MediaTek has announced two new products at their MediaTek Executive Summit 2023: the MediaTek Filogic 860 and Filogic 360 WIFI 7 chips. These chips broaden WIFI 7 technology accessibility, targeting more mainstream market segments with their features and performance capabilities.
The newly unveiled MediaTek Filogic 860 is a WIFI 7 chip designed primarily for routers and access points. It boasts a maximum theoretical speed of 7.2Gbps, positioning it as a formidable player in the high-speed internet.
One of the most notable aspects of the Filogic 860 is its construction using a 6nm semiconductor process. This refinement promises enhanced power efficiency compared to older chips with larger transistor node sizes. Additionally, it is equipped with one 10Gbps Ethernet port, catering to users requiring basic high-speed wired connections.
In contrast, the MediaTek Filogic 360 is tailored for end-user devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This chip is a move by MediaTek to make WIFI 7 technology accessible to more users, particularly those who may not require the high-end performance of more expensive chips but still desire the benefits of advanced WIFI technology.
Introducing the Filogic 860 and 360 represents a strategic expansion of MediaTek’s product line, adding to the segment tiers previously occupied by the more expensive Filogic 880 and 380 chips. While the high-end Filogic 880 offers significantly higher performance compared to the new Filogic 860, the latter is still poised to meet the demands of the vast majority of users.
Similarly, the Filogic 360, with its peak bandwidth of 2.9 Gbps, still offers substantial performance (at a lower cost) compared to the 6.5 Gbps bandwidth of the higher-end Filogic 380, making it an attractive option for more consumers.
The performance of these chips is directly tied to the number of compute units they contain. Higher performance requires more units, which increases the cost due to the larger space needed on the silicon die. This relationship between performance, size, and price allows MediaTek to cater to various market segments with different versions of a similar technology.
The new Filogic 360 also brings modern updates like Bluetooth 5.4 and maintains cutting-edge WIFI 7 features such as Multi-Link Operations and Multiple Resource Units without significantly impacting the price.
Conclusion: A New Era of Affordable WIFI 7 Devices
With the introduction of the Filogic 860 and 360 chips, MediaTek is set to enable a new generation of more affordable WIFI 7 devices. These chips are a testament to MediaTek’s commitment to delivering innovation to a wide range of devices, from high-end access points to affordable mainstream consumer electronics. The truth is that the Internet needs of most people can be easily and efficiently cared for by these cost-efficient Filogic chips.
Expect to see devices featuring these chips in mid-2024, according to MediaTek.
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