Imagination Announces PowerVR Series7 Graphics, Likely Headed for Apple's 2015 iOS Devices

MacRumors · Nov 10, 2014

Imagination Technologies today announced the launch of its next-generation PowerVR Series7 graphics architecture, setting the stage for further improvements to the graphics used in Apple's iOS device lineup.

Series7XT and Series7XE GPUs achieve up to a 60% architectural performance increase on the latest industry standard benchmarks compared to equivalent configurations of previous generation PowerVR Series6XT/6XE GPUs, maintaining and extending PowerVR's reputation as the most efficient, highest performance, lowest power GPU.

Of most interest to Apple users is the Series7XT family, which will be the successor to the Series6XT graphics used in Apple's latest A8-series chips. The new Series7XT family ranges from two to 16 shading clusters offering up to 512 cores of graphics processing power, giving developers the ability to include "console-quality effects" such as HDR and 4K rendering in their mobile apps.

- PowerVR GT7200: 2 shading clusters, 64 ALU cores
- PowerVR GT7400: 4 shading clusters, 128 ALU cores
- PowerVR GT7600: 6 shading clusters, 192 ALU cores
- PowerVR GT7800: 8 shading clusters, 256 ALU cores
- PowerVR GT7900: 16 shading clusters, 512 ALU cores

Apple currently uses quad-core GX6450 graphics in its A8 chip for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and more powerful six-core GX6650 graphics in the A8X chip found in the iPad Air 2.

Table adapted from AnandTech

PowerVR graphics architectures have typically taken on the order of 18 months from announcement of licensing to their appearance in products, but things moved much faster with the current Series6XT offerings. Those were announced in January at CES 2014 but made their way into Apple's A8 chip in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus just eight months later, suggesting the new Series7XT graphics could appear in next year's A9 chips from Apple.

Imagination and Apple have worked closely together over the years, with Apple being a key investor in the graphics firm as it raised its stake to roughly 10 percent in mid-2009.

Article Link: Imagination Announces PowerVR Series7 Graphics, Likely Headed for Apple's 2015 iOS Devices

chrmjenkins · Nov 10, 2014

They were seeing 40-60% improvements in some standard benchmarks for similar cluster and clock configurations. Safe to say it will be a healthy bump, but not a monumental improvement. A7 to A8 GPU situation is comparable.

TMRJIJ · Nov 10, 2014

My Body is Ready

vinny3101 · Nov 10, 2014

macduke · Nov 10, 2014

These new chips are going to be incredible later next year in the higher-resolution iPad Pro!

MacBjorn · Nov 10, 2014

Hopefully the chip will trickle down into the iPad Air too. It does sound like it's made for the iPad Pro, but one can hope* unless this one springs for a retina MBA instead.

*Hoping about non-existing :apple:

things.

rekhyt · Nov 10, 2014

MacBjorn said:
Hopefully the chip will trickle down into the iPad Air too. It does sound like it's made for the iPad Pro, but one can hope* unless this one springs for a retina MBA instead.

*Hoping about non-existing things.

If the rMBA 12" goes ARM and this, then

ArtOfWarfare · Nov 10, 2014

What do we need all this power for?

No matter how complicated I make my 3D games in Unity, I still can't get the slightest hickup out of my iPhone 4S (granted, the most busy scene I've tried so far only has 700 triangles in it, but still, my game is approaching completion, it's beautiful, and it runs smooth as silk.)

GFLPraxis · Nov 10, 2014

ArtOfWarfare said:
What do we need all this power for?

No matter how complicated I make my 3D games in Unity, I still can't get the slightest hickup out of my iPhone 4S (granted, the most busy scene I've tried so far only has 700 triangles in it, but still, my game is approaching completion, it's beautiful, and it runs smooth as silk.)

3X Retina?

MrX8503 · Nov 10, 2014

My iPhone 6 is already feeling outdated.

PhiLLoW · Nov 10, 2014

I would prefer more RAM and better wi fi signal.

Verita · Nov 10, 2014

MrX8503 said:
My iPhone 6 is already feeling outdated.

Just bend it and take it back to the store. Then use a landline for 10 months until the next iPhone comes out

the-msa · Nov 10, 2014

ArtOfWarfare said:
What do we need all this power for?

No matter how complicated I make my 3D games in Unity, I still can't get the slightest hickup out of my iPhone 4S (granted, the most busy scene I've tried so far only has 700 triangles in it, but still, my game is approaching completion, it's beautiful, and it runs smooth as silk.)

Well, 700 polygons will probably run smooth on a calculator too.

Also, the amount of polygons isn't related to how good your game looks.

kaellar · Nov 10, 2014

I'm so glad Apple doesn't forget about us gamers and uses the best possible options for both iOS devices and Macs. Oh wait..

mozumder · Nov 10, 2014

It's too late for 2015 devices - they're already done, and in testing right now.

Even 2016 devices is pushing it. ASICs generally take 2 years to design.

This is likely for 2017 devices.

lewisd25 · Nov 10, 2014

mozumder said:
It's too late for 2015 devices - they're already done, and in testing right now.

Even 2016 devices is pushing it. ASICs generally take 2 years to design.

This is likely for 2017 devices.

Thanks for the update, Jony.

mavere · Nov 10, 2014

mozumder said:
It's too late for 2015 devices - they're already done, and in testing right now.

Even 2016 devices is pushing it. ASICs generally take 2 years to design.

This is likely for 2017 devices.

...established IP companies don't generally drop new designs out of the blue and yell "Ready, set, GO!" They work closely with their biggest customers first.

Apple's A9/X team has likely been using a pre-final Series7XT design for a while now.

drewyboy · Nov 10, 2014

mozumder said:
It's too late for 2015 devices - they're already done, and in testing right now.

Even 2016 devices is pushing it. ASICs generally take 2 years to design.

This is likely for 2017 devices.

*sigh* You really need to learn to read all the way through the article. They stated the current PowerVR used in A8 was announced in January of 2014... 8 months from public announcement to Apple's announcement. They have even more time this time round.

Born Again · Nov 10, 2014

Put me down in the minority that never play games on my iPhone.

Sure I'll download them but they go untouched

:apple:

chrmjenkins · Nov 10, 2014

drewyboy said:
*sigh* You really need to learn to read all the way through the article. They stated the current PowerVR used in A8 was announced in January of 2014... 8 months from public announcement to Apple's announcement. They have even more time this time round.

Yeah. Based on ImgTec's comments, I think we can expect yearly architecture tweaks. Each new iPhone/iPad will have a new GPU that is different and more than just more clusters/cores or higher clock speed.

rGiskard · Nov 10, 2014

6S/6S Plus are going to rock.

My prediction:

A9 - remains dual core and gets another 50% boost in efficiency.
Camera: 16MP and a sensor/pixels sufficiently large to maintain current low light performance.
4K video @ 60fps
Full HD 240 fps slo-mo
Body: No more bendy 6 pluses.

Star of the show will be the camera.

Michael Goff · Nov 10, 2014

Can somebody compare this to the HD5300 found in the Core M chips?

Count Blah · Nov 10, 2014

rGiskard said:
6S/6S Plus are going to rock.

My prediction:

A9 - remains dual core and gets another 50% boost in efficiency.
Camera: 16MP and a sensor/pixels sufficiently large to maintain current low light performance.
4K video @ 60fps
Full HD 240 fps slo-mo
Body: No more bendy 6 pluses.

Star of the show will be the camera.

With 16Gigs of storage on the base model of course, so as to hold precious few pics, and force the $100 upgrade.

LordQ · Nov 10, 2014

And yet no one can make a decent StarFox-ish space shooter for iPad #

mozumder · Nov 10, 2014

drewyboy said:
*sigh* You really need to learn to read all the way through the article. They stated the current PowerVR used in A8 was announced in January of 2014... 8 months from public announcement to Apple's announcement. They have even more time this time round.

*sigh* I'd like to see confirmation that the Series6XT is even in the A8 chips. This would include feature testing for things in hardware. (and not just API-level emulation...)

Right now everything is speculative if the Series6XT is even in the A8 chips.

----------

mavere said:
...established IP companies don't generally drop new designs out of the blue and yell "Ready, set, GO!" They work closely with their biggest customers first.

Apple's A9/X team has likely been using a pre-final Series7XT design for a while now.

And they've been synthesizing with it at least a year ago.

But, this is going to piss off the other non-NDA ASIC vendors that Imagination Technologies is trying to sell into.

Imagination Announces PowerVR Series7 Graphics, Likely Headed for Apple's 2015 iOS Devices

macrumors bot

macrumors 603

macrumors 68040

macrumors member

macrumors G5

macrumors newbie

macrumors 65816

macrumors G3

macrumors 604

macrumors 68020

macrumors 6502

macrumors regular

macrumors 6502

macrumors 6502

macrumors 65816

macrumors 6502a

macrumors member

macrumors 65816

Suspended

macrumors 603

macrumors 68000

Suspended

macrumors 68040

Suspended

macrumors 65816

Our Staff