Three new processors added to the Intel XScale family

We’ve repeatedly mentioned PXA255 in the news as "PXA250 stepping C1". Here’s a list of benefits and improvements:

• Hardware universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter (HWUART)
• Low Power SDRAM configuration register
• 400MHz / 200MHz PxBus
• Core Clock Configuration Register (CCCR)
• Core Phase Locked Loop
• UDC Control Function Register (UDCCFR)
• MMC/SD and PCMCIA/CF interfaces
• 1.84MHz cellular broadband interface for easier comm integration
• 920Kbps Bluetooth

The most considerable difference between XScale PXA255 and its predecessor is the improved processor performance due to doubled 200MHz (vs. previous 100MHz) clock speed of PxBus that interconnects chip with external devices, including memory. According to Intel, energy consumption of 400MHz model at 1.3V is lower than PXA250’s by 30% in active and by 60% in standby modes. Clock speeds remain the same as of PXA250 – 200MHz, 300MHz and 400MHz. The processor bases on ARM v.5TE architecture is made using 0.18µm process technology. Many manufacturers, including Acer, Casio, Dell, Intermec, Symbol and Toshiba, have already informed on intentions to make PDAs on these novelties. You might have seen some photos in our CeBIT 2003 reports.

Intel PXA260 is a budget PDA chip pin-compatible with PXA26x and available with 200, 300 and 400 MHz clock speeds. It is packaged into 294-pin BGA casing (0.65mm pin pitch, 13x13x1.4 mm dimensions).

As for Intel PXA263, its architecture resembles PXA262 with its stacked assembly, including 200/300/400MHz processor core, 32Mb 32-bit Intel StrataFlash, etc.

Intel PXA263 and Intel PXA260 are sampling new now with volume production scheduled to Q2 2003 and first devices expected closer to the year-end. In over 10,000-unit quantities 200MHz Intel PXA263 will cost $42.35, 200MHz Intel PXA260 — $22.85.

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