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> One twist is that phone/tablet SoCs use different I/O protocols than PCs. For example, phones use MIPI-DSI for display and UFS for storage but computers use H
by PragmaticPulp 4y ago
> One twist is that phone/tablet SoCs use different I/O protocols than PCs. For example, phones use MIPI-DSI for display and UFS for storage but computers use HDMI/DisplayPort and SATA/NVMe.
Going from MIPI DSI to DisplayPort is as simple as adding a common bridge chip and updating the device tree.
Many of the new SoCs have PCIe lanes, so NVMe storage is easy, too. Some of the RK3388 boards even have a nice M.2 slot for exactly this purpose.
The interfaces aren’t a problem, though they are more limited than a full PC chipset.
- rektide 4y agoI not so secretly wonder what a 2027 looks like when SBC all have to have USB4, when USB4 hub chips (actually, routers) are semi-commodity parts and not uber-botique Intel crazy-pants expensive units, and when Thunderbolt/PCIe is a logical royalty-free step away. We're only just seeing Thunderbolt show up in mobile, via the IPad Pro. The percolation down of the universal, good, flexible, kick-ass connectivity standards is semi-inevitable. Right now it's a ton of add-on extra chips, but that will go away, will get integrated. These discrepancies of PC chips having some things and mobile parts having totally different specs feels like it can't last forever, at least in every category. There will be some uptake of common capabilities.