Cell Processor Gets Previewed

[thunderhawk]

Cell Processor Gets Previewed

Cell processor:


The Cell processor is a yet another multi-core approach which should provide strong performance and while half a year after Cell’s release it is no longer unusual to hear about multi-core architecture, the Cell chip utilizes a bit different approach than AMD’s and Intel’s dual-core products which are available for purchase at the moment.

Find the article here:
http://www.devhardware.com/c/a/Compu...r-Architecture


Some quotes:

The Cell processor is being developed jointly by Sony, Toshiba, and IBM. The first two are obviously interested in its multimedia capacities, which look like they will be stunning. The last, IBM, is a good member to round out the group due to their background in manufacturing large volumes of high-end processors.

To demonstrate the capacity of the unfinished Cell, Toshiba released a video in April of a computer decoding 48 streams of video simultaneously. The screen was divided into a grid of thumbnails at 1920x1080 resolution, each playing a separate SDTV mpeg-2.

So far, current processors from AMD and Intel are having trouble pushing the 4 GHz mark, a mark Cell is easily clocked past. The PS3 at the E3 2005 demo has a Cell clocked down to a stable 3.2 GHz, providing 218 GFLOPS of power (and the graphics card in the PS3 provides 1.8 TFLOPS). It's also impossible to say what features have been removed or simplified in order to get this version of the Cell chip ready soon. However, Cell development is clocking it at 4 to 4.6 GHz, and is reported to have clocked it as high as 5.6 GHz. Of course, clock speed is not the only factor in a processor's performance, so don't take these figures as anything conclusive.

Altogether the Cell processor is a crowded little chip, with a whopping 234 million transistors (compare to AMD64’s 114 million transistors). The potential processing power of Cell blows away existing processors, even supercomputers. One Cell working alone has the potential of reaching 256 GFLOPS (gigaflops, processing 256 billion floating point operations per second). GFLOPS are benchmarked with a program called Linpack and are mostly usefull for comparing supercomupters. To compare, your home PC would be extremely lucky to reach 6 GFLOPS, unless you count your graphics card. This isn't to say that GFLOPS on the Cell and on your home PC provide an accurate way to judge exact performance specs. It's more of a cursory comparison.

Another thing about the Cell processor:
It supports something like networking. Cell processors will be linked
So your processor in your PC and the one in your TV and your BD recorder will be able to 'share the load'

I believe the cell processor is a huge advancement in electronical components for massive computer applications, and will probably be put into BD players and BD recorders.

Any comments?

[Blackraven]

Yes it is amazing and we would just see the beginning when PS3s come out next year.

Last time, I think Sony, Toshiba and IBM demonstrated the CELL processor doing some very heavy data (super-computer like) processing WITHOUT the GPU/graphics card (ie. Nvidia RSX). It did all these super graphic stuff on it's own including some ultra 3D graphics (way beyond your anti-aliasing and such) WITHOUT even showing signs of heat/overheating.

There were articles about that but I forgot the site.

In short, I maybe assuming things too early but nevertheless, I have high expectations for this piece of technological innovation and I hope to see it in action starting next year.

[Gorkab]

Imagine if IBM sell this processor for the PCs, that would be the end of AMD and intel !!! IBM would take his revenge for the time of the old Cyrix !!!

[thunderhawk]

that would be the end of AMD and intel

Thats right, it should be a big slap in the face for AMD and Intel.
But they probably just buy patents and sell Cell-like processors too, like it happend with current DVD format.

[Gorkab]

Originally Posted by thunderhawk

Thats right, it should be a big slap in the face for AMD and Intel.
But they probably just buy patents and sell Cell-like processors too, like it happend with current DVD format.

Argh, I didn't thought about it, thought it would be the end of high prices with the arrival of a "new/ancient" concurrent... :?

[thunderhawk]

mmyeah

remember the high price falls of the average PC when Intel's Pentium 4 launched?

Maybe we can expect something similar with Cell processor

[Gorkab]

Originally Posted by thunderhawk

mmyeah

remember the high price falls of the average PC when Intel's Pentium 4 launched?

Maybe we can expect something similar with Cell processor

In that case, that would be great for us because at that time, AMD is passing first and intel second, we can easily see it by the price... Urgghh :shock:

[thunderhawk]

Yes Intel is having a hard time with their concurrent this time.

I truly believe Cell architecture is the next-generation CPU, after dual-core CPUs. They say it themselves, "Multi-core architecture is the future".

[Gorkab]

Originally Posted by thunderhawk

Yes Intel is having a hard time with their concurrent this time.

I truly believe Cell architecture is the next-generation CPU, after dual-core CPUs. They say it themselves, "Multi-core architecture is the future".

Yep ! AMD's great with their Athlon 64 X2 but the Cell will rock it !

[Blackraven]

I can't believe this powerful monster will be powering the PS3 next year.

And the one being demonstrated above is ONLY THE PROCESSING UNIT ITSELF, NO GPU/VIDEO CARD.

That thing registered more than 200 Gigaflops by itself.

Heck, I even wonder how many flops does my Intel P4 2.53 Ghz computer have (and mine's doesn't have Hyperthreading Technology).

Damn, I can't believe that amount of monstrous supercomputing power will be made available to the upcoming Sony PlayStation 3.

And considering that the PS3 will initially have the same price as that of a PS2 when it was first launched in 2001, it's gonna be one hell on a sweet deal.

In 2001, you paid for a console that had 200 Mhz. Starting next year, you will pay for a console that is MORE THAN 100 TIMES FASTER than its predecessor for the same price at launch (or even a bit lower).

It's so unbelievable

[thunderhawk]

erm... in performance it will be 35x times faster.

However, processor is many many many many times faster.

I'll tell you a bit more about PS3:
Cell processor - 218 gigaflops performance
RSX graphical unit - 1 teraflop performance (1000 gigaflops)

[Gorkab]

Yep but the original PS 2 was 283 Mhz, not 200 Mhz...

It was 8.6 times more powerful than the original PS one, now it's 35... :shock:

[imgod22222]

Originally Posted by thunderhawk

The Cell processor is a yet another multi-core approach which should provide strong performance and while half a year after Cell’s release it is no longer unusual to hear about multi-core architecture, the Cell chip utilizes a bit different approach than AMD’s and Intel’s dual-core products which are available for purchase at the moment.

I think i heard someone once tell me that there have been multi-threaded games made as of yet.
Will the PS3 be the beginning?