Nvidia has shown off its 28nm Cortex A9-based Tegra 4i system-on-chip in a new unbranded smartphone. The demonstration handset, which appears to be similar to the Phoenix reference device shown at CTIA last month, is apparently hinted at being released early next year, alongside other smartphone designs using Tegra 4i.
The device shown to Anandtech is without any manufacturer or carrier marks, except for the word “brand” in key locations. Using a different PCB to the CTIA device to save on manufacturing costs, the device measures 7.9mm (0.31-inch) thick, and is equipped with a 4.8-inch 720p display. On the back is a 13-megapixel camera, and inside is 1GB of RAM, and it apparently has options for between 8GB and 32GB of onboard storage. LTE and HSPA+ is supported on the device, including for bands used by North American and European carriers, and is said to have been used to connect to an emulated Category 4 LTE network at 150Mbps.
Unusually for a reference device, Nvidia is said to have this device and similar versions coming out in the first quarter of 2014, but will appear sometime this year on some carriers. Though this phone is claimed to cost between $300 and $400 off-contract, other Tegra 4i smartphones could be sold as low as $200 without a commitment.
