When it comes to mobile processors, one of the biggest names out there is MediaTek, the company known for creating low-cost processors that are frequently used in wallet-friendly devices. Now MediaTek has created a processor that aims to bring both performance and efficiency. The Helio X20 processor is the world’s first mobile processor that features a Tri-Cluster architecture and it packs in a total of 10 cores.

Tri-Cluster architecture means that the cores of the processor are split into three different clusters, all with different purposes. Many current smartphones use processors with dual-cluster architectures, with one cluster devoted to performance and one cluster devoted to efficiency. The problem with dual-cluster processors is that the middle workload section is left out, leaving the phone to either waste battery by using the performance cores or letting lag enter in by using the efficiency cores during a medium workload.

MediaTek’s Tri-Cluster architecture aims to change that with three clusters. There’s a cluster of four ARM Cortex-A53 cores running at 1.4GHz for light activities, another cluster of four ARM Cortex-A53 cores running at 2GHz for medium activities and a final cluster of two ARM Cortex-A72 cores running at 2.5GHz for high performance. The setup should provide a great balance of performance and power efficiency.

The Helio X20 is expected to be in devices by the end of 2015.