As the new A33 is pin-compatible with the old A23 it is worth to read the Allwinner A23 Dual-Core SoC: record low component count for tablets providing Antutu up to 15,000, 60 days of standby, 8.5 hours of video playback or 60 hours of music playback time [this same blog, Oct 14, 2013] post as well (in order to understand the “record low component” advantage also inherent to A33). Then you should also understand The manufacturing side of the “Race to the Bottom” Ecosystem [this same blog, Sept 17, 2013] post explaining the device production advantages laying behind.
$4 Allwinner A33 Quad-core SoC now in full mass production at Factories and PCB design houses [ARMdevices.net, July 28, 2014]
Over this past week, I filmed at some of the factories and PCB design houses that are ramping up mass production of their new Allwinner A33 with Mali400MP2 based tablet designs, including
- Yifang (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUk0M-WGpUQ),
- Neostra (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK1LtswrlCQ),
- Aikun (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiXKA96odes),
- Storex (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhwTVExiNXA),
- ChipHD and
- iNet.
Allwinner sells the complete SoC at only $4, to that the PCB designs and factories add all the other components that make up a tablet, reaching prices below $33 for 7″ tablets with 1024×600 displays when bought in bulks of more than 5000 pieces (as you can see in the Neostra video). Allwinner positions their new A33 chipset as the new entry-level performance to be expected in the entry-level Android tablets to be sold worldwide. Not only improving the multi-core performance, Allwinner has also improved power consumption through optimizing the DDR RAM system, an advanced fabrication process, optimized DVFS technology, and a unique Talking Standby mode that allows extremely low power consumption during voice calls. Mali400MP2 GPU architecture. A33 is pin-compatible with A23 dual core, offers 1080p video playback and capture, Integrated MIPI DSI controller, up to 1280×800, SmartColor display technology and an Integrated Hi-Fi audio codec. You can read more at the official Allwinner press release: http://www.allwinnertech.com/plus/view.php?aid=407&bsh_bid=461510095
From the above indicated ODM manufacturing companies I will include here Neostra. The reason for that is that they are the OEM/ODM manufacturer arm of the leading local Chinese brand Onda (#2) as well (see the Onda [Dec 21, 2012] page on this site).
Neostra Factory Tour, making A80T Onda V989, launching A33 mass production [ARMdevices.net, July 28, 2014]
Tour at the Neostra Tablet factory in Shenzhen China. They are just now starting the mass production for perhaps the worlds most powerful tablet yet, the first Allwinner A80 Octa Core Quad ARM Cortex-A15 with Quad ARM Cortex-A7 tablet and PowerVR G6230 GPU, the Onda V989, manufactured right here starting this week being able to ramp up to make 1500 of them per day. Neostra is also just starting mass production of their Allwinner A33 quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 based tablets, making one really thin bezel and nice qHD 7″ priced $38 (in bulk of at least 1000 units) and they also are mass producing the Allwinner A33 based 7″ 1024×600 basic TN selling at $33 (in bulk of at least 1000 units). Neostra is making about 200-300K tablets per month, able to do more for the peak Christmas period.
DIGITIMES provided important information about YiFang [April 17, 2014]:
YiFang Digital has set up 22 automated production lines and sold tablets through large retail chains in the North America market with monthly shipments over 500,000 units.
Regarding Aikun in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiXKA96odes:
… 1.3 Million tablets per year [capacity of 300K per month], with an annual turnover of above $40 Million …
For Storex in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhwTVExiNXA:
… capacity of 150k pcs per month …
Allwinner A33, World’s First $4 Quad Core Tablet Processor, Now in Mass Production [Allwinner Technology, July 28, 2014]
After its announcement during Computex 2014, Allwinner A33 has now kicked off mass production in July. Quad-core tablets based on A33 are now available to end users worldwide in various resolutions and sizes (6.95″, 7″, 7.85″, etc), and also come with different functions (ATV, DTV, 2G, etc), priced from $30 to $60 [I will add: in bulk of at least 1000 units].
Targeted at the entry-level tablet market, A33 is a quad-core processor combining four power-efficient Cortex-A7 CPUs with the proven Mali400MP2 GPU architecture. A33 includes the following features:
- Pin-compatible with A23 dual core
- Four CortexTM-A7 CPUs and Mali400 MP2 GPU
- 1080p video playback and capture
- Integrated MIPI DSI controller, up to 1280×800
- SmartColor display technology
- Integrated Hi-Fi audio codec
- Ultra-low power consumption
Touted as the most cost-effective quad-core processor for tablets, A33 reference pricing (with companion PMIC) is expected to be only $4.
Unique SmartColor Display
Intraditional color adjustment algorithms without human skin protection function, the human skin is adjusted together with other areas of an image, which makesskin look over-saturated and unnatural.
SmartColor, unique to Allwinner processors, is a kind of image post-processing technology used to deliver more gorgeous and eye-pleasing visual effects by enhancing image saturation and providing skin tone protection.
Note:
Image 1: Original image
Image 2: Traditional algorithms processed, without skin protection function
Image 3: SmartColor processed, with skin protection functionRobust Video Playback, Outstanding FHD Compatibility
Video processing has always been a competitive edge of Allwinner processors. Allwinner A33 packs a new-generation video engine that supports 1080p@60fps video playback and capture.
Results from Antutu Video Tester, a tool released by Antutu to rapidly test the video process capability, show that tablets based on Allwinner A33 consistently rateat about 500 points (higher scores indicate better video process capability). In addition, A33 tablets get over 90% passing rates (more than 90% video formats listed can be processed), while main competitors can only decode about 40%.
Ultra Low Power Consumption: 300 hour standby
A33 achieves low power through a balanced combination of several features: ultra energy-efficient Cortex-A7 CPU cores, an advanced fabrication process, optimized DVFS technology, and a unique Talking Standby mode that allows extremely low power consumption during voice calls.
Test results indicate that the power consumption of tablets based on A33 quad-core is lower than its quad-core competitors, and even lower than most dual cores. When usinga 4000mAh battery, tablets based on A33 can standby for more than 300 hours, equivalent to 6.5 hours of local 1080p video playback.
Contact us
Twitter: @AllwinnerTech
service@allwinnertech.com
Yifang Andriod Tablet Powered by Allwinner Quad Core A33 (Computex 2014) [ARMflix YouTube channel, June 10, 2014]
Yifang demonstrates their 7-inch Quad-core Tablet PC, with Quad-core ARM Cortex A7 1.3GHz CPU, AllWinner SoC, and Mali-400 MP2 GPU, running on Android 4.4 OS.
Eken launches Allwinner A33 [1.5 GHz] Quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 Tablet and more [ARMdevices.net, July 27, 2014]
From A33 brief [Allwinner Technology, May 22, 2014]
A33 QUAD-Core Processor
The Most Efficient Quad-Core Mobile Application Processor
The Allwinner A33 is an extremely efficient quad-core mobile application processor designed to bring impressive performance to your leading-edge mobile device with low power consumption. It is pin-compatible with Allwinner’s dual-core A23 processor.
The A33 features quad CortexTM-A7 CPU cores to enable the best balance between high performance and power efficiency, and packs the mature and leading GPU technology to
deliver amazing graphics, fluid video and immersive gaming experiences. With outstanding multi-format 1080p HD video processing capability, WXGA display support, SmartColor display technology, 5MP image sensor support, and advanced DDR technology, the A33 delivers performance beyond expectations. Security system is supported to provide digital content protection.Allwinner designed the A33 to enable stunning battery life experiences for end devices. A33 achieves lower power through a balanced combination of several features: ultra energy-efficient CortexTM-A7 CPU cores, an advanced fabrication process, optimized DVFS technology, and a unique Talking Standby Mode that allows extremely low power consumption during voice calls. Allwinner’s A33 also comes with a wide range of connectivity including 4-lane MIPI DSI, LVDS, USB OTG/HOST, SD/MMC, I2S/PCM and RSB, etc, significantly reducing system cost and speeding up product time to market.
…
Quad-core A33_Allwinner Technology [Allwinner Technology, Oct 10, 2013]
Block Diagram
Features
CPU
• Quad-core Cortex™-A7 [1.3 GHz, 1.5 GHz overclocked]
• 256KB L1 Cache
• 512KB L2 Cache
GPU
• Mali400MP2
• Supports OpenGL ES 2.0 / VG 1.1 standards
Video
• Supports 1080p@60fps video playback
• Supports multi-format FHD video decoding, including Mpeg1/2, Mpeg4 SP/ASP GMC, H.263, H.264,WMV9/VC-1, VP8, etc.
• Supports H.264 High Profile 1080p@60fps encoding
• Complies with RTSP, HTTP, HLS, RTMP, MMS streaming media protocols
• Supports OpenMax protocol
Display
• Supports 1/2/4-lane MIPI DSI up to 1280×800 resolution
– Supports MIPI DSI V1.01 and MIPI D-PHY V1.00
– Supports command mode and video mode（non-burst mode with sync pulses, non-burst mode with sync event and burst mode）
• Supports RGB/CPU/LVDS LCD up to 1280×800 resolution
Camera
• Integrated parallel camera sensor interface
• Supports 5M CMOS sensor
• Supports 8-bit YUV sensor
Memory
• Supports DDR3/DDR3L SDRAM controller, supports two ranks
• Supports 8-bit NAND Flash controller
Audio
• Integrated Hi-Fi audio codec
• Two integrated differential analog mic amplifiers for headset and phone
• Supports Talking Standby Mode for ultra-low power consumption during voice calls
OS
• Supports Android 4.4 and above
• Supports Android multi-user function
Allwinner A33 launched at Computex 2014 [ARMdevices.net, June 6, 2014]
The Allwinner A33 is sampling now, and the first commercially available devices using A33 can be expected around July. The Allwinner A33 is an extremely power efficient processor based on a Quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 [1.3 GHz]
with Mali400MP2 GPU. It is pin compatible with the previously released A23 dual-core ARM Cortex-A7 processor, greatly speeding up the product time to market. Allwinner claims it has an even lower power consumption level than the dual-core Allwinner A23, while speeding up performance, by offering a balanced combination of the low power ARM Cortex-A7 CPU architecture, advanced fabrication process, optimized DDR technology, hardware 1080p video process support, low power Talking standby mode support during voice call applications, low power MIPI DSI interface, and more. Allwinner A33 features enhanced SmartColor display technology capable of image saturation enhancement and skin tone protection to deliver a better visual effect on tablets, 1080p video playback and capture, Integrated MIPI DSI controller, up to 1280×800 and Integrated Hi-Fi audio codec.
USD 99 Allwinner 
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