ipad 3 dual-core or quad core?

[Milanno]

Quad-core processors are even more battry efficient than dual-core. Just look at the Asus Transformer Prime. If anything, Apple is even more inclined to make it quad-core.

My thoughts was opposite, I thought quad core is less battery efficient

Than there is serious chance for quad core?

 

[Uberchu]

Yeah. Remember, beta for iOS 5.1, as shown here iOS 5.1 Beta Hints At Quad-Core iPhone, iPad | PCWorld , has signs of quad-core devices. On top of that, a source from geek.com iPad 3 event on March 7 -- Retina display and quad-core A6? hints at a March 7 announcement and is confident of quad-core iPad.

 

[Milanno]

Yeah. Remember, beta for iOS 5.1, as shown here iOS 5.1 Beta Hints At Quad-Core iPhone, iPad | PCWorld , has signs of quad-core devices. On top of that, a source from geek.com iPad 3 event on March 7 -- Retina display and quad-core A6? hints at a March 7 announcement and is confident of quad-core iPad.

Those are great news!

Take a look on this comment:

Ummmm...dualcore could power a high resolution display...right? All you have to do is bump up the clock.Fact - The A5 is based on ARM Cortex A9...correct? That chip is capable of minimum speeds of 800mhz which is what Apple is using, likely to conserve battery power, up to a full 2Ghz.
So if you take a chip like the A5 and drop 2 more cores, yet you still going to run them at low clocks, then what is the benefit?
If Apple goes quad with the new phone, its just for the sake of making sure the new device is different from the last. Because the iPhone 4S isn't really different from the 4.
I mean Apple did it before right? Use the same CPU in 3 models and simply just bumped up the clock a bit. Why not do it now?

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[Seadog]

The latest reports supports a quad core, but only time will tell. One of the future chip sets reported to be in the works for future models, was essentially two processors. One for 90% of the tasks that do not need a lot of power, and another that kicks in for power needs.

 

[Milanno]

The latest reports supports a quad core, but only time will tell. One of the future chip sets reported to be in the works for future models, was essentially two processors. One for 90% of the tasks that do not need a lot of power, and another that kicks in for power needs.

I am not so well informed about processor architecture. But if there is possibility to make that kind of processor, that would bi ideal for device like iPad (that needs as much as possible energy efficient processor)

 

[Seadog]

The Cortex A7 is a new chip that is inexpensive to build, thus make for budget smart phones (less than $100) with performance probably equal to a iPhone 3G or 4.

perhaps the most important feature of the A7 is that it can be combined with much higher-power cores like the Cortex-A15 side-by-side on the same chip. This allows a super-phone or tablet to switch between two totally different processing units depending on how much power is needed at the time. ARM calls this "Big.LITTLE" computing," and a similar concept is already in use on NVIDIA's Tegra 3 (aka Kal-El) SoC, which we'll see imminently in the next Asus Transformer. However, the Tegra 3 uses five identical Cortex-A9 cores, whereas a device that mix-and-matches the A15 and A7 could potentially deliver higher highs and lower lows, giving you speed when you need it and amazing battery life when you don't

The Cortex A15 is suppose to come out sometime this year as a dual-core, followed by a quad-core, probably in 2013. The A15 is suppose to be a 5-fold improvement over the A-9.

 

[Milanno]

Amazing info! I like idea "Big.LITTLE" computing" very much, its ideal for portable devices like iPad.

 

[Seadog]

I do not know where the clock speeds was pulled from, but to my knowledge the A4 & A5 are clocked at 1Ghz. The A4 is single core, the A5 s dual core with an improved graphc processor. The A6 is going to be more efficient and powerful because it uses 28nm technology compare to the 45 nm A4 & A5. That is why they could stil bring out a dual core and have more power. Since ARM is linked to Apple, it is a sure bet that the iPad is always going to have the best chips first.

 

[Milanno]

I do not know where the clock speeds was pulled from, but to my knowledge the A4 & A5 are clocked at 1Ghz. The A4 is single core, the A5 s dual core with an improved graphc processor. The A6 is going to be more efficient and powerful because it uses 28nm technology compare to the 45 nm A4 & A5. That is why they could stil bring out a dual core and have more power. Since ARM is linked to Apple, it is a sure bet that the iPad is always going to have the best chips first.

As I know they were clocked @800 Mhz primarily because of energy consumption. Totally agreed on bold text!

 

[donka]

As I know they were clocked @800 Mhz primarily because of energy consumption. Totally agreed on bold text!

Did they not say the A5 is 1Ghz in iPad 2 and 800Mhz in iPhone 4s - by they, I mean the tear down sites as Apple doesn't officially disclose the real specs.

 

[exile]

I do not know where the clock speeds was pulled from, but to my knowledge the A4 & A5 are clocked at 1Ghz. The A4 is single core, the A5 s dual core with an improved graphc processor. The A6 is going to be more efficient and powerful because it uses 28nm technology compare to the 45 nm A4 & A5. That is why they could stil bring out a dual core and have more power. Since ARM is linked to Apple, it is a sure bet that the iPad is always going to have the best chips first.

+1

 

[lowlife]

Hoping for the quad core but would be happy with a 28nm architecture on the dual core, if it is in fact currently 45nm. I have an iPad 1 & 2 and see very little difference in day to day usage. More power results in little improvement on the main things people use the iPad for (gamers aside).

 

[MikesTooLz]

I really hope the iPad 3 will be quad-core. Seriously, the Android tablets will all have quad-core processors soon (looking at you, Asus Transformer Prime). If the iPad 3 doesn't have one, it'll be completely outclassed throughout the entire year of 2012 except for the screen, which will only be slightly better than the plastic Asus Transformer Prime.

I don't see why people just want more cores just because its got more cores does not automatically mean it will have better performance.
Suddenly everyone wants at least dual core processors and now pushing for quad-core no matter what impact it has on battery life and even if it means lower speed processor.

 

[Uberchu]

I don't see why people just want more cores just because its got more cores does not automatically mean it will have better performance.
Suddenly everyone wants at least dual core processors and now pushing for quad-core no matter what impact it has on battery life and even if it means lower speed processor.

We only have two processor options if we want the iPad 3 to remain competitive for the rest of 2012:

1. 2 Ghz Dual-Core Cortex-A15: This probably won't be out until Summer 2012. Not likely to be in iPad 3, although it would be one of the best option.
2. 1.4 Ghz Quad-Core Cortex-A9: Somewhat likely. It's already in the Asus Transformer Prime. However, the A5X processor that's been revealed casts doubt on this option.
3. Overclocked Dual-Core Cortex-A9: Likely, but it's the worst chip we can get.

A Cortex-A15 is pretty much impossible, leaving Option 2 and Option 3. Option 2 would be best, but the A5X processor seems to support Option 3. Although, if the iPad does go with Option 3, it will be completey outclassed by the Android and Windows 8 Tablets that are arriving.

Finally, more cores does generally mean better performance. Battery life improves if there is a fifth, low-powered core like in the Prime. The only dual-core that would beat a quad-core would be the Cortex-A15, but that's not out yet. So the best thing possible would be quad-core.

 

[donka]

We only have two processor options if we want the iPad 3 to remain competitive for the rest of 2012:

1. 2 Ghz Dual-Core Cortex-A15: This probably won't be out until Summer 2012. Not likely to be in iPad 3, although it would be one of the best option.
2. 1.4 Ghz Quad-Core Cortex-A9: Somewhat likely. It's already in the Asus Transformer Prime. However, the A5X processor that's been revealed casts doubt on this option.
3. Overclocked Dual-Core Cortex-A9: Likely, but it's the worst chip we can get.

A Cortex-A15 is pretty much impossible, leaving Option 2 and Option 3. Option 2 would be best, but the A5X processor seems to support Option 3. Although, if the iPad does go with Option 3, it will be completey outclassed by the Android and Windows 8 Tablets that are arriving.

Finally, more cores does generally mean better performance. Battery life improves if there is a fifth, low-powered core like in the Prime. The only dual-core that would beat a quad-core would be the Cortex-A15, but that's not out yet. So the best thing possible would be quad-core.

Four cores only means better performance IF the application being run is truly multi threaded, otherwise a single or dual core processor at a higher clock speed will out perform it. Personally I think the iPad 2 performs nicely - don't get me wrong, more power is always nice provided it is not at the expense of battery life. I would be looking for more RAM though as I have seen limitations with this on the iPad 2 with certain apps.