MediaTek unveils new 64-bit octa-core Helio X and P chips, due out Q2 2015

Although the mobile processing market has been dominated by Qualcomm thus far, the company may soon have some competition in the high-end space. MediaTek has just unveiled two new series of chips, dubbed the Helio X and P, that are aimed at high-end devices and should make their way to market in Q2 2015.

The Helio X series stands for “extreme performance”, and will carry the company’s most top-notch processors. Launching around mid-April, the Helio X10, also known as the MT6795W, is the first chip in the series that will come to market. It will be an octa-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor with clock speeds up to 2.2GHz and a 28nm process.

Unfortunately no details were given on the first Helio P chipset in the series, which apparently stands for “premium performance”. Even so, MediaTek says both of the new Helio series will support 120Hz screen refresh rates, 4K, and support for cameras that can capture 1080p video and slow-motion video at 480fps. The company also says that future Helio chips will involve 20nm models with ARM Cortex-A72 architecture.

MediaTek has been a big name in the low-end chip processing market for some time, and it’s now clear that the company wants to give Qualcomm a run for its money in the high-end. Perhaps with the mostly negative media coverage Qualcomm’s latest chip has been given, now is a good time for MediaTek to make its move.