Tuesday, February 25th 2025

Imagination's New DXTP GPU for Mobile and Laptop: 20% More Power Efficient

Today Imagination Technologies announces its latest GPU IP, Imagination DXTP, which sets a new standard for the efficient acceleration of graphics and compute workloads on smartphones and other power-constrained devices. Thanks to an array of micro-architectural improvements, DXTP delivers up to 20% improved power efficiency (FPS/W) on popular graphics workloads when compared to its DXT equivalent.

"The global smartphone market is experiencing a resurgence, propelled by cutting-edge AI features such as personal agents and enhanced photography," says Peter Richardson, Partner & VP at Counterpoint Research. "However, the success of this AI-driven revolution hinges on maintaining the high standards users expect: smooth interfaces, sleek designs, and all-day battery life. As the market matures, consumers are gravitating towards premium devices that seamlessly integrate these advanced AI capabilities without compromising on essential smartphone qualities."
Offering up to 64 GPixel/s, 2 TFLOPS FP32 and 8 TOPS INT8 in an ultra-parallel compute engine running at 1 GHz, DXTP is available in two off-the-shelf configurations and has already been licensed for use in mobile and automotive. In addition to performance and efficiency optimizations, DXTP is highly flexible, featuring fully secure GPU multitasking (via Imagination's low-overhead, hardware-based virtualization technology) and the ability to run graphics and compute operations at the same time with minimal overhead.
"Zelos is integrating the advanced, power-efficient compute of Imagination DXTP into our upcoming chip," says Cheng Chen, Technical Director at Zelos. "Imagination's GPUs combine the performance of ultra-parallel processing with the flexibility that comes from a highly programmable architecture, making them the ideal platform for accelerating our AI models."
DXTP is supported by Imagination's well-established software ecosystem and award-winning SDK and tools. It ships with highly optimized OpenCL compute libraries that boost GPU utilization for popular AI tasks, as well as reference kits for oneAPI and Tensor Graph that accelerate the porting of existing code onto Imagination-based hardware. Optimized LiteRT support for Imagination GPUs will enable high performance AI on Android. App developers have access to the Power VR developer tools for low-level performance analysis, debugging, trace capturing, as well as expert support through the Imagination developer forum.
"Imagination DXTP is a real example of many small steps achieving big gains and of the resourcefulness of Imagination's engineering teams," says James Chapman, Chief Product Officer, Imagination. "The set of performance and efficiency improvements inside DXTP will enable future smartphones to run the next wave of gaming and AI applications with even lower power consumption than before."
DXTP is the final product of Imagination's D-Series GPU family which includes the high-performance IMG DXD with DirectX FL11_0 for the desktop market and the innovative IMG DXS for the safety-critical automotive market.
Source: Imagination Technologies
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21 Comments on Imagination's New DXTP GPU for Mobile and Laptop: 20% More Power Efficient

#1
Daven
If Intel was serious about the GPU market, this is the company they should have bought. Imagination is the last of the good GPU manufacturers outside of AMD and Nvidia. They have decent licensing deals and IP that would greatly enhance a larger company's GPU IP portfolio.
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#2
Denver
IMG's current hardware and software performance is so low that it would need a +200-300% boost just to compete with Intel. Honestly, the IMG driver struggles even with basic hardware acceleration in web browsers.
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#3
Daven
DenverIMG's current hardware and software performance is so low that it would need a +200-300% boost just to compete with Intel. Honestly, the IMG driver struggles even with basic hardware acceleration in web browsers.
Acquisitions are not only about technology. It's also about business and showing the world what initiatives are important to the company.
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#4
Denver
DavenAcquisitions are not only about technology. It's also about business and showing the world what initiatives are important to the company.
Imagination is currently valued at much less than $1B. I believe if there was anything truly valuable within the company, Apple, AMD, Intel, or Nvidia would have already acquired it.
I think the obvious conclusion is that they know investing the same amount in R&D would yield better results.
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#5
Neo_Morpheus
I miss their PowerVR GPU's.

They were great.
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#6
AnotherReader
DenverIMG's current hardware and software performance is so low that it would need a +200-300% boost just to compete with Intel. Honestly, the IMG driver struggles even with basic hardware acceleration in web browsers.
Apple's GPUs are based off Imagination's IP so I doubt that the hardware is slow.
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#7
Onasi
AnotherReaderApple's GPUs are based off Imagination's IP so I doubt that the hardware is slow.
While true, we have no idea how much of Apples GPU is still IMG based. We know they started off with basing them on PowerVR, we know they renewed the licensing deal, but, since Apple provides absolutely no architectural information, it might be that, outside of a couple of things (maybe minor, maybe not), barely anything in Apple GPUs is resembling anything from IMG nowadays. We only know for sure that based on benches Apple GPUs are light years ahead of whatever IMG themselves have.
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#8
AnotherReader
OnasiWhile true, we have no idea how much of Apples GPU is still IMG based. We know they started off with basing them on PowerVR, we know they renewed the licensing deal, but, since Apple provides absolutely no architectural information, it might be that, outside of a couple of things (maybe minor, maybe not), barely anything in Apple GPUs is resembling anything from IMG nowadays. We only know for sure that based on benches Apple GPUs are light years ahead of whatever IMG themselves have.
That's true; Apple is so opaque that we can't be confident about how similar their designs are to Imagination's now. However, given that the licensing deal is still active, I feel it's fair to surmise that they still share much more with them than with other GPUs. Otherwise they could have just licensed patents from someone looking for money, such as Intel. As for benchmarks, a lot of it is down to Apple building bigger GPUs than any one else in the mobile industry.
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#9
Onasi
AnotherReaderHowever, given that the licensing deal is still active, I feel it's fair to surmise that they still share much more with them than with other GPUs
Ehhhh… I would argue that this most likely isn’t the case. The GPU might be like 90-99% Apple original design by now, but for what is leftover that they kept from IMG (for whatever reason, maybe considering it insignificant or “good enough”) the licensing would still have to be in place, just how those IP patents work. But, I suppose, we will never know for sure, ‘cause Apple. We can only speculate, which is also well and good.
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#10
AnotherReader
OnasiEhhhh… I would argue that this most likely isn’t the case. The GPU might be like 90-99% Apple original design by now, but for what is leftover that they kept from IMG (for whatever reason, maybe considering it insignificant or “good enough”) the licensing would still have to be in place, just how those IP patents work. But, I suppose, we will never know for sure, ‘cause Apple. We can only speculate, which is also well and good.
One reason could be that Apple is still using tile-based deferred rendering and Imagination is the pioneer in that area. Licensing from Imagination allows them to develop without any fear of legal repercussions. I'm surprised that Apple didn't buy Imagination, but perhaps they have a strong case of NIH syndrome now.
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#11
Neo_Morpheus
AnotherReaderOne reason could be that Apple is still using tile-based deferred rendering and Imagination is the pioneer in that area. Licensing from Imagination allows them to develop without any fear of legal repercussions. I'm surprised that Apple didn't buy Imagination, but perhaps they have a strong case of NIH syndrome now.
I always wondered why they didnt straight up buy Imagination, because its "clear" they are using their IP and maybe design.

Maybe in the end is more beneficial for both of them?
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#12
Onasi
AnotherReaderI'm surprised that Apple didn't buy Imagination, but perhaps they have a strong case of NIH syndrome now.
I think that’s exactly it. They probably plan on moving away from IMG IPs completely sometime in the future. This checks out seeing as how they went for developing their own modem so as to not rely on Qualcomm and that investment and plans they made for their own MicroLED screens down the line. I think they really, REALLY want to be fully self-sufficient and vertically integrated.
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#13
TheLostSwede
News Editor
OnasiEhhhh… I would argue that this most likely isn’t the case. The GPU might be like 90-99% Apple original design by now, but for what is leftover that they kept from IMG (for whatever reason, maybe considering it insignificant or “good enough”) the licensing would still have to be in place, just how those IP patents work. But, I suppose, we will never know for sure, ‘cause Apple. We can only speculate, which is also well and good.
They most likely kept the video encoders/decoders/transcoders and such, as those things have quite complex licensing deals and it's easier to deal with one company instead of a few hundred for someone like Apple, that's susceptible to lawsuits.
OnasiI think that’s exactly it. They probably plan on moving away from IMG IPs completely sometime in the future. This checks out seeing as how they went for developing their own modem so as to not rely on Qualcomm and that investment and plans they made for their own MicroLED screens down the line. I think they really, REALLY want to be fully self-sufficient and vertically integrated.
You mean they bought Intel's flawed IP and then sunk millions into it, without anything to show for it?
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#14
Onasi
TheLostSwedeYou mean they bought Intel's flawed IP and then sunk millions into it, without anything to show for it?
Isn’t the new 16e coming out with the C1 modem? It’s not “nothing” if they’ve actually managed to create something they consider viable enough to ship a product with.
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#15
TheLostSwede
News Editor
OnasiIsn’t the new 16e coming out with the C1 modem? It’s not “nothing” if they’ve actually managed to create something they consider viable enough to ship a product with.
Well, ok, but it took how many years to get to this point and it's only being tested in a single "budget" SKU.
Looks like 5½ years.
www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/07/apple-to-acquire-the-majority-of-intels-smartphone-modem-business/
Considering they got 2,200 people working on it, I would say that's really nothing to show for it.
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#16
wNotyarD
My last experience with Imagination's IP was the Intel GMA500. Never again I want to deal with such bad hardware.
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#17
Onasi
@TheLostSwede
Mm. I would agree to disagree here. While I may not have insight into what the upper echelons of Apple think, I would speculate that for them this was an acceptable gamble (and expenditure of resources) if this manages to wean them off Qualcomm in the longer term. Launching the first version in a “budget” (by Apple standards anyway) SKU makes sense too - it’s a good way to test out the part without potentially compromising anything in their “premium” models.
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#18
TheLostSwede
News Editor
wNotyarDMy last experience with Imagination's IP was the Intel GMA500. Never again I want to deal with such bad hardware.
That was a driver issue, as intel wasn't willing to pay IMG to do the drivers, as intel was sure they could do it on their own and the result is what your experienced. Not an IMG issue.
Onasi@TheLostSwede
Mm. I would agree to disagree here. While I may not have insight into what the upper echelons of Apple think, I would speculate that for them this was an acceptable gamble (and expenditure of resources) if this manages to wean them off Qualcomm in the longer term. Launching the first version in a “budget” (by Apple standards anyway) SKU makes sense too - it’s a good way to test out the part without potentially compromising anything in their “premium” models.
I guess we'll have to wait for the reviews. It could be another Samsung modem...
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#19
AnotherReader
TheLostSwedeThat was a driver issue, as intel wasn't willing to pay IMG to do the drivers, as intel was sure they could do it on their own and the result is what your experienced. Not an IMG issue.


I guess we'll have to wait for the reviews. It could be another Samsung modem...
I suspect that they have had enough time to develop their own. After all, Intel had modems for cell phones before they sold that division to Apple; recall that the iPhone 11 used Intel's modems exclusively.
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#20
TheLostSwede
News Editor
AnotherReaderI suspect that they have had enough time to develop their own. After all, Intel had modems for cell phones before they sold that division to Apple; recall that the iPhone 11 used Intel's modems exclusively.
4G, not 5G, which was what Intel was struggling with and had multiple unreleased products, that the rumour mill suggested had major issues. This was part of the reason they sold it all to Apple.
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#21
AnotherReader
TheLostSwede4G, not 5G, which was what Intel was struggling with and had multiple unreleased products, that the rumour mill suggested had major issues. This was part of the reason they sold it all to Apple.
Right, but it has been nearly six years since Apple acquired their wireless division. By now, it wouldn't be surprising if they had a half-decent 5G modem.
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