NXP i.MX 8, i.MX 8M, and i.MX 8X processors are barely available, but the company has already announced another member of their i.MX8 family with i.MX 8M Mini processors with one to four Cortex A53 application cores, one Cortex-M4F real-time core, 2D/ 3D graphics accelerator, and support for 1080p video playback and output.
Apart from the lack of 4K support, that looks about the same as i.MX 8, but there’s one important difference: the manufacturing process. i.MX 8M Mini processors are manufactured using 14LPC FinFET process technology allowing the Cortex A53 cores to reach 2.0 GHz, and the Cortex-M4F core can be clocked up to 400+ MHz. Some video interfaces have also been removed from the new processor such as embedded DisplayPort and HDMI 2.0a.
NXP i.MX 8M Mini key features:
- Application cores – One to four Arm Cortex-A53 cores up to 2GHz
- Real-time core – Arm Cortex-M4 at speeds of 400+MHz
- Memory – DDR3L, DDR4 and LPDDR4
- Video – Optional 1080p video encode and decode
- GPU – Optional 2D and 3D graphics
- Display and camera MIPI DSI/CSI interfaces
- Multi-channel audio and digital microphone inputs
- Peripherals – I2C, SAI, UART, SPI, SDIO, USB, PCIe, Gigabit Ethernet
- Low-power and standard DDR memory support
- Multiple pin-compatible product offerings
i.MX 8M Mini family will be used in any embedded consumer and industrial application with sampling starting in Q2 2018, and mass production schedule for Q1 2019. Some limited additional information may be found on the product page.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Looks great, too bad it will likely be over $50.
I am very happy for this info – the librem 5 will use this chip !
why use the gc7000 instead of the newer gc8000 gpu if they are going to be making new 14nm chips? Also why use cortex a53 instead of cortex a55? Why cortex m4 instead of cortex m33? What will the cortex m4 be used for?
@Dave
This is a die shrink, not a new chip.
hi cnx, will vivante gpu open source or binary blob?
@bombino
Maybe schedule would be tight for the i.MX 8M Mini, especially NXP is known to postpone product launches.
They’ll probably justu se the i.MX 8M (not mini).
@hex
That’s a 2019 part, so difficult to know. I’d assume there will be option to use either, provided they are still using Vivante GC7000Lite GPU in that new part (likely).
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
woops i just realized that. i really need to start reading the articles from now on 😛
im guessing all the other chips will be using the 2x nm process