Whos GPU CPU combo approach is better?

[Techno+]

hi guys

this is my first post at beyond3d so forgive and forget any mistakes.

do you think it would have been better for AMD and ATI not to integrate a gfx core itselfn and instead go for a cell similar design? A GPU sitting next to the CPU would increase bandwidth, but the heat issues would force them to decrease the GPU pipes and clockspeed, resulting in poorer performance.
In my opinion, AMD and ATI should think of a cell similar design.

what do u say?

 

[assen]

Well, the Cell approach did soooo well for Sony in eliminating the need for a GPU... why wouldn't AMD follow it?

 

[Anarchist4000]

I'm not sure if they were thinking of a powerful GPU with the CPU or just the basics. Something simple that accelerates vista etc and removes the need for a videocard. Capable of texturing for the most part. Something the CPU can do but isn't very good at. If there were any complex shaders they could run on the CPU but most of vista's GUI related functions seem like they would still be faily commonplace.

I think i'd agree with you that a cell style approach would make sense. I suppose it's possible AMD is thinking of using ATI's memory controller on the chips. As I recall the xenos was also the primary memory controller for xbox. They could reduce the CPU(s) to just logic/basic math operations and cut out SSE and anything else that has to do with heavy data processing. That should reduce the amount of transistors required significantly. Stick a massive cache with it to help with the high memory latency that would come with the added bandwidth. Something like a basic RISC style processor. Then use a GPU/Cell style array for graphics and any data processing. I'm not even sure how well this would work if at all. We would surely see some really weird looking boards/chips showing up if anything like this happened.

I guess once we see what R600 is capable of with unified shaders it might give us a better idea of how they plan on integrating it with the CPUs. Not to mention how much heat would need to be dissipated, as well as the performance that could be gained.

 

[Techno+]

I'm not sure if they were thinking of a powerful GPU with the CPU or just the basics. Something simple that accelerates vista etc and removes the need for a videocard. Capable of texturing for the most part. Something the CPU can do but isn't very good at. If there were any complex shaders they could run on the CPU but most of vista's GUI related functions seem like they would still be faily commonplace.

I think i'd agree with you that a cell style approach would make sense. I suppose it's possible AMD is thinking of using ATI's memory controller on the chips. As I recall the xenos was also the primary memory controller for xbox. They could reduce the CPU(s) to just logic/basic math operations and cut out SSE and anything else that has to do with heavy data processing. That should reduce the amount of transistors required significantly. Stick a massive cache with it to help with the high memory latency that would come with the added bandwidth. Something like a basic RISC style processor. Then use a GPU/Cell style array for graphics and any data processing. I'm not even sure how well this would work if at all. We would surely see some really weird looking boards/chips showing up if anything like this happened.

I guess once we see what R600 is capable of with unified shaders it might give us a better idea of how they plan on integrating it with the CPUs. Not to mention how much heat would need to be dissipated, as well as the performance that could be gained.

nice analysis, but do you mean by data processing the type of everyday apps we use. and do u think it will be multicore or multipipeline?. Your idea is good, they can keep the RISC cores for GP codde while do massively parallel applications on the Cell-like SPEs. As i read one SPE contains one SPU, so do u think if AMD and ATI made asimilar proc they can add more than one SPU to thier SPEs?

 

[nAo]

Well, the Cell approach did soooo well for Sony in eliminating the need for a GPU... why wouldn't AMD follow it?

try to use the search function and you'll find out why this urban legend is BS

 

[Geo]

I could see Jen-Hsun as CEO of Sony some day. At least more readily than I could see him as a cog in the Intel machine.