Brand new Chromebooks powered by Mediatek’s ARM processors are on the way.
Back in January the chip maker revealed that it’s new Helio X10 chip already supports Chrome OS.
At the Computex 2015 trade-show, MediaTek detailed its progress, showing off a non-functional Chromebook that runs on the 64-bit MT8173 processor (Quad core, 2.4GHz) and features a USB Type-C port.
The 64-bit MediaTek MT8173 uses four Cortex A72 CPU cores to deliver great performance and multi-media handling (including 4K video) but without sacrificing battery life.
The MT8173 uses big.LITTLE architecture. It pairs two Cortex-A72 cores with a dual-core Cortex-A53 CPU. Less intensive tasks are handled by the power efficient A53 side, while demanding tasks shift to the performant A72 half.
According to attendees at the event, MediaTek expects Chromebooks using its chips to arrive in the second half of this year — a date that might lend credence to a recent report from Digitimes.
MediaTek processors are widely used in mobile devices and smartphones. Bringing its chips to Chromebooks will allow the company to expand its presence further and help OEMs to keep laptops prices low but performance high.
But claims are nothing new; the company has long teased a foray into the fast-growing world of Chromebooks.
With processors from rival company Rockchip now sat inside a slate of Chromebooks on store shelves across the US — and soon elsewhere — MediaTek may finally make good on its claims.