Lots of simpler cores is possible, but only for running specialized code that doesnt need much memory or memory bandwidth. If I have thousands of cores with small caches the total bandwidth to off-chip memory will be way too high, and performance will be limited by external memory throughput.
Look at Tilera http://www.tilera.com/products/TILEPro64.php 64 cores on a chip in the same technology as Intel used to get two cores on a chip. But local memory is small, so it's no good for general computing. Someone might try it for computer go though. David > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:computer-go- > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Mark Boon > Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 1:59 PM > To: computer-go > Subject: Re: [computer-go] MCTS, 19x19, hitting a wall? moore's law limits > > 2009/6/10 David Fotland <[email protected]>: > > I think we will get another 64x to 256 x density then it will stop, for > > single chips. We should eventually get desktop machines with thousands > of > > cores, but probably never with millions of cores. There really are > limits > > built into physics L > > > > How about the cores becoming much smaller and simpler? > > Intel's CPUs are approaching a billion transistors on a chip. But you > can probably make a very decent and fast CPU with just a million > transistors. Maybe double that number to give each a bit of cache > memory. If you can see computers with thousands of cores, does that > already assume they'll be simpler? Or could we have a few (hundred) > heavy-duty CPUs like today's for multi-purpose use and a card with a > million simpler CPUs on them next to it for tasks suitable for > parallel processing? A hybrid system if you will. > > Just thinking out loud, I'm obviously a layman when it comes to > semiconductors. > > Mark > _______________________________________________ > computer-go mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/ _______________________________________________ computer-go mailing list [email protected] http://www.computer-go.org/mailman/listinfo/computer-go/
