According to reports, MediaTek will most likely establish a strategic partnership with TSMC to manufacture two Helio X30 and Helio X35 processors based on the latest 10nm process. While the Helio X30 is dubbed to be the premium offering, the Helio X35 chipset forms part of the economy segment.
There are reports that the upcoming 10nm Helio X30 and Helio X35 series chipsets will likely enter volume production between the end of 2016 and before the end of Q1 2017. Meanwhile, MediaTek is gearing up to manufacture another set of 10nm processors specifically made for premium mid-range phones and tablets.
According to industry analysts, the company is considered to be among the first group of TSMC customers such as Apple to join the exclusive club of the 10nm manufacturing process.
Helio X30 ships with ten cores
The Helio X30 features an application processor that has no less than ten cores. The huge performance factor is handled by two Cortex-A73 cores with a max speed of 2.8GHz. In Helio X30 processor, four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 2.2GHz will play the role of backup. Moreover, four low-power Cortex A35 cores with max speeds of 2GHz are used for non-demanding, everyday usage tasks.
Helio X series processor will handle up to 8GB RAM
The new Helio X series processors provide support for up to 8GB RAM and are bundled with a quad-core PowerVR graphics unit. The processors are designed in such a way that it will have the capability to handle Google’s Daydream VR experience platform as well.
That being said, MediaTek is trying to unveil a premium offering to compete with rival Snapdragon and Exynos processors. MediaTek is under huge advantage here since people are scared to buy costly Samsung smartphones due to the risk of explosion.
Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone companies are keen to invest in low-cost alternatives rather than costly processors. It will help them to offer competitive performance without sacrificing performance. Moreover, the pricing will be aggressive and compelling to attract buyers.