Oppo MariSilicon NPU launched to boost smartphone photography

Oppo has unveiled its proprietary Marisilicon NPU (Neural Processing Unit) called Marisilicon X which is based on 6nm process technology during the Oppo Inno Day event. The processing unit features an advanced multi-level memory architecture to enhance image processing power with “ultra-high power efficiency”. Oppo claims that the MarySilicon X also enables 4K AI Night video in RAW format for the first time on an Android smartphone. The new MariSilicon X NPU will debut in the first quarter of 2022 on the company’s flagship Find X-series, which is said to be the most advanced camera-focused smartphone ever. The exact launch date is not clear.

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