我们敢打赌，大多数精通技术的人都听说过SoC或片上系统(System on a Chip)这个术语。20(thing 20)年前它还不算什么，或者至少它不像今天那样广泛使用，但在今天，片上系统(System on a Chip)代表了一种使电子设备更小、更强大和更强大的方法。比以往任何时候都更节能。(energy efficient)这一切都很好，很容易，但你知道什么是 Soc 吗？SoC或片上系统(System on a Chip)是什么意思？为什么它对智能手机、平板电脑、无线路由器、可穿戴设备和其他移动设备如此重要？如果您想了解更多关于什么SoC意味着，它的作用，以及为什么它如此重要，阅读这篇文章，你会找到一些答案：
什么是 SoC（片上系统）？
SoC是System on a Chip的简称。片上系统(System on a Chip)是一种电子集成电路，包含各种电子元件，旨在协同工作以实现共同目标。术语的第一部分 -系统(System)- 表示它是一个复杂的电子组件，而最后一部分 -芯片(Chip)- 告诉您该系统的所有组件都挤在一个集成电路上。
为了更好地了解片上系统(System on a Chip)是什么，请将其想象为一台完整的计算机，该计算机经过小型化和压缩以适合单个芯片。例如，可以将SoC与具有主板、处理器、显卡、网卡等的(network card)微型系统(miniature system)进行比较。要获得更好的图片，请查看本段下方，您将看到Exynos 4 Quad (4412)片上系统在(System on a Chip)三星 Galaxy S III 智能手机的(Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone)电路板上(circuit board)的外观。
资料来源：维基百科(Wikipedia)。
SoC的常见用途是什么？
片(Systems on Chips)上系统广泛用于许多行业，用于各种用途，例如智能手机、平板电脑、可穿戴设备、数码相机、无线路由器等。然而，它们今天最常见的用途可能是为智能手机供电。如果您想知道原因，请记住，智能手机和平板电脑都是小型设备，需要大量处理能力才能工作，它们都需要满足用户的要求，这些要求越来越高。
以下是高通公司(Qualcomm)的Snapdragon 600 片上系统的(System on a Chip )复杂程度 - 一种用于旧款三星 Galaxy S4 智能手机的(Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone)SoC。较新的手机更加复杂，并且具有更加小型化的SoC 。(SoCs)
资料来源：(Source:) 维基百科(Wikipedia)
例如，人们希望能够使用智能手机浏览互联网、听音乐、观看视频(watch videos)、使用GPS 导航(GPS navigation)、拍摄照片和电影视频、玩游戏、始终连接到社交网络等等。所有这些不仅需要一个好的处理器，还需要一个好的图形芯片，一个快速的无线和蓝牙芯片(wireless and Bluetooth chip)，支持连接到 4G 网络，一个GPS 芯片(GPS chip)和列表可以继续。所有这一切都必须以最低的功耗发生(power consumption)可能的。毕竟，没有人希望他们的设备在使用几个小时后就关闭。答案是将所有可以小型化的东西都小型化，并在更小的表面上挤压尽可能多的组件。结果是更高的处理能力(processing power)和更低的功耗(power consumption)。这正是片上系统(System on a Chip)所提供的。
SoC的常用组件有哪些？
片上系统(System on a Chip)可以有多种元素，具体取决于其用途。但是，由于绝大多数SoC(SoCs)用于智能手机，以下是此类设备最常见组件的列表：
- CPU -中央处理器(Central Processing Unit)或处理器是SoC内所有事物的核心。它是SoC的一部分，负责进行大多数计算和决策。它接收来自其他硬件组件和软件的输入，并提供(software and delivers)适当的输出响应。没有CPU，就没有SoC。今天的大多数 CPU 内部都有两个、四个或八个内核，以便能够进行并行处理。
- GPU -图形处理单元(Graphical Processing Unit)的简称，也称为视频芯片(video chip)。GPU负责您可以在智能手机上玩的那些 3D 游戏，还负责您在使用 SoC 的任何设备的用户界面中看到的简洁的视觉转换(SoC)。
- RAM内存(Memory)- 所有计算设备都需要内存才能工作。为了能够运行应用程序和软件数据，必须使用，并且为了能够做到这一点，片上系统(System on a Chip)必须具有 RAM 内存。
- ROM 内存(ROM memory)- 正如设备需要RAM 内存(RAM memory)才能运行应用程序和其他软件一样，它也必须具有ROM 内存(ROM memory)才能存储固件或它运行的操作系统等软件。(operating system)
- 调制解调器(Modem)——如果智能手机不能连接到无线电网络，它就不会是一部手机。我们指的是无线网络和 3G 或 4G 移动网络。调制解调器负责网络或蜂窝连接。
以下是高通公司称为Snapdragon 410的片上系统(System on a Chip)包括哪些组件的说明：
除了处理器和内存(processor and memory)之外，其他SoC(SoCs)，如无线路由器和其他类似网络设备上的 SoC，可能还包括用于连接无线电收发器的PCIe接口、 (PCIe)SATA和/或USB接口以连接到存储设备。在下图中，您可以看到Broadcom的BCM5862X SoC内部有什么。如果您想了解更多关于路由器系统芯片(Systems on Chips)的信息，这里有一些关于该主题的进一步阅读：路由器 SoC 101(Router SoC 101)。
资料来源：(Source:) 汤姆的硬件(Tom's Hardware)
我们在上面段落中列出的组件列表仅显示了片上系统(System on a Chip)的一些核心、必备元素。但是，片上系统(Systems on Chips)也可以有其他部分。例如，许多组件设计为与定位服务、传感器、安全或能够与更好的相机或更大屏幕一起使用的接口一起使用。名单还在继续。
哪些是最大的移动SoC(SoCs)制造商，哪些是当今最好的SoC(SoC today)？
当今最大的SoC制造商是高通、(Qualcomm,)三星、联发科、华为( Samsung, MediaTek, Huawei)、英伟达(NVIDIA,)和博通(Broadcom)。高通、英伟达(Qualcomm, NVIDIA, )和联发科(MediaTek)主要生产移动SoC(SoCs) ，并将其销售给其他硬件公司，这些公司在他们生产的设备中使用它们。Broadcom生产的SoC(SoCs)主要用于路由器和网络设备，三星(Samsung)和华为(Huawei)不仅生产SoC(SoCs)，而且它们也是全球最大的两家智能手机公司。
要说哪个是最好的片上系统(System on a Chip)是不可能的。该行业的发展和发展如此之快，以至于当您可以比较并决定哪个是最好的SoC时，可能会有一种新的 SoC 正在为未来的设备提供动力。
但是，请记住，最(the best )适合您( for you)的SoC可能不是具有最佳处理器或最快无线传输的 SoC。适合您的片上系统(System on a Chip)可以让您的下一款智能手机或设备正常工作(smartphone or device work)，提供您需要的所有基础知识，并包括您想要的所有“外围设备”（4G LTE 支持(LTE support)、支持 802.11ac 标准的WiFi、USB 连接(USB connectivity)等）。
这是一个有趣的视频，向您展示智能手机制造商如何为他们的每款智能手机选择合适的片上系统(System on a Chip)：
SoC的优点和缺点是什么？
您可能仍然想知道：为什么有人要设计、制造和销售片上系统(System on a Chip)？有很多原因：
- SoC通常很小，在电子设备内部不会占用太多空间，这使其成为智能手机、平板电脑或可穿戴设备等小型设备的完美解决方案。(tiny )而仅仅这三个例子，就足以让世界充满数千亿美元。
- 当您必须设计一个足够大的设备以充其量放在您的手掌中时，集成(integration )是您想要的。这意味着您可以在同一平方英寸(square inch)中放置处理器、图形芯片、调制解调器和许多其他组件。
- 因为SoC很小，并且因为它在单个芯片上集成了许多不同的部件，这意味着其制造商不必花费时间、金钱和资源(money and resources)来连接重要的物理部件和创建长电路，这反过来又意味着更低的制造费用(lower manufacturing costs)。
- 片(Systems on a Chip)上系统比具有专用、独立组件（例如台式 PC 或笔记本电脑）的系统更节能。(power efficient)SoC可以在电池上运行更长时间，这使其成为任何移动设备的正确选择。
另一方面，片上系统(Systems on Chips)有一个很大的缺点，就是根本不适应。就其本质而言，SoC(SoCs)集成得如此紧密且如此之小，以至于它们无法适应，或者换句话说，它们无法升级。片上系统(System on a Chip)通常会像它诞生一样死去：在它的生命周期内没有任何变化。这也是为什么如果SoC内部发生故障，您无法仅修复或更改该部分 - 您必须更换整个SoC。
您是否同意片(Chips)上系统(Systems)是电子产品的未来？
电子产品，尤其是计算设备的传统方法是创建在独立部件上运行的系统。例如，此类示例是计算机和膝上型电脑。然而，我们周围所有事物的永久小型化意味着它们越来越依赖于更小、更好、更节能(power efficient) 的片上系统(Systems on Chips)。智能手机、平板电脑、可穿戴设备，甚至物联网(Internet)（IoT）设备都证明了片上(Things)系统(Systems on Chips)是所有电子产品未来的重要组成部分。但这是否意味着他们将接管世界？如果它们变得如此之小以至于它们将使纳米机器人成为一种常见的东西怎么办？我们希望收到您的来信，因此请随时在下面的评论中分享您的意见。
Simple questions: What is a SoC (System on a Chip)?
We bet that most people who have a good knowledge of technology have heard the tеrm SoC or System on a Chip. It wasn't much of a thing 20 years ago, or at least it was not something as widely used as it is today, but in the present day, the System on a Chip represents an approach to making electronic devices smaller, more powerful and more energy efficient than ever before. That's all nice and easy but do you know what a Soc is? What does SoC or System on a Chip mean? Why is it such an important thing for smartphones, tablets, wireless routers, wearables and other mobile devices? If you want to learn more about what SoC means, what it does, and why it's such a big deal, read this article, and you'll find some answers:
What is a SoC (System on a Chip)?
SoC is the short term for System on a Chip. A System on a Chip is an electronic integrated circuit that contains various electronic components designed to work together to achieve a common goal. The first part of the term - System - says that it's all about a complex electronic assembly, while the last part - Chip - tells you that all the components of that system are squeezed together on a single integrated circuit.
To get a better idea of what a System on a Chip is, imagine it as a full computer that's miniaturized and compressed to fit on a single chip. For instance, a SoC could be compared to a miniature system that has a motherboard, a processor, a graphics card, a network card and so on. To get a better picture, look below this paragraph, and you'll see what an Exynos 4 Quad (4412) System on a Chip looks like, on a circuit board from a Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone.
Source: Wikipedia.
What are the common uses of SoCs?
Systems on Chips are widely used in many industries for all kinds of purposes such as for smartphones, tablets, wearables, digital cameras, wireless routers and so on. However, probably their most common uses today are for powering smartphones. If you're wondering why, keep in mind that both smartphones and tablets are small devices that need a lot of processing power to work and they all need to meet users' requirements, which are increasingly more demanding.
Here's just how complex the Qualcomm's Snapdragon 600 System on a Chip is - a SoC that was used in the old Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. Newer phones are even more complicated and have SoCs that are even more miniaturized.
Source: Wikipedia
For instance, people want to be able to use their smartphones to browse the internet, listen to music, watch videos, use GPS navigation, shoot photos and film videos, play games, be always connected to social networks, and so on. All these are things that need not only a good processor, but also a good graphic chip, a fast wireless and Bluetooth chip, support for connecting to 4G networks, a GPS chip and the list can go on. And all that must happen with the least power consumption possible. After all, nobody wants their devices to shut down after very few hours of use. The answer is to miniaturize everything that can be miniaturized and squeeze as many components as possible on a smaller surface. The consequence is a higher processing power and a lower power consumption. That is exactly what a System on a Chip offers.
Which are the usual components of a SoC?
A System on a Chip can have a variety of elements, depending on its purpose. However, as the overwhelming majority of SoCs are used on smartphones, here's a list of the most common components of such devices:
- CPU - the Central Processing Unit or the processor is the core of all things inside a SoC. It's the part of the SoC that's responsible for making most calculations and decisions. It receives input from other hardware components and software and delivers appropriate output responses. Without a CPU, there would be no SoC. Most CPUs today have two, four or eight cores inside, to be able to do parallel processing.
- GPU - is short for Graphical Processing Unit and it's also known as the video chip. The GPU is responsible for those 3D games you can play on your smartphone and also for the neat visual transitions that you see in the user interface of any device using a SoC.
- RAM Memory - all computing devices need memory to work. For being able to run apps and software data must be used, and to be able to do that, a System on a Chip must have RAM memory.
- ROM memory - just as a device needs RAM memory to be able to run apps and other software, it must also have ROM memory to be able to store software like the firmware or the operating system that it runs.
- Modem - no smartphone would be a phone if it weren't able to connect to radio networks. And by that, we refer to both wireless networks and to 3G or 4G mobile networks. Modems take care of network or cellular connectivity.
Here's an illustration of what components the System on a Chip called Snapdragon 410 from Qualcomm includes:
Besides a processor and memory, other SoCs, like the ones found on wireless routers and other similar networking devices, might also include PCIe interfaces designed to connect the radio transceivers, SATA and/or USB interfaces to connect to storage devices. In the illustration below you can see what's found inside a BCM5862X SoC from Broadcom. And if you're curious to know more about routers Systems on Chips, here's some further reading on the subject: Router SoC 101.
Source: Tom's Hardware
The list of components that we've listed in the paragraphs above shows only a few core, must-have, elements of a System on a Chip. However, Systems on Chips can have other parts as well. For instance, many have components designed to work with location services, sensors, security, or interfaces capable of working with better cameras or larger screens. The list goes on.
Which are the largest manufacturers of mobile SoCs and which is the best SoC today?
The largest SoC manufacturers today are Qualcomm, Samsung, MediaTek, Huawei, NVIDIA, and Broadcom. Qualcomm, NVIDIA, and MediaTek manufacture and sell mostly mobile SoCs to other hardware companies which use them in the devices they produce. Broadcom makes SoCs that are mainly used in routers and networking devices, and Samsung and Huawei not only make SoCs but they are also two of the largest smartphones companies in the world.
To say which is the best System on a Chip is impossible. The industry is growing and evolving so rapidly that, by the time you could compare and decide on which is the best SoC, a new one would probably be on its way to power future devices.
However, keep in mind that the best SoC for you might not be the one with the best processor or the fastest wireless transfers. The System on a Chip for you is the one that can make your next smartphone or device work well, offer all the basics you need, and include all the "peripherals" you want (4G LTE support, WiFi with support for the 802.11ac standard, USB connectivity, etc.).
Here's an interesting video that shows you how smartphone manufacturers choose the right System on a Chip for each of their smartphones:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a SoC?
You might wonder still: why would somebody want to design, manufacture and sell a System on a Chip? There are quite a few reasons for that:
- A SoC is usually tiny and doesn't take a lot of space inside an electronic device, which makes it a perfect solution for small devices like smartphones, tablets, or wearables, for instance. And these three examples only, are enough to fill the world with hundreds of billions of dollars.
- When you have to design a device that's large enough to fit in your palm at best, integration is a thing you want. That means that you can put a processor, a graphic chip, a modem and many other components in the same square inch.
- Because a SoC is small and because it integrates many different parts on a single chip, it means that its manufacturer doesn't have to spend time, money and resources on wiring significant physical parts and creating long circuits, which in its turn means lower manufacturing costs.
- Systems on a Chip are a lot more power efficient than a system with dedicated, separate components like a desktop PC or a laptop for instance. A SoC can run on batteries for longer times, which makes it a right choice for any mobile device.
On the other hand, Systems on Chips have the big disadvantage of not being adaptable at all. By their nature, SoCs are so tightly integrated and so small that they cannot adapt or, in other words, they cannot be upgraded. A System on a Chip will usually die the same as it was born: nothing changes during its lifetime. And that's also a reason for why if something breaks inside a SoC, you cannot repair or change only that part - you have to replace the whole SoC.
Do you agree that Systems on Chips are the future of electronics?
Traditional approaches to electronics and especially computing devices were about creating systems that run on separate, independent parts. Such examples are computers and laptops for instance. However, the permanent miniaturization of all things around us means that they are relying increasingly more on smaller, better, more power efficient Systems on Chips. Smartphones, tablets, wearables, hell even the IoT (Internet of Things) devices prove that Systems on Chips are an important part of the future of all electronics. But does that mean that they will be taking over the world? What if they will become so small that they will make nanorobots a common thing? We want to hear from you, so don't hesitate to share your opinions in the comments below.
