Samsung plans to develop self-developed mobile GPU: Own IP based on RDNA

Last year, Samsung unveiled the Exynos 2200, fabricated using a 4nm EUV process, featuring the Samsung Xclipse graphics processing unit based on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture, as well as Arm-based CPU cores and an upgraded NPU (neural processing unit). The chipset powers the Galaxy S22 series smartphones.

Although the Exynos 2200 did not achieve the success initially anticipated, it marked Samsung’s inaugural collaboration with AMD in the mobile sector. This partnership may propel Samsung towards the development of customized mobile GPUs, a strategy employed by industry behemoths like Apple and Qualcomm.

According to Twitter user @Tech_Reve, Samsung plans to collaborate with AMD to develop an IP based on the RDNA architecture, which may materialize in two to three years. Historically, Samsung has relied on Arm’s Mali GPU, a generic architecture, until the Exynos 2200 heralded a shift.

The Xclipse 920 integrated into the Exynos 2200 is primarily built on AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture. The GPU inherits advanced graphics features from the PC platform, including hardware-accelerated ray tracing and variable rate shading (VRS). This alliance marks the first-ever hardware-accelerated ray tracing in mobile GPUs. Samsung has previously characterized the Xclipse GPU as a unique hybrid graphics processor, with Xclipse representing a combination of Exynos’s “X” and the word “eclipse,” signifying the end of an era in mobile gaming and the commencement of an exhilarating new chapter.

Previous reports have indicated that Samsung is developing the Exynos 2300, featuring an upgraded Xclipse 930 GPU. Google’s Tensor G3, anticipated to be a modified version of the Exynos 2300, is expected to power this year’s flagship products, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.