Skip to main content

Thanks to ARM, your next phone may have hardware-based ray tracing

ARM has been providing GPUs to smartphones for years, and today the company has announced its most ambitious piece of hardware yet: the ray tracing supporting Immortalis-G715. Ray tracing, a technology that allows gaming hardware to render realistic-looking reflections, was at the center of the marketing for the newest generation of gaming consoles in 2020. Now when playing a game using a phone with an Immortalis GPU, the visuals will attempt to mimic those found on high-end gaming PCs, the PlayStation 5, and the Xbox Series X.

The new flagship GPU will be available exclusively on Android smartphones and tablets, putting them even further ahead of the rest of the competition when it comes to making immersive gaming experiences on mobile. The big thing to note here is that the Immortalis is ARM’s first GPU to offer ray tracing on a hardware level. The Mali-G710 GPU from 2021 also supported ray tracing, but only via software. Pushing ray tracing via hardware should make it more reliable and impressive than ARM’s previous attempt.

Logo for ARM's Immortalis G715 mobile GPU.
ARM

According to ARM, the Immortalis-G715 should perform 15% better than the previous generation of the company’s hardware thanks to the 10 or more cores working under the hood. While that’s a tantalizing promise, ray tracing is infamous for requiring an enormous amount of graphics processing.

Recommended Videos

In addition to the Immortalis-G715, ARM also announced updates to its premium line of Mali GPUs. The Mali-G715 is the newest addition to the line and, although it doesn’t support ray tracing like the Immortalis, it’s still a formidable GPU for mobile gaming. The Mali-G715 runs on seven to nine cores and supports variable rate shading — a technology that reduces the power required to render high-detail in-game assets. The end result is an overall faster, smoother gaming experience.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

And ARM isn’t only focusing on GPUs this year. The company is also pushing new CPUs for better performance. The ARM Cortex-X3, ARM Cortex-A715, and the refreshed version of the ARM Cortex-A510 are all focusing on new ways to provide more efficient performance when compared to ARM’s previous models. As the second generation of ARM CPUs, fans can expect the new hardware to improve in plenty of areas, such as energy efficiency and performance uplift.

Peter Hunt Szpytek
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro specifications hinted at in a fresh rumor
The Nothing Phone 2a Plus's camera and Glyph Interface lights.

Nothing, the mobile and lifestyle tech brand founded by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, is set to launch its next set of mid-rangers early in March. Official details of the devices, including Nothing Phone (3a) and (3a) Pro, have been scanty, but a new leak hints at the tentative specifications, including upgrades coming to the processor, new camera setup, and other improvements to the design.

Earlier, Pei had teased the Nothing Phone (3a) series is moving to a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip instead of MediaTek seen on the Phone (2a) and (2a) Plus. This week's leak, courtesy of a tip received by Indian outlet SmartPrix, corroborates it and states that both phones with be powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 -- a mid-range chipset launched in August 2024.

Read more
Google is testing shortcut for the upcoming ‘AI Mode’ for search on mobile
Google search on Android app.

Google is ramping up efforts to make AI overviews more comprehensive and visible in search results. As it looks to evolve the overviews into more elaborate responses, the search giant might also include them in search results on mobile apps on Android and iOS.

Google is reportedly experimenting with a shortcut within its Android app for the expected "AI Mode," which is currently being tested internally. Android Authority reverse-engineered the WIP feature and discovered an AI mode shortcut that sits right under the search bar.

Read more
With this new Android 16 feature, you’re one click away from enhanced protection
Someone holding a phone showing the Android 16 logo on its screen.

Android 16 is set to offer improved security for apps and services. Android Authority says this feature allows users to enhance their device’s security with a single click, surpassing Google’s Advanced Protection Program introduced in 2017.

The current feature is available to anyone with a Google account. It is recommended for individuals at higher risk of attacks, such as political campaign staff, journalists, activists, and business leaders. The program implements security keys or passkeys for signing in, provides additional protection against harmful downloads, and safeguards personal information by restricting access to Google Account data. Additionally, it offers enhanced protection against phishing and unauthorized access.

Read more