CES 2018 | Rockchip intros AI-optimized RK3399Pro processor

The Chinese chip maker based in Fuzhou has just joined the club of companies that make AI-enabled mobile chips, which includes big names like Qualcomm, Samsung, Apple, and Huawei. At first sight, the new RK3399Pro is only a minor improvement of the RK3399 processor that the company introduced back in 2016, but this is the brand's first SoC to combine a CPU, GPU, and an NPU (Neural Network Processing Unit).

Leaving aside the NPU, the basic specs and features of the new chip are the same as those of its predecessor: two Cortex-A72 cores, four Cortex-A53 cores, a quad-core Mali-T860 graphics adapter, 4K video decoding, dual Type-C connectivity, support for up to 13 MP cameras, Gigabit Ethernet, as well as 8-channel digital microphone array input. 

With a computing performance of up to 2.4 TOPs, the integrated NPU supports both 8-bit and 16-bit processing. According to Rockchip, this module has been designed for multiple applications, including smart vision and smart audio. Although this is not a chip aimed at smartphones or tablets, we can only hope that the RK3399-powered Asus Chromebook Flip C101 gets an update with the new processor as soon as possible. After all, the competition in the processor market is always good for the end user.