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ARM big.LITTLE
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<p>ARM big.LITTLE is a <a href="/facts/Heterogeneous_computing/FYkECQ75">heterogeneous computing</a> <a href="/facts/Computer_architecture/tHtwxgR2">architecture</a> developed by <a href="/facts/Arm_Holdings/jqqppj7b">Arm Holdings</a>, coupling relatively battery-saving and slower processor cores (<i>LITTLE</i>) with relatively more powerful and power-hungry ones (<i>big</i>). The intention is to create a <a href="/facts/Multi-core_processor/ABNb65hQ">multi-core processor</a> that can adjust better to dynamic computing needs and use less power than <a href="/facts/Clock_scaling/lIt5XxBU">clock scaling</a> alone. ARM's marketing material promises up to a 75% savings in power usage for some activities. Most commonly, ARM big.LITTLE architectures are used to create a <a href="/facts/Multi-processor_system-on-chip/s5jssTDl">multi-processor system-on-chip</a> (MPSoC). </p><p>In October 2011, big.LITTLE was announced along with the <a href="/facts/ARM_Cortex-A7_MPCore/Ch36KljD">Cortex-A7</a>, which was designed to be <a href="/facts/Instruction_set_architecture/8p8vwUeE">architecturally</a> compatible with the <a href="/facts/ARM_Cortex-A15_MPCore/z1Vccoow">Cortex-A15</a>. In October 2012 ARM announced the <a href="/facts/ARM_Cortex-A53/Pf8fGSNX">Cortex-A53</a> and <a href="/facts/ARM_Cortex-A57/twNgllo8">Cortex-A57</a> (<a href="/facts/ARMv8/SALsYA79">ARMv8-A</a>) cores, which are also intercompatible to allow their use in a big.LITTLE chip. ARM later announced the <a href="/facts/ARM_Cortex-A12/d8wzUeBd">Cortex-A12</a> at <a href="/facts/Computex_Taipei/lmhhc4df">Computex 2013</a> followed by the <a href="/facts/ARM_Cortex-A17/NC6zNRPy">Cortex-A17</a> in February 2014. Both the Cortex-A12 and the Cortex-A17 can also be paired in a big.LITTLE configuration with the Cortex-A7. </p>