Opinions: AMD L3 cache & Co-Processors?

[Telomerase]

what do you think of AMD's attempts to gain performance on so many different fronts? AMD seems to be obsessed with latencies. PCI Express controller now on-die. added Level 3 cache to attempt a compensation for the inherent higher latencies experienced with migrating to DDRII. and now this advent of reviving a math co-processor? is AMD really being innovative or rushing desperately to close a gap between itself and conroe? i really support AMD a lot because it was always cheaper for the performance, but i wouldn't hesitate to move an overall faster platform for gaming. are these new adventures pure cries for help and desperation or are they well thought out and reallistically beneficial?

[Salamandar]

Here is how I see it, AMD will start bumping more MHz per core to close the gap with intels next CPU.

But that could lead into a naming Problem, since intels conroe is not a P4 after all(Just try to imagine that!).

Yet AMD could squeez an extra core or 2 before intel so the market would not turn its head on AMD.

I don't see L3 as ansewr from AMD, if they really want to stay ahead in the game they'll need more than just an add on feature to an already amazing CPU, they'll need a next generation architecture.


Unlease the Beast once more AMD :D

[JoKeRr]

adding L3 cache will make A64 core even bigger, and since they're already at 90nm instead of 65nm which is used by Intel, yield cost will be pretty high.

Math co-processor thing sounds quite interesting, but wasn't there rumor about K8L having twice the theoretical FP performance??

[superklye]

What are you guys talking about? Are there some links or something?

[AthlonXP1800]

What are you guys talking about? Are there some links or something?

I found links about AMD's interests in co-processors to use in AMD's Quad core CPU due next year and L3 cache.

Hypertransport co-processors take us back to the 8087 (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30539)
AMD attacks DDR-II latency problems (http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30513)
AMD sees performance potential of co-processor (http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2006/03/22/38032/AMDseesperformancepotentialofco-processor.htm)
Clearspeed in talks with AMD about co-processor (http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2006/03/15/37936/ClearspeedplansAMDco-processorlinkup.htm)

[superklye]

Thanks for the links. It was interesting, though, as usual, the Inq was nothing more than conjecture and hearsay.

[Riptide]

Wow that first link... what a blast from the past. 8087? 80287? Been a while since I've heard anyone talk about those relics. :p

[nutball]

I think you need to bear in mind that many of these additions (L3 cache, FPGAs on the HT) are aimed primarily at Opteron and the server market and their good friend Sun Microsystems; not at Athlon 64.

In this market their competition isn't Conroe; it's Itanium and Xeon. It's IBM, HP and SGI (Google for "Project Ultraviolet").

So questioning what benefit these might have for A64 on the desktop is missing the point a bit I think. Sure there may be some uses for FPGA co-pros in the desktop in the mid-term, but it's not going to happen soon IMO.

[retsam]

I think you need to bear in mind that many of these additions (L3 cache, FPGAs on the HT) are aimed primarily at Opteron and the server market and their good friend Sun Microsystems; not at Athlon 64.

In this market their competition isn't Conroe; it's Itanium and Xeon. It's IBM, HP and SGI (Google for "Project Ultraviolet").

So questioning what benefit these might have for A64 on the desktop is missing the point a bit I think. Sure there may be some uses for FPGA co-pros in the desktop in the mid-term, but it's not going to happen soon IMO.i think you hit the nail on the head with this post;) . why would AMD make such a big todo about latency on the desktop? why go through all the trouble when higher clock speeds can negate that fact. but if you think about it what is the one area of computing that benefits from low latency memory...the server enviroment...more specificalyy is the DB market. so this does make alot of sence to go through what AMD is going though just becuase returns on these chips are so high.