ARM Cortex-R8 processor supporting 5G speeds provides real-time response
Ultra-efficient ARM Cortex-A32 processor expands IoT portfolio

Not many people know that ARM, famous as a semiconductor IP company, is a leader not only in the mobile sector but also in the storage control sector.

ARM, which supplies CPU architectures to major HDD and SSD manufacturers, announced that the number of Cortex-R series processors provided for storage products has reached 14 billion.

Characterized by fast response, the Cortex-R is a processor optimized for high-performance real-time applications. It represents ARM's Cortex processor series, along with the Cortex-A, primarily used in smartphones, and the ultra-low-power, small-sized Cortex-M.

The Cortex-R8 announced by ARM is a processor that supports 5G speeds and is planned to be provided for next-generation LTE Advanced Pro, 5G-based mobile baseband standards, and high-capacity storage applications.

The reason the R series evolved to the R8 is simple. In the case of storage, this is because the average enterprise storage device capacity increased fourfold from 2015 to 2019, and the number of IO operations per second (IOPS) increased by 300% from SATA to PCI, so processing must also support this accordingly.

As a result, semiconductor design companies can double the performance of ARM-based modems and system-on-chips (SoCs) for high-capacity storage. The company explained that this real-time CPU supports satisfactory technology in terms of low latency, high performance, and power efficiency required by next-generation 5G modems and high-capacity storage devices. ARM expressed confidence that this processor will establish itself as a key element for communication in next-generation smartphones, tablets, connected cars, and IoT.

This processor is currently available for licensing and is scheduled to be produced in silicon within 2016. ARM stated that its silicon partners have already begun design work. The Cortex-R8-based SoC, designed to target the high-capacity storage market, is expected to be released within this year.

"The Cortex-R8, which is significantly faster than comparable products, is the only real-time processor for 5G, and reliability, scalability, and low latency are key features," said Jung Sung-hoon, a manager at ARM Korea ( pictured ).

Cortex-A32 Targeting Next-Generation Embedded, Equipped with TrustZone Security Technology

Along with the Cortex-R8 processor, ARM recently announced the ARM Cortex-A32 processor, targeting next-generation embedded products. The Cortex-A32 processor can provide the advantages of the ARMv8-A architecture to 32-bit embedded applications with limited power consumption.

The Cortex-A32 processor, equipped with ARM TrustZone security technology, was developed as the successor to the Cortex-A5 and Cortex-A7 processors. It provides more powerful performance and efficiency to enable silicon partners to implement richer and more secure embedded systems, and supports the various advantages of the ARMv8-A architecture.

The Cortex-A32, a 32-bit processor based on the ARMv8-A architecture, offers 25% higher efficiency than the Cortex-A7, the existing flagship ARM embedded 32-bit core, and provides higher performance with lower power. When running at 100 MHz on a 28nm process node, the total power consumed is less than 4mW.

The Cortex-A32 can be configured in various ways, ranging from single-core to quad-core. This allows for flexible performance configuration to support everything from the smallest and most efficient computing devices to IoT gateways and industrial computing devices.