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Intel Promises A Cool Billion (Transistors)
NevDull writes: "CNN is reporting that Intel has announced new semiconductor packaging which will lead to CPUs with a billion transistors running at 20GHz within 6 years. Yummy!" The advance here is removing the balls of solder between the chip's packaging and the microprocessor core, which leaves room for more transistors (or a thinner package). Like it says, though, this is years away from your pocket Cray.
Are they going to continue stretching the pipeline to get these "improved clock speeds"? I personally don't care if it runs at 20 GHz. I want performance.
That's Mr. Eradicator to you.
trance-port
Can You Imagine A Beowulf Cluster Intel CPUS with a billion transistors running at a flaming 20GHz SHOVED  UP  YOUR  ASS?!!!!
If only it were so - but looking back on the development later new cpu generations I'd bet it's going to be a HOT billion...
requirements for cooling of new cpus are becoming ever more demanding, just the cpu can burn in excess of 50W in existing cpus.
So, for my own requirements I'm more interested in getting an (energy) efficient system that can run with as few fans and noise as possible - it's practically impossible nowerdays to get a box where CPU power is NOT sufficient for even the most demanding tasks. The downside is that most modern boxes seem to be best suited for running flight simulators - at least they sound like jet engines.
Also if you're working in an office with a lot of computers, the heat output of computers and monitors can be VERY noticyble, esp. in summer. (No, there's no aircondition in my office).
Hopefully the new technology will not only be used to reate overpowerd energy hogs but also find its way into (mobile?) processors - same cpu core as existing cpu, but smaller layout, lower core voltage and correspondlingly much cooler/more silent.
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Actually, Moore's law isn't about clock speeds, it's about the number of transistors.
42million x 16 (four doublings) = 672 million.
They're planning on slightly outpacing Moore's law, not lagging behind it.
Why's everyone banging on about whether this beats or lags Moore's law, or even worse denigrating with a 'duh! it's just Moore's Law'?
Moore's law isn't something that just happens, everyone sits back and magically chips get better. Moore's law holds cause there's a whole bunch of bright people doing stuff like this.
If you're not interested in gaining an insight into the work driving Moore's Law, then skip this article.
-henrik
Why buy an Intel 20GHz CPU for $n when you can get an AMD 14GHz CPU for $(n/2) which beats the Intel 20GHz CPU in almost all benchmark tests?
Just don't forget not to remove the heat sink.
The cool billion concept is cool, but it also points out that the processor paridigm is locked in for another 6 years.
It is my hope that within 6 yrs there is a greater focus on the -way- the little "ones" and "zeros" are processed, not necessarily how much faster it is done based on current standards.
I am me...I think
20GHz in 6 years? Sounds slow to me.
current speeds are at 2G 2 X 2 = 4GHz in 18 months
4 X 2 = 8GHz in 3 years. 8 X 2 = 16GHz and then 16 x 2 = 32GHz in 6 years. So why is IBM falling behind?
Ascii artist &
Isn't it time to concentrate the innovation on
these areas? How does a xGhz CPU help speed up
work on a 300Mb graphic?