The slowdown in the tablet market growth is no secret. However, while entertainment products are declining, “productivity” tablets, particularly 2-in-1 and Android commercial tablets used for office and industry applications, are rapidly rising. According to IDC reports, sales of 2-in-1 commercial tablets doubled last year, reaching 17 million units, and are expected to grow further to 64 million units by 2020. The success of international giants like Microsoft’s Surface Pro 3 and iPad Pro shows that the direction of the tablet market has changed.
On April 14, Rockchip launched the RK3399, a new flagship processor chip. It can be applied in various fields including VR, game consoles, and tablets. A fierce transformation of tablets, characterized by differentiation, high performance, and strong targeting, is being propelled from the chip manufacturers in the supply chain.
Rockchip’s RK3399 has undergone a significant upgrade in its overall architecture. This processor features a dual Cortex-A72 big core + four Cortex-A53 small cores, utilizing a big.LITTLE architecture. The GPU employs the Mali-T860 image processor. The CPU shows substantial improvements in integer, floating-point, and memory optimization, boasting high performance and low power consumption. The Mali-T860 is the latest generation high-end image processor, with overall performance improved by 45% compared to the T628.
Rockchip’s RK3399 processor offers six major product advantages for 2-in-1, Android commercial tablets, and high-performance tablet terminal products:
1. Integrated dual USB 3.0 Type-C interfaces, with Type-C Display Port audio and video output.
2. MIPI/eDP interface, supporting 2560×1600 display and dual-screen display.
3. Built-in PCI-e interface supports high-speed Wi-Fi and storage expansion based on PCI-e.
4. Supports high-bandwidth LPDDR4.
5. Dual ISP pixel processing capability of up to 13MPix/s, supporting 3D imaging.
6. Compatible with operating systems such as Android and Linux.
Rockchip’s Global Vice President Chen Feng stated, “The new processor architecture and five major features of the new platform will accelerate the upgrade of tablet computers, VR, game consoles, and other terminal products. We will work with global partners to bring faster and cooler solutions to the consumer market.”
Analysts say that RK3399 processor solutions applied to commercial tablets and high-end tablets feature faster speeds and lower power consumption. Many new features such as dual USB 3.0 Type-C, dual ISP, PCI-e interfaces, and support for LPDDR4 memory are ahead of the current mainstream tablet products.
It is understood that USB 3.0 Type-C has a maximum transmission rate of up to 10Gbps, with bi-directional power support for reversible insertion. The PCI-e interface will also benefit the performance differentiation of terminal products. Support for high-bandwidth LPDDR4 memory has a significant impact on tablet performance and power consumption: LPDDR4 can deliver up to 3200MB/s dual data rates, supporting 16-bit dual channels (LPDDR3 only supports single channel), greatly enhancing tablet performance (high frequency, high bandwidth) while reducing power consumption (up to 40%). Additionally, compatibility with operating systems like Android and Linux, and support for MIPI/eDP dual-screen display features will bring more scalability and faster transmission capabilities to the business applications of 2-in-1 tablets.
“Compared to smartphones, the hardware innovation of tablets is slow; for example, technologies like USB Type-C and dual ISP have gradually become mainstream in smartphones, while commercial tablets with such interfaces are still rare. The Rockchip RK3399 processor will address many common pain points in the office, education, retail, medical, and industrial commercial tablet sectors.” Industry opinions on the RK3399 processor’s market prospects are very optimistic. 
Based on the powerful CPU and GPU of the RK3399, it provides direct direction and support for brand manufacturers in the supply chain’s differentiated tablet product strategies, positioning, and mass production. Higher performance and the application of new technologies allow tablet brand manufacturers more room to maneuver in commercial customized tablets, office tablets, and even high-performance entertainment tablets. The wind has changed; turning fast will allow flying further.
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