX515.pdf |archive-date=2011-11-19 |url-status=dead }}
  • Rockchip RK2918, RK2906 {{Cite web|url=http://www.rock-chips.com/index.php?do=prodnew |title=RK29XX |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105004637/http://www.rock-chips.com/index.php?do=prodnew |archive-date=2011-11-05 }}
  • Samsung Exynos 3110
  • TI OMAP3
  • TI Sitara ARM Processors
  • Conexant CX92755 {{Cite web|url=http://www.conexant.com/servlets/DownloadNewsServlet/03282011-1.pdf |title=CX97255 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119093431/http://www.conexant.com/servlets/DownloadNewsServlet/03282011-1.pdf |archive-date=2012-11-19 }}

See also

References

{{Reflist|2}}