Peter Lewin
ARM

The ARM9E family of processors has been successfully used for many years in a wide range of applications, including hard disk drives, imaging, automotive, networking and wireless devices. Their low power, small size and high performance, combined with industry standard architecture make them ideal for these applications.

The Cortex-R4 processor builds on this foundation, by increasing performance while keeping system costs low. This is achieved through a variety of new technologies and design improvements which increase the computing efficiency of the processor. By providing a number of synthesis time configuration options, the Cortex-R4 is able to address applications previously covered by the ARM946E-S, ARM966E-S and ARM968E-S processor cores, and expand this applicability into more demanding situations. This white paper will examine the key differences between the ARM9E family and the Cortex-R4 processor.