What's the difference between mobile and embedded processors?
- Thread starter ashay007
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getochkn
Polypheme
- Jul 2, 2006
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A mobile processor is usually designed to work with very low power states, to increase battery life. Embedded processors are soldered directly to the motherboard, so they cannot be taken out or swapped. A Mobile processor can be embedded or come in a socket form.
gamerk316
Glorious
- Jul 8, 2008
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Not always true. It basically comes down to requirements for the device in question. Nowadays, mobile processors are significantly more powerful and complex then you'll find in most embedded devices. There's a reason why Motorola 68000k's are still produced, and Zilog Z80's, and various PowerPC Chips. You wouldn't put any type of mobile CPU into a Ti-83 calculator, for instance.
getochkn
Polypheme
- Jul 2, 2006
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http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_i7/Intel-Core%20i7-6920HQ%20Mobile%20processor.html
That is an I7, skylake processor. It is a BGA array, meaning it's soldered to the motherboard, and to me anyways, that means embedded, and is no way a slouch of a CPU. You can buy tablets that have I7's in them, and they are considered embedded, but again no way a TI-83.
wildfire707
Distinguished
- Dec 29, 2011
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The difference between the two is that embedded processors (for toasters, washing machines, etc) are designed for long production runs with low heat output (to make for many years and not burn up). Embedded processors are usually manufactured for at least 5 years.
Mobile processors are designed for efficiency and performance (so they don't burn you or them up in cell phones and tablets). They are not meant to be manufactured for very long (usually 2 to 3 years).
Laptop gaming is another thing. Usually a gaming laptop will have an x86 based processor and a dedicated graphics chip. Decent gaming rigs usually have an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 840m or 940m graphics card to be entry level gaming systems.
Mobile processors are designed for efficiency and performance (so they don't burn you or them up in cell phones and tablets). They are not meant to be manufactured for very long (usually 2 to 3 years).
Laptop gaming is another thing. Usually a gaming laptop will have an x86 based processor and a dedicated graphics chip. Decent gaming rigs usually have an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 840m or 940m graphics card to be entry level gaming systems.
jaguarskx
Titan
- Apr 19, 2006
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Let's narrow down the scope to CPUs used in laptop.
Mobile CPUs are basically desktop CPU with lower power consumption. They are designed to use less power and in turn are not as powerful as desktop CPUs. They have lower clockspeeds than desktop CPUs which helps cut down on power consumption. They also have less transistors compared to desktop PC which also cuts down on power consumption. The reduced number of transistors means some features are not as robust compared to desktop CPUs.
Mobile CPUs can be either socketed CPUs or embedded CPUs. Socketed CPUs means that you can physically remove the CPU from the laptop's motherboard after you remove the heat sink. Embedded CPUs are soldered directly into the motherboard and if you want to remove you will de-solder the hundreds of pins that connect the embedded CPU to the motherboard on top of removing the heat sink. You need specialized equipment to solder / de-solder a CPU into the motherboard. If two or more CPU ins become connected together from sloppy soldering, then that would short circuit CPU when the laptop is turned on. That could produce errors or cause permanent electrical damage to the CPU.
If you see that a mobile CPU has a socket type that has "BGA", then that means that CPU has to be embedded (soldered) into the motherboard. This applies to both AMD APUs and Intel CPUs. Over the past couple of years the trend for mobile CPUs have been moving away from socketed CPUs to embedded CPUs.
Mobile CPUs are basically desktop CPU with lower power consumption. They are designed to use less power and in turn are not as powerful as desktop CPUs. They have lower clockspeeds than desktop CPUs which helps cut down on power consumption. They also have less transistors compared to desktop PC which also cuts down on power consumption. The reduced number of transistors means some features are not as robust compared to desktop CPUs.
Mobile CPUs can be either socketed CPUs or embedded CPUs. Socketed CPUs means that you can physically remove the CPU from the laptop's motherboard after you remove the heat sink. Embedded CPUs are soldered directly into the motherboard and if you want to remove you will de-solder the hundreds of pins that connect the embedded CPU to the motherboard on top of removing the heat sink. You need specialized equipment to solder / de-solder a CPU into the motherboard. If two or more CPU ins become connected together from sloppy soldering, then that would short circuit CPU when the laptop is turned on. That could produce errors or cause permanent electrical damage to the CPU.
If you see that a mobile CPU has a socket type that has "BGA", then that means that CPU has to be embedded (soldered) into the motherboard. This applies to both AMD APUs and Intel CPUs. Over the past couple of years the trend for mobile CPUs have been moving away from socketed CPUs to embedded CPUs.
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