New packaging technology to improve the performance and thermals of the Exynos 2400 SoC،
Samsung’s Exynos 2400 chipset should eventually power the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ combined in most markets. In the US and China, these models will sport the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy SoC, and the high-end Galaxy S24 Ultra will feature Qualcomm’s latest flagship Snapdragon Application Processor (AP) in all regions. Benchmark tests show that the Exynos 2400 chipset, using a deca-core configuration, isn’t quite as good as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, but it’s closer than in previous years.
The deca-core configuration of the Exynos 2400 SoC includes one Cortex-X4 main core (clocked at 3.1 GHz), two Cortex-A720 performance processor cores (with a clock speed of 2.9 GHz), three more Cortex-A720 performance processor cores running. at 2.60 GHz and four Cortex-A520 efficiency processor cores with a clock speed of 1.8 GHz. With five performance cores and the propensity of Exynos chips to overheat, thermal performance is important and a report from the Korean ministry Daily (via SamMobile) indicates that Samsung Foundry has started using FOWLP (Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging) technology with the chips currently shipping to customers.
Ensuring that the chips it makes, not just Exynos chips, stay cool under pressure is an issue Samsung Foundry must master if it aspires to surpass TSMC to become the world’s top foundry. Ironically, FOWLP is a technology already used by TSMC to improve the thermal performance of the chips it manufactures and therefore their performance. Once a chip overheats, its performance is negatively affected.
Samsung GDDR6W graphics memory chip using FOWLP packaging technology
FOWLP not only allows chips to run cooler, but also to be thinner. Compared to the packaging technology used today (FC-BGA or Flip Chip-Ball Grid Array), chips using FOWLP are 40% smaller, 30% thinner and offer 15% higher performance. The Exynos 2400 AP, built by Samsung Foundry using its second-generation 4nm process node (4LPP), is expected to use FOWLP chip packaging technology to improve power efficiency and reduce chipset size.
Samsung has high hopes for the Exynos 2400 AP. Not only will using the chipset save the company money compared to what it spent this year to equip the entire Galaxy S23 lineup with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset for Galaxy, but it could also helping Exynos chips gain a new reputation for performance without overheating. .
