What is SOC (System on a chip)? What is a Mobile processor?

What is SOC (System on a chip)? What is a Mobile processor?

Introduction

In this article we would be discussing about a processor and SOC. Both play a very important role in our smartphone. If your smartphone does not have a good SOC or a good processor, then your phone is almost useless.

1. What is SOC (system on chip)?
2. What are the components inside SOC?

   

   System on Chip (SOC)

What is SOC (system on chip)?

On a chip, there are various components which are responsible for different tasks. We will now be discussing about those components inside SOC in detail.

1. CPU (Central Processing Unit) --

CPU is also know as processor. It is the brain of SOC.

In the apps, the android code runs by the CPU. CPU is divided into number of cores. That core helps to improve the performance and battery management.

2. GPU (Graphics processing unit) –

It manages all the graphics works, for example:whether you play 2D games or 3D games, all the graphics of the game is managed by GPU.

If you want to play high intensive games with no graphics lag, then, you need a good GPU in your smartphone's SOC.

3. ISP (Image signal processing unit) –

It means when you click a picture, then image sensor gives digital information to the ISP.

The remaining tasks like, noise reduction, sharpening of the image, looking good of a picture, beauty mode, night mode to bright the picture, etc, all these post processing works are done by ISP.

For good looking photos good ISP is very important.

4. DSP (Digital Signal Processor)-

It is like CPU only, but it works at that time when more mathematical calculation work is to be done like calculating gyroscope data. To calculate gyroscope data, more calculation work is need to be done.

Read more: Smart phone battery care tips, tricks and myths.

5. NPU (Neural processing unit)-

AI (Artificial Intelligence) works, are performed by NPU.

Let us take an example:

When you take a picture of a flower, then through AI, smartphones get to know that, it is the picture of a flower.

In some of the camera applications, there is feature of 'age calculator' that is done by NPU.

6. Video E/D( video encoder/decoder) –

The video files are stored in digital format and when we watch a video video E/D converts the digital file to video format.

It helps in converting format. And also helps in decoding of video file.

7. Modem –

The wireless signal which is  received by our smartphone is converted into data by the help of modem.

It convert signal to data and vice versa.

There are many types of modems, like 4G, 5G,  Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.

The rate at which smartphone sends or receives the signals, depends upon the modem. 5G modem is faster than 4G modem.

What is a mobile processor(CPU)?

In simple language,we can understand it, by its name.

Processor means a device that helps to process the tasks.

The task you perform in your smartphone like, playing games, clicking pictures, watching videos, installing different types of applications, multitasking, all works are handled by the mobile processor.

Let me explain this through an example.

If you compare your smartphone with a car, then, phone’s processor can be compared with the car's engine.             

We all know that a car’s engine is the most important part of the car. And we also know that if a car’s engine is excellent, then the car will run smoothly, without any problem.

Similarly, if mobile's processor is new, with good architecture, and latest features, then the phone will run smoothly and fast.

What is a core in a processor?

In simple language, core is a unit of the processor, which works similar as a processor.

Processor's Core

What is the work of cores in a processor?

Let's learn with an example.

A task takes 8 hours to complete. Now you have called one of your friend to help you. Then, I am sure you both will be able to finish the work in 4 hours.

Now imagine, you have called 6 more friends. Then together you all can finish the work in 1 hour.

So, you can compare cores, with you and your friends. More the number of people are present,faster will be the task completed.

Similarly if there are more number of cores in a processor, it will be able to perform the task faster.

Any given task is distributed in the different cores which helps to perform the task faster and in less time.

If there are more numbers of cores in a processor then, less heat is produced.

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What is fabrication technology in a processor?

Snapdragon 845 is based on 10 nm (nano-meter) fabrication technology.

Snapdragon 660 is based on 14 nm fabrication technology and Apple Bionic A12 is based on 7 nm fabrication technology.

Before making the processor, its architecture is designed first.

In a processor millions of transistors are used and the size of transistor is measured in nm (nano-meter).

If any processor is based on 10 nm fabrication technology, then it means that the transistor that is used in that processor is of the size 10 nm.

Smaller sized transistors are more powerful. It will use less battery power to perform the task. And it will be considered as a better processor.

What is the Architecture of the processor?

In 95% mobile processors there is architecture of ARM.

ARM processors are sold with license and they allow modification in there terms of service.

Mobile manufacturing companies design the modification of processor's architecture in their own ways.

Some of the designs are- 

cortex A5, cortex A11, cortex A53, cortex A59 etc.

Many more designs will launch in the future.

These things may be confusing to you, but in simple language, greater the number better will be the processor.

For example: cortex A53 is a better processor than cortex A11 and cortex A59 is better processor than cortex A53.

What is clock speed or frequency?

Clock speed is measured in GHZ

There is a clock attached with the processor which counts that, how many tasks are performed by the processor in a single second.

If the processor is of 1 GHZ, which means it works 10 crore times in a second.

Higher speed processors are considered as the best processors.

List of popular mobile processors are as follows:-

1. Snapdragon by Qualcomm
2. Apple Bionic by Apple
3. Hisilicon Kirin by Huawei
4. Mediatek helio
5. Samsung Exynos by Samsung
6. Tegra by NVIDIA
7. Atom by Intel 

Conclusion

In the above article, I have tried to explain about SOC and processor in as much simple language as I could. I hope you like it. And I think it will help you next time in buying a new smartphone.

It will also help you to compare the SOCs and select the best SOC and processor for your new phone.

If you want to know about smart phone rooting, then please read the article on smartphone rooting.

Thanks for reading.   :)