Galaxy Watch 4 : Serious Hardware Upgrades and Impressive Features
The all-new Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is here! This latest iteration of the popular smartwatch features some serious hardware upgrades, including a more powerful processor, richer displays, and expanded memory. But that’s not all – the Galaxy Watch 4 also boasts the first 5nm processor in a Galaxy Watch, which means it’s faster and more efficient than ever before. So if you’re looking for a top-of-the-line smartwatch that can keep up with your busy lifestyle, the Galaxy Watch 4 is definitely worth considering.
It All Started with Samsung’s 5nm Processor Exynos W920
On August 10 2021, it was an exciting time for Samsung. They made the official announcement to add the new Exynos W920 processor on all future Samsung wearables. The new processor integrates an LTE modem and is the first in the industry to be built with an advanced 5-nanometer (nm) extreme ultra-violet (EUV) process node, offering powerful yet efficient performance demanded by next-generation wearable devices.
The Exynos W920 5nm processor node is the first of it’s kind in the the wearable device market. Samsung also built the processor node jointly with Google. What does this mean for the future of smartwatches? It means that we can expect even more powerful and efficient devices that can keep up with our busy lifestyles.
The new processor is not only smaller and more power-efficient, but it also offers 20 percent faster CPU performance and 50 percent more RAM than its predecessor. Plus, its new GPU is ten times faster than the one found in the previous generation Galaxy Watch. This means that scrolling and multitasking on the Galaxy Watch will be smoother and more effortless than ever before.
What is the New 5nm Processor
In order to change to a new process, the way that a processor is manufactured must change. This typically means shrinking down the transistors so that more can be packed into a given area on silicon. The more transistors a processor has, the more calculations it can do, and thus the more powerful it can be.
The key in this break through technology is the use of ultraviolet light to embed the circuitry patterns into the silicon. This is how manufacturers can pack in more transistors by swapping out the larger transistors with a whole bunch of smaller transistors. This in turn can pack more transistors and boost performance.
To answer the Question as to why this important. To simply put, the wearable device to handle the day to day life of the user. It’s ability to make complex calculations with ease, helps to free up the user’s time. It becomes an extension of the users’ life, and in turn amplifies their productivity. The technology is only just discovered so there is plenty of room for improvements.
What Are the Benefits of Having the 5nm Chip in the Galaxy Watch 4?
When it comes to watches, one of the most important aspects is the processor. After all, a watch is only as good as how well it performs. With the Galaxy Watch line, Samsung has always been at the forefront of offering some of the best processors in the market. And with the latest Galaxy Watch series, they’ve outdone themselves yet again.
The Galaxy Watch Active series was the first to feature Samsung’s Exynos 9130 processor, which was followed by the Exynos 9230 in the Galaxy Watch Active (2018). But with the new Galaxy Watch, Samsung has taken things up a notch by featuring their all-new Exynos W920 processor, which is the first in the industry to be built on a advanced
The new processor is not only smaller and more power-efficient, but it also offers 20 percent faster CPU performance and 50 percent more RAM than its predecessor. Plus, its new GPU is ten times faster than the one found in the previous generation Galaxy Watch. This means that scrolling and multitasking on the Galaxy Watch will be smoother and more effortless than ever before.
But that’s not all. The Exynos W920 also features an LTE modem, which means that you’ll be able to stay connected even when you’re away from your phone. This is a game-changer for those who are always on the go and need to be accessible at all times.
Another great feature of the Exynos W920 is its support for eSIM. This means that you’ll be able to use your Galaxy Watch on any carrier, without having to worry about compatibility issues. This is a feature that’s been available on Apple Watch for some time now, and it’s great to see Samsung finally catch up.
Last but not least, the Exynos W920 is also equipped with an MFC (Multi-Function Codec), which allows it to support high-quality audio playback. This is great news for those who love to listen to music on their Galaxy Watch while they’re out and about.
All in all, the Exynos W920 is a massive upgrade over the previous generation processors, and it’s clear that Samsung is serious about making the Galaxy Watch a true flagship device.
How Long has the 5nm Chip Been in The Market For?
As far as I know since 2018. TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) has been shipping customer products since the second quarter of 2018, with commercial devices expected in 2019. Apple is one of TSMC’s major customers and is widely rumored to be using the company’s new process for this year’s iPhone lineup.
Samsung started production of its own EUV-based chips in the second half of 2018. The South Korean company is using the new process to produce DRAM, NAND flash memory, and application processors.
While it’s still early days for EUV lithography, the technology is already making a big impact in the semiconductor industry. And with both Samsung and TSMC ramping up production of their respective chips, it’s only a matter of time before we see EUV-based chips in commercial devices.
Is 5nm the Limit for a Wearable Processing Chip?
The processor in the new Galaxy Watch is not only smaller, but also more powerful. It’s the first wearable processing chip to be made on a five-nanometer scale. The benefits of this miniaturization are twofold.
- First, because the chip is so small, it requires less power to run. That means your watch will have better battery life.
- Second, the smaller size also allows for more processing power.
The new Galaxy Watch is 20 percent faster than its predecessor and has 50 percent more RAM. Plus, the new chip includes a ten-time faster GPU.
I know it sounds like I’m crystal ball gazing, but the fact of the matter is micro electronics tend to advance further every 2 years. A lot of many goes into the R&D budget to find the next new discovery. 5nm in future wearables wont be the limit. Maybe around 2024 a 3nm chip will be in a wearable device.
A 3nm processing chip is under development by Samsung, TSMC (Supply to Apple) and Intel since early 2020. Unsure at this stage if it will be made for a wearable device. However it most definitely be in the next generation smart phones in 2023 or 2024.
At this stage there is no indication on how much the transistor density can be increased by. But other numbers suggest that the 3nm chip can reduce power consumption up to 35%, and increase it’s clock speed by up to 20%. I would look forward to writing that article when that day arrives.
So there you have it, a brief history of the Exynos W920 processor and its journey to becoming the world’s first commercially available EUV-based chip. Stay tuned for more coverage on this topic in the coming weeks. Thanks for reading!
