MediaTek introduces Kompanio 540 chip for entry-level Chromebooks

MediaTek's Kompanio 520 processor has been powering entry-level Chromebooks since it was first introduced nearly three years ago. But now MediaTek has introduced a next-gen processor for low-cost ChromeOS laptops.

The new MediaTek Kompanio 540 is said to bring up to a 50 percent boost in single-core CPU performance, up to 75 percent better graphics performance, and up to 35 percent longer battery life. Chromebooks powered by the new chip are expected to hit the streets in early 2026.

Keep in mind that this is still very much a processor for budget devices. So while the CPU, GPU, memory, and storage have all been upgraded, they're still not exactly bleeding edge.

For example MediaTek has upgraded the chip's two high-performance CPU cores from Arm CortexA-76 to Cortex-A78. In other words, we're looking at a bump from Arm's 2018 CPU architecture to… 2020 architecture.

That said, the upgrades bring support for higher-resolution displays, 4K video decoding, more I/O capabilities, and other improvements. The new chip is also compatible with MediaTek's WiFi 7 solutions, while the previous-gen processor topped out at WiFi 6.

Here's an overview of how the new chip compares with its predecessor:

Kompanio 540Kompanio 520CPU2 x Arm Cortex-A78 @ 2.6 GHz6 x Arm Cortex-A55 @ 2 GHz2 x Arm Cortex-A76 @ 2 GHz6 x Arm Cortex-A55 @ 2 GHzGPU Mali-G57 MC2Mali-G52 MC2 2EEMemoryUp to LPDDR4x-4266Up to LPDDR5-6400Up to LPDDR4x-3733StorageUFS 3.1eMMC 5.1eMMC 5.1DisplayUp to 2560 x 1600 (internal)Up to 4K/60 (external)Up to 2 x 2.5K (internal & external)Up to 2520 x 1080Video decodingUp to 4K60H.264HEVCVP9Up to 1080p/60H.264HEVCVP9Video EncodingUp to 1080p/60H.264HEVCPeripheral I/OPCIe 2.0 x1SDIO 3.02 x USB 3.2 Gen 13 x USB 2.01 x USB 3.01 x USB 2.0Announced20252022

press release

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