View source for System on a chip

== Applications ==
SoCs can be applied to any computing task. However, they are typically used in mobile computing such as tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and netbooks as well as [[embedded system]]s and in applications where previously [[microcontroller]]s would be used.

=== Embedded systems ===
Where previously only microcontrollers could be used, SoCs are rising to prominence in the embedded systems market. Tighter system integration offers better reliability and [[mean time between failures]], and SoCs offer more advanced functionality and computing power than microcontrollers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.embedded.com/design/mcus-processors-and-socs/4419584/Is-a-single-chip-SOC-processor-right-for-your-embedded-project-|title=Is a single-chip SOC processor right for your embedded project?|work=Embedded|access-date=2018-10-13|language=en}}</ref> Applications include [[AI accelerator|AI acceleration]], embedded [[machine vision]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imveurope.com/news/qualcomm-launches-socs-embedded-vision|title=Qualcomm launches SoCs for embedded vision {{!}} Imaging and Machine Vision Europe|website=www.imveurope.com|language=en|access-date=2018-10-13}}</ref> [[data collection]], [[telemetry]], [[vector processing]] and [[ambient intelligence]]. Often embedded SoCs target the [[internet of things]], multimedia, networking, telecommunications and [[edge computing]] markets. Some examples of SoCs for embedded applications include the [[STMicroelectronics]] [[STM32]], the [[Raspberry Pi Ltd]] [[RP2040]], and the [[AMD]] [[Zynq 7000]].

=== Mobile computing ===
[[File:Nokia-9110-4.jpg|thumb|System on a chip [[AMD Élan]] SC450 in [[Nokia 9110 Communicator]]]]
[[Mobile computing]] based SoCs always bundle processors, memories, on-chip [[Cache (computing)|caches]], [[wireless networking]] capabilities and often [[digital camera]] hardware and firmware. With increasing memory sizes, high end SoCs will often have no memory and flash storage and instead, the memory and [[flash memory]] will be placed right next to, or above ([[package on package]]), the SoC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Samsung+Galaxy+S10+and+S10e+Teardown/120331|title=Samsung Galaxy S10 and S10e Teardown|date=March 6, 2019|website=iFixit}}</ref> Some examples of mobile computing SoCs include:

* [[Samsung Electronics]]: [[List of Samsung System on Chips|list]], typically based on [[ARM architecture family|ARM]]
** [[Exynos]], used mainly by Samsung's [[Samsung Galaxy|Galaxy]] series of smartphones
* [[Qualcomm]]:
** [[Qualcomm Snapdragon|Snapdragon]] ([[List of Qualcomm Snapdragon systems-on-chip|list]]), used in many smartphones. In 2018, Snapdragon SoCs were being used as the backbone of [[laptop ]]computers running [[Windows 10]], marketed as "Always Connected PCs".<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.windowscentral.com/arm-going-after-intel-new-chip-roadmap-through-2020|title=ARM is going after Intel with new chip roadmap through 2020|work=Windows Central|access-date=2018-10-06|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/always-connected-laptop-pcs|title=Always Connected PCs, Extended Battery Life 4G LTE Laptops {{!}} Windows|website=www.microsoft.com|language=en-us|access-date=2018-10-06}}</ref>
* [[MediaTek]], typically based on ARM
** [[List of MediaTek systems on chips|Dimensity]] & Kompanio Series. Standalone application & tablet processors that power devices such as Amazon Echo Show

=== Personal computers ===
In 1992, [[Acorn Computers]] produced the [[Acorn Archimedes#New range and a laptop|A3010, A3020 and A4000 range of personal computers]] with the ARM250 SoC. It combined the original Acorn ARM2 processor with a memory controller (MEMC), video controller (VIDC), and I/O controller (IOC). In previous Acorn [[ARM architecture|ARM]]-powered computers, these were four discrete chips. The ARM7500 chip was their second-generation SoC, based on the ARM700, VIDC20 and IOMD controllers, and was widely licensed in embedded devices such as set-top-boxes, as well as later Acorn personal computers.

Tablet and laptop manufacturers have learned lessons from embedded systems and smartphone markets about reduced power consumption, better performance and reliability from tighter [[System integration|integration]] of hardware and [[firmware]] [[Module system|modules]], and [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]] and other [[wireless network]] communications integrated on chip (integrated [[network interface controller]]s).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.qualcomm.com/products/modems|title=Gigabit Class LTE, 4G LTE and 5G Cellular Modems {{!}} Qualcomm|work=Qualcomm|access-date=2018-10-13|language=en}}</ref>

On modern laptops and mini PCs, the low-power variants of [[AMD Ryzen]] and [[Intel Core]] processors use SoC design integrating CPU, IGPU, chipset and other processors in a single package. However, such x86 processors still require external memory and storage chips.