British chip designer ARM on Tuesday launched its first 64-bit processors to power the next generation of smartphones and tablets and offer low-energy solutions for servers. ARM announced the Cortex-A50 processor series based upon the ARMv8 architecture. The series initially includes the Cortex-A53 and Cortex-A57 processors and introduces a new, energy-efficient 64-bit processing technology, as well as extending existing 32-bit processing. The scalability of the processor series enables ARM partners to create system-on-chips (SoCs) for smartphones through high-performance servers.

ARM claims that the new processors are delivering up to three times the performance of today's superphones. Both processors are compatible with the ARM 32-bit ecosystem and integral to the ARM 64-bit ecosystem.

The Cortex-A57 is ARM?s most advanced high-performance applications processor, while the Cortex-A53 is the most power-efficient ARM application processor. The Cortex-A53 is also the world?s smallest 64-bit processor. They can operate independently or be combined into an ARM big.LITTLE processor configuration, combining high performance with power efficiency. Both are supported by the ARM CoreLink 400 and new CoreLink 500 series system IP fabric solutions.

ARM partners can scale SoC platforms from single- and multi-core big.LITTLE mobile solutions to parallel enterprise solutions. The Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 processors will target multi-GHz performance on advanced CMOS and FinFET processes technologies, which is supported by early availability of ARM Artisan Physical IP and ARM POP IP for core-hardening acceleration.

Licensees of the new processor series include AMD, Broadcom, Calxeda, HiSilicon, Samsung and STMicroelectronics.

ARM Cortex-A50 processor series:

- Currently includes the Cortex-A57 and Cortex-A53 processors
- Optional cryptographic acceleration that can speed up authentication software up to x10
- Interoperability with ARM Mali graphics processor family for GPU compute applications
- Features AMBA system coherency to extend to many-core coherence with ARM CoreLink cache coherent fabric components, including the CCI-400 and CCN-504

ARM Cortex-A57 processor:

- High single-thread performance ARM application processor
- Delivers the performance required for smartphones as they continue to transition from content-consumption devices to content-creation devices, with up to three times that of today's superphones in the same power budget
- Provides computer performance comparable to a legacy PC, while operating in a mobile power budget
- Extended reliability and scalability features for high-performance enterprise applications

ARM Cortex-A53 processor:

- The most efficient ARM application processor ever, delivering today's superphone experience while using a quarter of the power
- Incorporates reliability features that enable scalable dataplane applications to maximize performance per mm2 and performance per mW - Optimized for throughput processing for modest per thread compute applications
- The Cortex-A53 processor combined with the Cortex-A57 and big.LITTLE processing technology will enable platforms with extreme performance range while radically reducing the energy consumption

ARM and members of the ARM Connected Community are collaborating to develop a robust 64-bit software ecosystem. The ARM Compiler and ARM Fast Models have supported the ARMv8 architecture since it was announced in October 2011, and are used by public launch licensees of the Cortex-A50 processor series. This functionality is now complemented with support for bare metal and Linux debug in the ARM Development Studio 5 (DS-5). In addition, open source operating systems, applications and third-party tools are already in development.

The ARM partnership is expected to ship Cortex-A50 series-based chips in 2014. ARMv8 open source operating system, toolchains and foundation models are now available at ARMv8-architecture.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc said on Monday it would start making ARM-based processors for servers as well as x86 architecture.

ARM Cortex-A57	ARM Cortex-A53
Smartphones are able to capture high quality video and photographs, so users want to edit and share this content, driving the need for further processing power delivered by the Cortex-57 processor.	Using ARM's big.LITTLE technology the Cortex-A53 processor will efficiently run your connected life. This connected life will not just be the social media, news and email updates that you receive today, but will also enable devices to be contextually aware and connect to the Internet of things.
A Cortex-57 processor-based smartphone can be wirelessly connected to a screen, keyboard and mouse to deliver a full laptop experience.	With the Cortex-53 processor 's efficiency it will allow your smartphone to use its sensor information, calendar, contact information and location-based services to provide relevant information.
This processor can deliver all the compute capability a typical consumer needs, from replacing your  gaming console to your laptop	This processor can deliver the compute power of today’s high-end smartphone, in lowest power and area footprint, enabling all-day battery life for typical device uses.
Runs legacy ARM 32-bit applications
The Cortex-A57 processor feature interoperability with ARM Mali family graphics processing units (GPUs) for GPU compute applications	Cortex-A53 features cache coherent interoperability with ARM Mali family graphics processing units (GPUs) for GPU compute applications
Optional reliability and scalability features for high-performance enterprise applications
The processor connects s to ARM interconnect with up to 16 core configurations with more in the future

 

Processor	Cortex-A57	Cortex-A53
Architecture	ARMv8
Interrupt Controller	Integrated GIC
L2 Cache Controller	Integrated w/ECC
I Cache	48k	8-64k
D Cache	32k	8-64k