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 Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2012 4:00 pm Post subject: Apple A5X Die Size Measured: 162.94mm^2, Likely Still 45nm |
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Contrary to what we thought yesterday based on visual estimation of the A5X die, Chipworks has (presumably) measured the actual die itself: 162.94mm^2. While the A5 was big, this is absolutely huge for a mobile SoC. The table below puts it in perspective.</p>
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<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="575">
<tbody>
<tr class="tgrey">
<td align="center" colspan="9">
CPU Specification Comparison</td>
</tr>
<tr class="tlblue">
<td width="120">
CPU</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle" width="85">
Manufacturing Process</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle" width="85">
Cores</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle" width="85">
Transistor Count</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle" width="85">
Die Size</td>
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<tr>
<td class="tlgrey">
Apple A5X</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
45nm?</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
2</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
?</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
163mm<sup>2</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tlgrey">
Apple A5</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
45nm</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
2</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
?</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
122mm<sup>2</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tlgrey">
Intel Sandy Bridge 4C</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
32nm</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
4</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
995M</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
216mm<sup>2</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tlgrey">
Intel Sandy Bridge 2C (GT1)</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
32nm</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
2</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
504M</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
131mm<sup>2</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tlgrey">
Intel Sandy Bridge 2C (GT2)</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
32nm</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
2</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
624M</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
149mm<sup>2</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tlgrey">
NVIDIA Tegra 3</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
40nm</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
4+1</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
?</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
~80mm<sup>2</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tlgrey">
NVIDIA Tegra 2</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
40nm</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
2</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
?</td>
<td align="center" valign="middle">
49mm<sup>2</sup></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
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</div>
<div>
The PowerVR SGX 543MP2 in Apple's A5 takes up just under 30% of the SoC's 122mm^2 die size, or around 36.6mm^2 just for the GPU. Double the number of GPU cores as Apple did with the A5X and you're looking at a final die size of around 160mm^2, which is exactly what Chipworks came up with in their measurement.</div>
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Note that this is around 2x the size of NVIDIA's Tegra 3. It's no surprise Apple's GPU is faster, it's spending a lot more money than NVIDIA to deliver that performance. From what I hear, NVIDIA's Wayne SoC will finally show what the GPU company is made of. The only issue is that when Wayne shows up, a Rogue based A6 is fairly likely. The mobile GPU wars are going to get very exciting in 2013.</div>
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<em>Image Courtesy iFixit</em></div>
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<em>Thanks to @anexanhume for the tip!</em></div>
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Source: AnandTech
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