dual-core

HTC One S with S3 chip being offered in select European, Asian markets

HTC has confirmed with The Verge that it is using a lower-powered Snapdragon S3 chipset for the HTC One S in select European and Asian markets. Thanks to an unusually high demand for the Snapdragon S4 processor, HTC has instead opted for Qualcomm's S3 CPU in some instances. … Read more

Qualcomm reminds us that dual-core Windows Phone 8 is coming

Windows phones will finally be able to support more than one processor when the next version of Microsoft's mobile operating system hits, Qualcomm suggested Wednesday at Computex.

With Android phones already making the jump to quad-core it seems to be almost a throwback to the dawn of smartphones that Windows Phone 7 devices are still single core.

Generally, dual-core devices perform better than those with only one processor core -- as Microsoft and Intel know well in the Windows laptop world -- so it would be logical for Redmond to finally offer support for more processors in the Windows … Read more

Qualcomm: We're ready for quad-core 'ARM' race

Qualcomm is ready to take on all comers in the smartphone and tablet performance race, a company executive told CNET.

The company's newest Snapdragon S4 chip has appeared most prominently in the U.S. version of the HTC One X smartphone. And performance reviews have been positive.

But Qualcomm has yet to bring out a quad-core version like its silicon rivals Nvidia and Samsung. This recently got some attention when HTC announced a quad-core variant of its One X in Europe and a dual-core version in the U.S. -- the latter based on the Snapdragon S4.

Qualcomm claims … Read more

Leaked specs confirm dual-core CPU for Verizon's Galaxy S III

A leaked user agent profile has seemingly confirmed rumors that at least one U.S. version of the expected Galaxy S III will feature a dual-core processor.

According to details picked up by Pocketnow, Verizon's model (SCH-i535) will include the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chipset. Much like HTC has done with the One X on AT&T, the smartphone will forgo the quad-core CPU in order to integrate 4G LTE support.

Though some users may cry foul at the switch, I suggest waiting before complaining. Considering how positive the initial reviews are for the HTC One X, I suspect … Read more

So the HTC One X doesn't have quad-core. So what?

Today, CNET and other U.S. mobile reviewers got a chance to gush over AT&T's HTC One X superphone powerhouse. It boasts a stunning 4.7-inch display, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and 4G LTE muscle. But the spec that's tripping up many is the processor: a dual-core Qualcomm chip in the U.S. instead of a quad-core Nvidia chip abroad.

On the surface of things, the change within seems like a step down for poor U.S. customers. After all, four cores (and Nvidia's fifth, "power-saving core") are better than two, right? Not necessarily.

The U.S. version for AT&T and for Sprint's forthcoming HTC Evo 4G LTE (the One X by another name) both use Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 processor, a dual-core chip that's a strong contender in its own right.… Read more

LG D1L could rival upcoming Samsung Galaxy S III

Though Samsung has yet to even release the phone, LG could be prepping a new flagship smartphone to rival Sammy's upcoming Samsung's Galaxy S III. According to a source close to Korea's Digital Daily, the LG D1L will offer comparable features and will make its debut in May.

The early specifications for the D1L aren't that remarkable when compared with other recent LG products like the Optimus 4X HD. It will bring a 4.7-inch, 1,280x720-pixel display, and a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor (the Galaxy S III also may have a 1280x720-pixel display, though Samsung could add a quad-core Exynos chip). Expected to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream and support 4G LTE, it's difficult to forecast why this particular model is a would-be killer. … Read more

7 myths about quad-core phones (Smartphones Unlocked)

Editors' note: This article originally posted on April 8, 2012, and was updated on December 19, 2012.

Open up your wallet today and there are no fewer than five smartphones you can buy running on quad-core processors. Seven months ago, there was one, the HTC One X, and only if you bought the international version, which lacked the 4G LTE speeds coveted by U.S. phone-buyers.

After CES next month, expect the number of announced quad-core devices to double as the core war continues to heat up.

By summer, you may turn up your nose at perfectly fast devices running … Read more

Nvidia targeting dual-core phones that undercut iPhone 4S

Nvidia is eying a market for inexpensive dual-core smartphones that underprice the iPhone 4S by a wide margin.

That phone segment, which the graphics chipmaker calls the "1,000 RMB phone" in China, will use Nvidia's dual-core Tegra 2 processor paired with a 3G modem, according to Chief Executive Officer Jen-Hsun Huang, who spoke during the earnings conference call this afternoon. RMB refers to the Chinese currency.

RMB 1,000 is about 75 percent less than the price of an iPhone 4S, which currently retails for RMB 4,988 in China.

"That's a pretty exciting … Read more

Samsung's 2GHz chip to drive new tablet displays

Samsung is readying a 2GHz chip with amped up graphics, offering more evidence of a wave of high-resolution tablets to come.

The Exynos 5250 dual-core chip is based on the latest and greatest Cortex-A15 ARM design. And just in case you're not sure what kind of device the chip is targeted at, Samsung leaves no doubt. The 5250 is "designed specifically for high-end tablets," according to Samsung's press release.

But let's get the nuts and bolts out of the way first. It uses 32-nanometer "high-k metal gate" process technology (translation: smaller chip geometries … Read more