Oppo MariSilicon NPU Launched To Boost Smartphone Photography

Oppo has unveiled its proprietary MariSilicon NPU (neural processing unit) dubbed MariSilicon X that is based on 6nm process technology, during the ongoing Oppo Inno Day event. The processing unit features an advanced multi-tier Memory Architecture to enhance image processing power with “ultra-high power efficiency.” Oppo claims that the MariSilicon X also enables 4K AI Night Video in RAW format for the first time on Android smartphones. The new MariSilicon X NPU will debut on the company’s flagship Find X-series in Q1 2022 that is said to be the most advanced camera-focused smartphone. The exact launch date remains unclear.

Since the MariSilicon X has its own 20bit Ultra HDR Image Signal Processor (ISP), the Find X 2022 phone won’t rely on the imaging unit available on chipset primary SoC – likely to be Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The MariSilicon X also features dedicated memory components specifically for AI imaging. In a nutshell, the smartphone will capture natural pictures and videos with less noise. The NPU is also paired with dedicated external DDR memory with 8.5GB/s bandwidth to ensure that there’s minimum lag.