| Designer | Qualcomm |
|---|---|
| Bits | 32-bit, 64-bit |
| Introduced | 2006 (QDSP6) |
| Design | 4-way multithreaded VLIW |
| Type | Load–store |
| Encoding | Fixed 4 byte per instruction, up to 4 instructions in VLIW multiinstruction |
| Open | Proprietary |
| Registers | |
| General-purpose | 32-bit GPR: 32, can be paired to 64-bit[1] |
Hexagon is the brand name for a family of digital signal processor (DSP) and later neural processing unit (NPU) products by Qualcomm.[2] Hexagon is also known as QDSP6, standing for “sixth generation digital signal processor.” According to Qualcomm, the Hexagon architecture is designed to deliver performance with low power over a variety of applications.[3][4]
Each version of Hexagon has an instruction set and a micro-architecture. These two features are intimately related.
Hexagon is used in Qualcomm Snapdragon chips, for example in smartphones, cars, wearable devices and other mobile devices and is also used in components of cellular phone networks.