In a surprising turn of events, the cancelled Exynos 2300 system-on-a-chip (SoC) has made an appearance on Geekbench's ML benchmark database. Despite its fate being sealed, there are a few pre-production samples of the chip floating around, and someone has taken the opportunity to test it on Geekbench's ML benchmark. The chip scored a lackluster 456 points, further solidifying its doomed status. Let's delve deeper into the details surrounding this intriguing discovery.
The Exynos 2300, which was anticipated to power some of Samsung's upcoming devices, has now been confirmed to be dead and buried. However, there is a glimmer of hope that we may still witness its presence in spirit, as rumors suggest it might find its way into Google's Pixel 8 series, under the name "Tensor G3." Nonetheless, it's worth noting that the Exynos 2300's future remains uncertain, and its appearance in the Pixel 8 series is mere speculation at this point.
The Geekbench listing sheds some light on the Exynos 2300's core configuration and clock speeds. Unlike its predecessor and most mainstream SoCs, the Exynos 2300 features a tri-cluster, nona-core CPU with a 1+4+4 arrangement. The prime core operates at 2.6 GHz, accompanied by four (presumably) performance cores clocked at 2.59 GHz and four efficiency cores running at 1.82 GHz.
This unique core configuration suggests that Samsung is willing to experiment with unconventional core counts, lending credibility to rumors about the upcoming Exynos 2400, which is said to feature a 10-core design. The Exynos 2400 is expected to adopt a 1+2+3+4 CPU core split, which, in essence, isn't drastically different from the configuration found in the Exynos 2300. It's interesting to note that even Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is rumored to potentially launch with quad-cluster CPUs, according to recent speculation.
The Geekbench ML benchmark score of 456 points obtained by the Exynos 2300 is underwhelming when compared to other modern SoCs. ML (machine learning) benchmarks assess a chip's performance in AI and neural network tasks, which have become increasingly crucial in today's technology landscape. While it's important to note that benchmark scores don't provide the complete picture of a chip's real-world performance, the Exynos 2300's low score raises concerns about its capabilities in handling demanding AI workloads.
It's worth emphasizing that the Exynos 2300's appearance on Geekbench's ML benchmark database confirms its presence in a prototype device identified as the Samsung SM-S919O. This device doesn't match the description of any commercially available Samsung phone, reaffirming the notion that it was tested on a pre-production unit.
Samsung's Exynos line of SoCs has faced criticism in the past for falling behind its competitors, particularly Qualcomm's Snapdragon series. The cancellation of the Exynos 2300 and its lackluster benchmark performance only intensify the scrutiny on Samsung's chip division. However, it's important to remember that this is just one chip in Samsung's broader portfolio, and the company continues to develop and refine its Exynos lineup.
In conclusion, the appearance of the doomed Exynos 2300 SoC on Geekbench's ML benchmark database has provided us with some intriguing insights. While the chip's cancellation is now certain, it is interesting to see Samsung's experimentation with different core configurations.