[Eug Wanker]

P.A. Semi Unveils Game-Changing Multicore Processor Family

The PWRficient processors address the multibillion-dollar high-performance embedded and computing markets to redefine power, cost, and throughput efficiency in high-performance processing. The unique system-on-chip architecture and design, underpinned by 50 patents filed and pending, delivers high performance (up to 2.5GHz per-core) at phenomenally low power consumption. In terms of performance per watt, the defining metric for all next- generation processors, PWRficient is up to 10 times superior to the competition. For example, the first PWRficient processor, a dual-core chip running at 2GHz, dissipates just 5-13 watts typical, depending upon the application.

I'm have no idea how good something like this would be for a Mac, because we have no real details yet. Too late for Macs though anyway.

[Eriamjh]

It would be nice for a mini.

[mduell]

It could be like Cell... insanely high throughput (but lower power consumption) for embedded, but wholly unsuitable for general purprose desktop use.

[mduell]

Something to note: These chips aren't going to be out for a year.
2.0Ghz dualcore PPC in late 2006 (at the earliest) is OK if you're trying to keep up with Freescale ( ), but a little underwhelming for the rest of us.

[Eug Wanker]

The hype machine is on full tilt, but they estimate that when it does come out in a year, the SPECint performance will be 1100 per core and the SPECfp performance will be > 2200. I am skeptical, but that's way beyond what Freescale is forecasting. Freescale advertises low power and reasonable SPECint performance, but their SPECfp performance absotively sucks.

Mind you, despite their server claims, my bet is that these guys are targetting Freescale's market, and that is a big one.

BTW, these chips would compete against Intel's Merom (Yonah's 64-bit low power dual-core successor), in terms of time frame if they get them out in a year, but somehow I'm more inclined to believe in Intel's hype than P.A. Semi's even though Intel doesn't have a great track record either. (P.A. Semi has no track record whatsoever. However, they do have some good people in the fold apparently.)

[mduell]

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

The hype machine is on full tilt, but they estimate that when it does come out in a year, the SPECint performance will be 1100 per core and the SPECfp performance will be > 2200. I am skeptical, but that's way beyond what Freescale is forecasting. Freescale advertises low power and reasonable SPECint performance, but their SPECfp performance absotively sucks.

The SPECfp performance is impressive, but you can already have that SPECint performance today in a 10W (maximum) Pentium M.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally Posted by mduell

The SPECfp performance is impressive, but you can already have that SPECint performance today in a 10W (maximum) Pentium M.

Indeed. Besides embedded though, it might be good for supercomputers, where floating point performance per watt is very important.

Anyways, we may learn more tomorrow, since the chip will be presented formally. In the meantime, let's have some cake: