MediaTek quietly released their entry-level Helio A22 SoC based on a 12nm TSMC architecture, first seen on the Redmi 6A that launched earlier this week. Due to the self-effacing unveiling of its latest budget chipset, MediaTek has now officially listed the Helio A22 on its official website with detailed specifications that define it apart from other chips in the market.
First off, the Helio A22 makes use of four ARM Cortex-A53 cores that add up to 2.0GHz with an IMG PowerVR GE graphics, which MediaTek claims will deliver 30 percent more power from the 64-bit CPU and 72 perfect faster rendering of graphics than a direct alternative, which we could speculate to be the Snapdragon 425. The chipset will be able to support LPDDR4 memory to up to 6GB while LPDDR3 memory size is restricted to 4GB of RAM.
The Helio A22 supports HD+ resolution of up to 1600 x 720 pixels with a maximum aspect ratio of 20:9. The IMG PowerVR GE graphics chip will be able to encode Full HD videos and play the same at a frame rate of 30 FPS and not more. Video playback is supported by H.264, H.265 / HEVC codecs.
The latest budget chipset from MediaTek equips lightweight AI capabilities with features including face unlock, advanced bokeh effects from a single or dual camera lens. The MediaTek NeuroPilot system allows developers and OEMs to create an ecosystem of common AI frameworks that is supported fully by the Android Neural Networks API. This combined with the company’s own CorePilot technology will allow thermal management and UX monitoring so that the chipset knows when to offer the best performance and power efficiency.
The A22 supports a total of 21-megapixels from a single camera as well as a dual camera setup of 13MP and 8MP that works with clever AI features and depth of field effects. Even on a budget price bracket, the chipset supports low-light photography with reduced noise and clear zoom.
MediaTek also packs in the latest desired connectivity options and employs a dual 4G VoLTE/ViLTE support with Cat-7 (DL) 4G LTE speeds, MediaTek TAS 2.0 smart antennas, Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi and a 4-Satellite multi-GNSS that includes GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou.
With mass production already underway, the Helio A22 will be seen in action later this month alongside the Xiaomi Redmi 6A with more entry-level smartphones to follow.