Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

IBM's Cell Processor — Not Just for PS3 Anymore

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the processor-before-the-games dept.

TechFreep writes to tell us that IBM has released a new line of QS20 Blade Servers based on the processor they developed for the Playstation 3. From the article: "Today IBM announced a new line of high-powered QS20 Blade Servers intended for use in seismic research, encryption, digital image rendering and military surveillance applications. Each QS20 will include two nine-cored Cell Processors clocked at 3.2Ghz apiece, which were developed along with Sony and Toshiba for Sony's upcoming Playstation 3 console. As Playstation 3 isn't scheduled for release until November, the QS20 will mark the first application in which the highly-touted Cell will be available to consumers."

1 of 184 comments (clear)

  1. Lost in the noise is the dying Sun. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Lost in the noise is the fact that the multi-core Cells are IBM's answer to Sun's chip multiprocessor (CMP) -- i.e., Niagara and Rock. Nothing about the CMP is new or unique. Academia has already done 10+ years of research on these beasts, and industry has ready access to the academic results.

    IBM already has a CMP. Both AMD and Intel will soon have CMPs. Here, CMP does not mean duo-core; CMP means at least 4 cores.

    The window of opportunity for Sun has now closed.

    What is ingenious about IBM is the fact that IBM is essentially using the R&D in its consumer-electronics division (that builds processors for game consoles and other toys) to advance R&D in the business-oriented high-performance-processor/high-end-server division. Building electronics for toys has actually strengthened non-toy products.

    When will Mattel and Hasbro start selling their own supercomputers?