The first details about Nvidia Corp.’s fourth-generation Tegra application processor code-named Wayne have emerged on the web. The new product will be based on four ARM Cortex-A15 “Eagle” cores, new GeForce graphics processor, new memory controller as well as a number of other innovations. The new product will also retain fifth low-power core that is designed to run background programs when the devices are idle.

Nvidia Tegra “Wayne” will feature 4-plus-1 ARM Cortex-A15 general-purpose cores (four high-performance cores, one low-power core), brand new GeForce graphics engine (which will be six time more powerful than that of the Tegra 3) with 72 stream processors, new dual-channel memory controller with support for DDR3L, LPDDR2 and LPDDR3, according to a slide, which resembles those from Nvidia, published by ChipHell web-site. The new chip will also get new video and display engines that will support encoding/decoding of content in 2560*1440 resolution as well as output pictures and video in up to 4K resolution. Yet another innovation of Wayne will be new imaging engine, which will let shooting multiple high-resolution images per second, a feature that has been so far exclusive capability of Intel Corp.’s Atom Z2460 “Medfield” system-on-chip.

While Nvidia Tegra 4 “Wayne” is officially positioned for super-phones, tablets and clamshells,  many of its capabilities allow it to power high-end consumer electronics that require both processing power as well as advanced graphics performance and output to 4K display device using the latest HDMI 1.4b interface.

Nvidia will unleash its next-generation Tegra “Wayne” application processor and “Grey” system-on-chip with built-in modem and baseband at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, 2013. Both chips will be made using 28nm process technology optimized for low-power applications (28HPL) at TSMC.

Nvidia did not comment on specifications of the Tegra “Wayne” application processor.

Tags: Nvidia, Tegra, Wayne, Grey, 4G/LTE, 28nm, TSMC