PowerVR Series 6 mobile GPUs are almost here, we go eyes-on with a test chip (video)

[ ](http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/03/powervr-series-6-test-chip/)

Imagination Technologies is on a high right now. Throughout 2012, the company's [PowerVR](http://www.engadget.com/tag/powervr) graphics processors continued to monopolize the [iPhone](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/18/apple-iphone-5-review/) and [iPad](http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/30/apple-ipad-review/) as well as appearing in (late 2011) [Android flagships](http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/24/galaxy-nexus-hspa-review/), the [PlayStation Vita](http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/13/playstation-vita-review/) and even the first [Clover Trail](http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/27/intel-clover-trail-tablet-details/)-powered [Windows 8](http://www.engadget.com/tag/windows8) tablets. But you know what? That's old news, because all those devices run current-gen PowerVR Series 5 silicon. Most new top-end devices in 2013 and 2014 will either contain the latest [Mali GPUs](http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/07/arm-mali-t604-hands-on/) from rival [ARM](http://www.engadget.com/tag/arm), or they'll pack PowerVR Series 6, aka [Rogue](http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/15/imagination-powervr-g6230-g6430/). This latter chip is currently being developed by at least eight different smartphone and tablet manufacturers and is expected to make a good bit of noise at [CES](http://www.engadget.com/tag/ces2013) next week.

But who's going to wait that long if they don't absolutely have to? To get a fuller understanding of what awaits us in the coming weeks and months, we scoped out a Rogue test chip at Imagination's sparkly new HQ just outside of London, UK. The test silicon doesn't represent the true power of Series 6 because it's running on an FPGA board that severely limits its bandwidth, but it's still able to show off one crucial advantage: namely the ability to run OpenGL ES 3.0 games and apps. This API is all about improving mobile graphics through making smarter use of [GPU compute](http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/20/engadget-primed-gpu-compute/), without annoying the battery, and the three exclusive demos after the break show just how it pulls that off.

**Gallery: [OpenGL ES 3.0 screenshots](http://www.engadget.com/photos/opengl-es-3-0-screenshots/)**

[](http://www.engadget.com/photos/opengl-es-3-0-screenshots/5531011)[](http://www.engadget.com/photos/opengl-es-3-0-screenshots/5531012)[](http://www.engadget.com/photos/opengl-es-3-0-screenshots/5531013)[](http://www.engadget.com/photos/opengl-es-3-0-screenshots/5531014)[](http://www.engadget.com/photos/opengl-es-3-0-screenshots/5531016)

[Continue reading _PowerVR Series 6 mobile GPUs are almost here, we go eyes-on with a test chip (video)_](http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/03/powervr-series-6-test-chip/)

Filed under: [Cellphones](http://www.engadget.com/category/cellphones/), [Tablets](http://www.engadget.com/category/tablets/), [Mobile](http://www.engadget.com/category/mobile/)

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URL: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/03/powervr-series-6-test-chip/