At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the mystery dual-core 1GHz processor of Research in Motion (RIM)’s forthcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer was identified by Texas Instruments (TI) as the OMAP 4430 - the first generation of new ARM Cortex-A9 processors by TI.

The class-leading OMAP 4430 processor is one of the key features of the tablet - which supports 1080p video playback - both by itself as well as while performing several tasks simultaneously.

Theoretically speaking, the addition of the OMAP 4430 processor has probably given the RIM PlayBook its 720p video in stereoscopic 3D, despite the fact that the LCD on the 7-inch tablet lacks the 120Hz refresh rate for supporting the advanced effect.

Moreover, the additional advantage that the PlayBook’s processor boasts is its mating to modern PowerVR graphics – a move that will help mark the first notable commitment of RIM’s BlackBerry lineup to gaming.

As such, the PlayBook’s big plus in terms of gaming, along with its 1GB of RAM will bring about a substantial enhancement in the performance of the RIM tablet, which will likely hit the markets in March.

Going by the forecasts, the RIM PlayBook will likely be the first serious challenger to the popular Apple iPad; largely because the light-weight tablet, with a sharp and resolute display, incorporates the powerful 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM with exceptional finesse.