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元器件交易网讯 2月21日消息，据台湾媒体Digitimes研究，ARM公司最新推出的Cortex- A17处理器是对Cortex- A12的修改后的版本，主要提升了它的big.LITTLE内核支持容量以及处理器子存储系统的效率，以满足客户需求。
电子时报研究称，除big.LITTLE内核外，Cortex- A12和Cortex- A17之间没有太大区别，如果不考虑big.LITTLE内核的配置，Cortex- A12已经足够使用了。
由于Cortex -A17是为联发科量身定制，因此其它Cortex -A12尚未获得内核修订权。也正因为如此，其他厂商仍将暂时维持原有的设计，继续使用A12，比如说瑞芯微的RK3288，但研究认为，所有Cortex- A12 CPU用户也将继Cortex -A17之后被授予许可修改内核。
A17的推出更多是一种市场策略，而不是技术上的革新，因为从包括客户需求、系统开发和设计等因素来看，32位系统在移动设备市场将继续占大多数份额。
A17已经开始发放授权，ARM也提供全套基于28nm工艺的POP IP方案，运行频率超过2.0GHz，推荐搭配图形核心则是最新一代的Mali-T720。
瑞芯微、联发科、瑞昱、威盛等等都将推出基于A17的处理器，事实上联发科的已经发布了：全球首款A17架构、首款八核LTE处理器MT6595。(元器件交易网郭路平 译)
外文：
Digitimes Research: Cortex-A17 launch aims to maintain ARM leading position in mid-range mobile CPU segment
ARM"s Cortex-A17processor is a slightly revised version of Cortex-A12 with the modifications focusing on the improvements of the support capacity of its big.LITTLE cores as well as the efficiency of the processor"s sub-memory system in order to meet customer demand, according to Digitimes Research.
Excluding the big.LITTLEcores, there are no major difference between Cortex-A12 and Cortex-A17, and so a Cortex-A12 will be sufficient if there are no concerns for the configuration of big.LITTLE cores, said Digitimes Research.
Since the Cortex-A17 is tailor-made for MediaTek, other Cortex-A12 licensees have not been granted the revised core in the first place. For instance, Rockchip Electronics" RK3288SoC will maintain its original design with a Cortex-A12 core. But Digitimes Research believes that all Cortex-A12 users will be also granted the licenses for the Cortex-A17 later.
The Cortex-A17 is more of a marketing gimmick than a genuine innovation of a new architecture since 32-bit systems will continue to account for a majority share in the mobile device market, judging from factors including customer demand, system development and design-in process.
At a time when the industry is migrating to the 64-bit technology, ARM has to continue to offer a high efficient architecture at affordable cost in order to maintain its market leadership in the 32-bit CPU segment, commented Digitimes Research.
