Our goal with the Cell is to be an order of magnitude faster

[j^aws]

Then why not just say they're 9 PPC cores?

Just think of the PU as a big dispatcher/scheduler, that could also deal with others PU (If there's others).

Ok if we were to compare a APU to a known cpu core, what would it be equivalent to? A i486? Can a APU be used as a standalone cpu without the help of a host processor core? If it can't operate as a standalone microprocessor then it's not really a core, but more like a coprocessor.

The APUs are independent cores, when a Software Cell is allocated to it by the PU, according to the patents they will independently continue to process the Software Cell for as long as it takes...when finished, they will be fed more Software Cells...

The patents mention explicitely that they are independent processors...

 

[McFly]

Oh my:

When utilised in a server set-up, the CELL processor is believed to be capable of handling up to 16 trillion flops every second!

http://www.totalvideogames.com/pages/articles/index.php?article_id=7157

A bit closer to reality than the last two articles, but still wrong.

Fredi

 

[PC-Engine]

Then why not just say they're 9 PPC cores?

Just think of the PU as a big dispatcher/scheduler, that could also deal with others PU (If there's others).

Ok if we were to compare a APU to a known cpu core, what would it be equivalent to? A i486? Can a APU be used as a standalone cpu without the help of a host processor core? If it can't operate as a standalone microprocessor then it's not really a core, but more like a coprocessor.

The APUs are independent cores, when a Software Cell is allocated to it by the PU, according to the patents they will independently continue to process the Software Cell for as long as it takes...when finished, they will be fed more Software Cells...

The patents mention explicitely that they are independent processors...

Well that really doesn't say much...

A math coprocessor basically does the same when fed data to process. The question again, can a APU operate as a standalone CPU if you removed it from the CELL chip?

As an example, a cpu that contains 64 Intel 286 cores plus one 586 core is a 65 core cpu. OTOH a cpu that contains a 586 core plus 64 math coprocessors is not a 65 core cpu.

 

[j^aws]

Then why not just say they're 9 PPC cores?

Just think of the PU as a big dispatcher/scheduler, that could also deal with others PU (If there's others).

Ok if we were to compare a APU to a known cpu core, what would it be equivalent to? A i486? Can a APU be used as a standalone cpu without the help of a host processor core? If it can't operate as a standalone microprocessor then it's not really a core, but more like a coprocessor.

The APUs are independent cores, when a Software Cell is allocated to it by the PU, according to the patents they will independently continue to process the Software Cell for as long as it takes...when finished, they will be fed more Software Cells...

The patents mention explicitely that they are independent processors...

Well that really doesn't say much...

A math coprocessor basically does the same when fed data to process. The question again, can a APU operate as a standalone CPU if you removed it from the CELL chip?

I think the question should be the other way around...can the APUs continue if you removed the PU from the Cell processor? ...Think of software scheduling via an OS and hardware scheduling via the PUs? ...Well who know's, we'll hopefully find out soon enough!

 

[Fafalada]

A math coprocessor basically does the same when fed data to process. The question again, can a APU operate as a standalone CPU if you removed it from the CELL chip?

Yes it can. For that matter so can a EE VU, albeit it would be dreadfully slow with some of the integer code...

 

[Quaz51]

Then why not just say they're 9 PPC cores?

Just think of the PU as a big dispatcher/scheduler, that could also deal with others PU (If there's others).

Ok if we were to compare a APU to a known cpu core, what would it be equivalent to? A i486? Can a APU be used as a standalone cpu without the help of a host processor core? If it can't operate as a standalone microprocessor then it's not really a core, but more like a coprocessor.

The APUs are independent cores, when a Software Cell is allocated to it by the PU, according to the patents they will independently continue to process the Software Cell for as long as it takes...when finished, they will be fed more Software Cells...

The patents mention explicitely that they are independent processors...

Well that really doesn't say much...

A math coprocessor basically does the same when fed data to process. The question again, can a APU operate as a standalone CPU if you removed it from the CELL chip?

As an example, a cpu that contains 64 Intel 286 cores plus one 586 core is a 65 core cpu. OTOH a cpu that contains a 586 core plus 64 math coprocessors is not a 65 core cpu.

an APU are not a coprocessor, it's a processor

 

[Megadrive1988]

*hangs on tightly to the idea of an 8-PE thus (72 processors) chip*

 

[HappyBread]

first pic of Cell

Two more photos.

 

[Titanio]

Cheers Happy! Can I ask where did you find these?

 

[McFly]

Do I see tons of pins there or is that something else?

Fredi

 

[HappyBread]

Cheers Happy! Can I ask where did you find these?

Some IBM employee at Gamesradar.com. He has some presentation and he posted these on the forums.

I've just had the full details drop in to me, also a few fancy slide shows that'll be screened to the press etc.

http://forum.gamesradar.com/viewforum.php?f=12

 

[j^aws]

Do I see tons of pins there or is that something else?

Fredi

Whatever they are, they look good enough to eat...mmmmmm...tasteeeeeee...

 

[Titanio]

Cheers happy.

 

[Megadrive1988]

 

[Fafalada]

So someone familiar with dimensions of a dollar coin please whip up the die area figure, stat! 8)

 

[j^aws]

Ladies and gentlemen...we have CELL yields!

 

[j^aws]

So someone familiar with dimensions of a dollar coin please whip up the die area figure, stat! 8)

It could be a fake, giant coin!

 

[McFly]

Whatever they are, they look good enough to eat...mmmmmm...tasteeeeeee...

Maybe they are there to get the 85°C out of the chip ... hmmm ....

Fredi

 

[Titanio]

d'oh, wrong thread, please excuse..

 

[j^aws]

Whatever they are, they look good enough to eat...mmmmmm...tasteeeeeee...

Maybe they are there to get the 85°C out of the chip ... hmmm ....

Fredi

Maybe some nanotech cooling fins! 8)

So are these confirmed REAL? ...I can't seem to see the PUs?