5G Requires High Computing Density and High-Speed Connectivity
Samsung Electronics Adopts Xilinx Versal ACAP
Versal ACAP General Availability Beginning in Q4 of This Year


Xilinx announced on the 16th that Samsung Electronics has adopted Xilinx's 'Versal Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform (ACAP)' for global 5G commercialization.

The Versal ACAP, a highly integrated, multicore, and heterogeneous computing platform, provides a flexible and scalable single platform capable of addressing the diverse requirements of various telecommunications operators across multiple regions.

To increase network capacity, 5G requires beamforming technology that can transmit multiple data streams to multiple users using the same spectrum.

However, for beamforming technology to meet 5G's stringent low-latency requirements, high computing density and state-of-the-art high-speed connectivity features (on-chip and off-chip) are necessary.

Additionally, due to the need to implement varying functional partitioning requirements of different systems and diverse algorithms, broad processing performance and computing precision are required. Traditional FPGAs have struggled to meet these requirements while simultaneously satisfying thermal and system footprint constraints.

The Versal ACAP provides computing density capable of processing low-latency real-time signal processing performance required for beamforming algorithms with low power consumption.

The AI engines of the 'Versal AI Core' series, comprised of tile-based vector processors, provide high computing density and state-of-the-art connectivity features, and can be reprogrammed and reconfigured after deployment to implement required computational functions.

Jae-ho Jeon, Senior Vice President and Head of R&D at Samsung Electronics' Network Business Division, stated, "By implementing Xilinx's platform in Samsung solutions, we will enhance 5G performance and further strengthen our position in the global market."

Versal ACAP devices are currently being shipped to early-access customers, and general availability is scheduled to begin in Q4 2020.