Overview

From high-end feature phones to netbooks, digital TVs, printers and automotive-infotainment, the Cortex-A8 processor offers a proven high-performance solution with millions of units shipped annually. The processor features a high-performance, superscalar microarchitecture with targets ranging from 600MHz to 1GHz and above. It is binary compatible with the ARM926™, ARM1136™, and ARM1176™ processors, providing an option for migration from Classic ARM processors.

With the advent of hi-bandwidth wireless connectivity (3G) and larger screens in mobile devices, the Cortex-A8 reached mass production in 2008. The introduction of the Cortex-A8 coincided with the tremendous ramp in the volume of smartphone sales.

Applications

The Cortex-A8 is designed to meet the needs of markets requiring high performance with power-efficiency, often integrating web connectivity.

Key target markets include:

• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Set-top boxes
• Digital TVs
• Home networking
• Storage Networking (HDD, SSD)
• Printers

The Cortex-A8 processor was the first to use the ARMv7-A architecture. ARMv7 incorporated three key elements: the NEON™ single instruction multiple data (SIMD) unit, ARM TrustZone^® security extensions, and the Thumb-2 instruction set for reduced code size via a mix of 16-bit and 32-bit extensions. The Cortex-A8 implements the extended ISA in the first ever fully superscalar design from ARM. It has a full dual-issue pipeline, meaning the Cortex-A8 can simultaneously issue any two instructions that occur sequentially in the instructions stream whose arguments do not have unresolved dependencies.

The processor has a number of features which make it ideal for use in high-performance end products. A symmetric, superscalar pipeline allows for full dual-issue capability and high-frequency configurations. There is an advanced branch prediction unit with over 95% accuracy, and an integrated L2 cache provides optimal performance in demanding systems. The Cortex-A8 supports NEON technology, allowing it to take advantage of accelerated multimedia and DSP processing.

The ARM Cortex-A8 processor has the ability to scale in speed from 600MHz to greater than 1GHz, meeting the requirements for power-optimized mobile devices needing operation in less than 300mW and performance-optimized consumer applications.

Overview

The Cortex-A8 processor can be integrated into an SoC using a broad range of ARM technology including System IP, Physical IP, and development tools. An array of SoC and software design solutions and tools and services from the ARM Connected Community complement this technology. This provides ARM partners with a smooth path through the development, verification and production of fully functional, compelling devices while significantly reducing the time-to-market.

Graphics Processors

The Mali family of products combine to provide the complete graphics stack for all embedded graphics needs, enabling device manufacturers and content developers to deliver the highest quality, cutting-edge graphics solutions across the broadest range of consumer devices.

The Cortex-A8 is compatible with the Mali-400 mid-range processor, and the entire range of high-end graphics processors. The Mali-DP500 display processor and the Mali-V500 video processor are also compatible.

System IP

System IP components are essential for building complex system on chips and by utilizing them, developers can significantly reduce development and validation cycles, saving cost and reducing time-to-market.

Physical IP

ARM Physical IP platforms deliver process optimized IP, for best-in-class implementations of the Cortex-A8 processor at 40nm and below.

Development Tools for Cortex-A8

Cortex-A8 processors are fully supported by ARM DS-5 Development Studio as well as a wide range of third party tools, operating systems and EDA flows. DS-5 represents a comprehensive range of software tools to create, debug and optimize systems based on the Cortex-A8 processor.

It incorporates DS-5 Debugger, whose powerful and intuitive graphical environment enables fast debugging of bare-metal, Linux and Android native applications. DS-5 Debugger provides pre-defined configurations for Fixed Virtual Platforms (built on ARM Fast Models technology) and ARM Versatile Express boards, enabling early software development before silicon availability.

Included in DS-5 is a Cortex-A8 Fixed Virtual Platform, for bare-metal, kernel and user-space software development ahead of silicon availability.

In addition, Streamline Performance Analyzer simplifies the identification of hot spots in software and load balancing between cores and clusters with a brilliantly intuitive graphical display.

ARM Compiler 5 includes specific optimizations for the Cortex-8 processor, enabling code generation from the earliest stages of a project and is included in DS-5.

Support

ARM training courses and Active Assist on-site system-design advisory services enable licensees to integrate efficiently the Cortex-A8 processor into their design to realize maximum system performance with lowest risk and fastest time-to-market.

ARM Connected Community

Cortex-A8 related blogs, discussions, technical content

Documentation for Cortex-A device users

Cortex-A Series Programmer’s Guide

Documentation for Cortex-A8 Processor

Cortex-A8 Technical Reference Manual

Cortex-A8 FAQ

Software development tools for Cortex-A device users

ARM DS Development Tools

Third party tools

Find Cortex-A based processors

Find an ARM Partner

Architecture

ARMv7-A Architecture Reference Manual

ARMv8-A Architecture Reference Manual