AMD Fusion To Add To x86 ISA

Giants2.0 writes "Ars Technica has a brief article detailing some of the prospects of AMD's attempt to fuse the CPU and GPU, including the fact that AMD's Fusion will modify the x86 ISA. From the article, 'To support CPU/GPU integration at either level of complexity (i.e. the modular core level or something deeper), AMD has already stated that they'll need to add a graphics-specific extension to the x86 ISA. Indeed, a future GPU-oriented ISA extension may form part of the reason for the company's recently announced "close to metal"^TM (CTM) initiative.'"

Comments

Re:Am I the only one?

[smallfries]

As demonstrated below, (one "single-consistent idea" can still be broken into logical pieces:

Integrating CPU with the GPU? That would be cool, however in the long term I don't really see it happening, or most anything else mentioned here. Rather this 'fusion' of technology will most likely just end up as a new processor, based around a concept similiar to Cell, but probably without an emphasis on the differant 'processing units'. We'll probably end up with a new cpu design, hopefully x86 compatible, (although if they could create a really really good cpu, I mean the next big thing, they really shouldnt feel like they have to work with the x86 ISA), with all these smaller units (not cores) doing everything.

Think of the latest 8800 GTX, it has 128 unifed 'Streaming Processors',that were previously known as pixel shader units (or a variation thereof). Graphics cards also have/had vector shader units, and the ability to use geometry shaders, however these (at least for g80) are all unified now, in the sense that these 128 'Streaming Processors' (notice the name change AND it's significance) can on-the-fly change their function to either of the three categories. Cool idea for the GPU, but it also hints at where things are going. The Voodoo2 is more of a 'graphics processor' than g80, IMHO, in the sense that gpus are just essenestially becoming 128 'tiny'-cored general purpose coprocessors, that area really good at floating point math, (essential for graphics).

As far as today's graphics cards go we can run C code on these things. Sounds more like an auxillary, differant, type of CPU, that's all today's graphics cards are. check it out... http://developer.nvidia.com/object/cuda.html/ [nvidia.com] So the wheel of reincarnation has started. It began with GLQUAKE, with an addon card (that was an addon to your 2D card...) and will now end with either a CPU w/ GPU (fusion) or even better, a CPU that incorporates processing concepts from the GPU into a new design that is really really good, especially in the areas needed for Quake VI.

PPSh-41: Well still have pci-e express, and better still we'll probably have PCIe x16 slots too. Whether or not the consolidated market will still continue to sell graphics coprocessors is beyond my skill of intuition, however they wont stop selling them for at least 6 years. Another possible scenario is an Intel/NVIDIA buyout (I like nvidia, dont buy them out, in fact just establish a partnership). In that case, I'd venture to say that with each cpu/gpu maker in their own business couplings the GPU as we know it (as of right now) is dead.

Remember what tim sweeney said, "something something blah blah blah, what we'll find is that [graphics] is a problem that turns out was just general computing". That definatly seems like the case, when you consider the ps3's graphics (which are probably good, havent checked it out, not that I'd buy a console). If a new (more than just an extention to the x86 spec) cpu comes out of all this technology, I really really doubt well be using a GPU, as it'd be kinda like just having another CPU, but in a pci slot, with a two slot cooler, loud noise, more cords, bigger cases, more heat etc etc. Provided the new cpu specification can be used buy both companies to make compatible cpus, well all see the extinction of the GPU, as well as numerous benefits mentioned a second ago. So bottom line, and in my best hopes, a Slashdot reading Dual Core, Dual GPU fat person, will eventually have a new box in 2012, right before the world ends. It will be running GNU/Linux), and will no more than the size of a mid tower. However the CPU in the system will be a really really fast, and will have hundreds of the 'streaming processors' (that are the basis of out latest gpu's processing ability) that can be used for games, graphics, or anything else, or even porn.

Seriously though, you did just hit HTML formatted by accident. Come on you're amongst men now, you can admit it bravely...