AfterDawn: News

Nvidia Tegra 3 is almost ready

During his GTC keynote speech, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang made it clear that the Tegra 3 mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC) was well on its way to being completed, even though devices using the Tegra 2 SoC have still not hit the market.

Early development of the Tegra 4 has already started, added Huang.



The CEO says the plan is to release a new ARM-based processor each year, meaning the Tegra 4 should hit in 2012.

While the timetable sounds nice, the real question will be whether Nvidia can stick to it. The original Tegra was not used in many devices, with the Microsoft Zune HD being the highest-profile device to equip the chip. The ill-fated Kin smartphones also used the SoC.

The dual-core Tegra 2 has been promised for many smartphones and devices, but so far none have hit the market. The Boxee Box, available for pre-order now, was supposed to use a Tegra 2 but the company switched to an Intel processor very late in the manufacturing process.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 22 Sep 2010 17:58

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• 5 comments

• biglo30

  I think these processors have a lot of potential but it doesn't seem like the phone manufacturer are noticing this. I could be wrong but only time will tell.
  

  22.9.2010 19:43 #1

• KillerBug

  I'm sure they have noticed. The problem?
  
  "Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang made it clear that the Tegra 3 mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC) was well on its way to being completed, even though devices using the Tegra 2 SoC have still not hit the market."
  
  The developers need a lot of time and work in order to adopt a whole new kind of processor...nVidia should have been working with the manufacturers about 4 years ago, but they didn't. So, the developers are not expected to scrabble to adopt this new chip, while nVidia is downselling their own chip by constantly reminding the public that the Tegra 2 will soon be obsolete. Now, if you were in charge of HTC, Motorola, etc...would you put millions into developing a Tegra 2 phone that will be obsolete by a week after launch day, or would you put the same money into developing a Tegra 3 phone that can hit the stores within days of the first Tegra 3 shipment?

  22.9.2010 22:38 #2

• Mr-Movies

  The cycle is way too fast, Killer is right, about the time you have apps ready for the new system it is obsolete. NVidia is running scared trying to recoup the market in any manner they can but making very poor decisions in the process. Time for a new CEO!
  

  23.9.2010 11:16 #3

• borhan9

  I am still going to watch this space i like Nvida as a graphic card accelerator however as a processor for phones still needs to be seen and tested. Why can't companies just stick to making one product why do they have to dabble with other products. Master what u have first.
  

  Edited by DVDBack23
  
  
  "the mediocre teacher tells. the good teacher explains. the superior teacher demonstrates. the great teacher inspires."- William Aruthur Ward

  24.9.2010 15:34 #4

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by borhan9: I am still going to watch this space i like Nvida as a graphic card accelerator however as a processor for phones still needs to be seen and tested. Why can't companies just stick to making one product why do they have to dabble with other products. Master what u have first. Their GPUs are not that great...they tend to burn up if you use them more than 2 years...then again, a 2 year old gaming card is downright ancient.

  24.9.2010 23:57 #5