MediaTek launches Helio A entry-level SoCs

The Helio SoC family from MediaTek is getting expanded with the A-series chips aimed at the ”mid-market”.  The new Helio A (Advanced) series is designed for the US$100+ handhelds, which makes it a direct contender for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 400 series.

The first member to be released with the Helio A-series is the A22 SoC, which is manufactured on TSMC’s 12 nm process. It only features four ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 2.0 GHz and supports either LPDDR3 memory running at 933 MHz or LPDDR4X running at 1.6 GHz. Other features include:
•    Imagination PowerVR GE8320 GPU
•    support for 13 + 8 MP camera setup or single 21 MP
•    1080p@30 fps H.264 decoding, dual sim
•    LTE cat 7/13 with 300 Mbps downloads and 150 Mbps uploads
•    LTE cat 4/4 sub-SKU for more affordable handsets
•    Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0
•    GNS location enhancements for increased position accuracy and lower power consumption

Additionally, MediaTek will provide drivers to support the Android NNAPI, so that the entry-level handhelds could run more demanding AI applications. The first device to integrate the Helio A22 SoC is Xiaomi’s Redmi 6A, which offers premium features usually seen in more expansive phones for the low price of US$110.

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