Chapter 10. Development Technologies and Trends

Colin Walls

How to Choose a CPU for Your System on Chip Design

There are several factors to consider when choosing a CPU for your next system on chip (SoC) design. If you consider that the CPU is to the SoC what an engine is to an automobile, you would not put a Volkswagen engine into a Hummer and expect it to perform. Similarly, a Ferrari engine would also be unsuitable in a Hummer. Although it may deliver similar horsepower to the Hummer engine, it would fail due to a lack of torque. Simple assessments of “horsepower” are just as misleading in CPU selection as they are in the automobile world. There is an optimal solution for the desired functionality. The same holds true for the CPU choice in an ...

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