Dell Talking About 80-Core Chip Processor

November 20, 2008 by John Messina Dell slide shown Tuesday at SC08 (Credit: Dell Computer)

Dell slide shown Tuesday at SC08 (Credit: Dell Computer)

(PhysOrg.com) -- This week Michael Dell (CEO of Dell) gave a slide presentation that included Intelīs recently developed 80-core processor. This isn't the first time that the 80-core chip was mentioned in a conference.

Two years ago CEO of Intel, Paul Otellini, made a promise of delivering an 80-core processor within the next five years. He had also noted that the chips should be able to swap data at a terabyte a second (see video).


Video: Intel tests chip design with 80-core processor

This does not mean that future designs of the x86 chip is dead. We will continue to see more and more cores with increased performance and without more power required. The trend, for Intel, is to pack more computing power into smaller machines thereby creating desktop sized supercomputers.

Intel's intention is to continue to bring out many-core processors including its upcoming Larrabee graphics chip and future server processors that may reach 32 cores. Currently, Intelīs Dunnington processor gets the prize for the most cores.

Đ 2008 PhysOrg.com


print this article email this article download pdf blog this article bookmark this article     Stumble it Digg this share on Facebook retweet share on Reddit add to delicious
Rate this story - 4.2 /5 (43 votes)

Rank Filter

Move the slider to adjust rank threshold, so that you can hide some of the comments.


Display comments: newest first

  • ShadowRam - Nov 20, 2008
    • Rank: 2 / 5 (6)
    This is not the direction to go.

    Optimal solution = Main Core.. 2 or 3 cores..
    and a Massive Parallel Co-processor..

    (See nVidia CUDA)

    If Intel goes this route.. AMD and ATI's merge to make a processor as I mentioned above will destory Intel...
  • gmurphy - Nov 20, 2008
    • Rank: 3.3 / 5 (4)
    I program on cuda platforms, they're very powerful but very inflexible. Memory latency is huge so its better to do local computation where possible but the local cache for each multi processor is only 16kb. If intel can produce the goods, it would be very useful for developers, period.
  • GrayMouser - Nov 20, 2008
    • Rank: 2.3 / 5 (3)
    Reminds me of the Transputer chip based systems.
    And the Butterfly Machine. Of course, with the Butterfly Machine, they found out that the configuration of the processors (grid, hypercube, etc.) didn't make a lot of difference in the time it took to solve problems.
  • fleem - Nov 20, 2008
    • Rank: 2 / 5 (1)
    Right about the memory latency. The vast majority of parallel applications need at least a little main memory accesses PER CORE. 80 cores will want a LOT of memory accesses, and they won't get them in the same chip. There are some apps that crunch for a long time on the same little bit of data, but not many.
  • Star_Gazer - Nov 20, 2008
    • Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
    This is not the direction to go.

    Optimal solution = Main Core.. 2 or 3 cores..
    and a Massive Parallel Co-processor..

    (See nVidia CUDA)

    If Intel goes this route.. AMD and ATI's merge to make a processor as I mentioned above will destory Intel...


    thats why Cell CPU in my PS3 uses 1 main core and 8SPEs
  • lengould100 - Nov 21, 2008
    • Rank: 5 / 5 (1)
    An 80 core cpu needs an OS which can dedicate assign specific groups of CPU to specific operating threads continuously, with each group having direct access to RAM and I/O. Interesting problem...
  • lengould100 - Nov 21, 2008
    • Rank: not rated yet
    Processors should be grouped into 20 groups of 1 to 3 processors (average 2). Remaining processors available to be assigned as helpers to any group which is working too hard. Each group gets its own on-chip cache and stacks. OS then asigns threads to groups according to priority.
  • lengould100 - Nov 21, 2008
    • Rank: not rated yet
    If the system had available guaranteed maximum access delays to disk and etc., then at least one of the groups should be capable of critical real-time control... sweet. Robots, auto automation, ... needs a coprocessor for analog and real-world interfaces...
  • thematrix606 - Nov 21, 2008
    • Rank: not rated yet
    Does this mean I will finally be able to get 30 fps in Crysis? Hardware will finally catch up games! Yay, about time :)
  • jonnyboy - Jan 24, 2009
    • Rank: not rated yet
    An 80 core cpu needs an OS which can dedicate assign specific groups of CPU to specific operating threads continuously, with each group having direct access to RAM and I/O. Interesting problem...


    which, of course, brings up the problem of controlling and coordinating all the different accesses to the memory.

    Sounds like a slow death to me

November 20, 2008 all stories

Comments: 10

4.2 /5 (43 votes)
  • Stumble this up

  • Digg this

  • share this

  • hide
  • Related Stories

  • NY files antitrust suit against Intel (Update)
    created Nov 04, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Intel Reports Breakthrough in Stacked, Cross Point Phase Change Memory Technology
    created Oct 29, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Report: AMD ex-CEO said linked to Galleon case
    created Oct 28, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Parallel course: Researchers help ease transition to parallel programming
    created Oct 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0
  • Away from the financial bust, tech stocks boomed
    created Oct 14, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0



  • hide
  • Relevant PhysicsForums posts

  • Questions about transformer
    created 1hour ago
  • controlling static elec current to charge batteries
    created 2 hours ago
  • How does current flow in an antenna?
    created 3 hours ago
  • No Laplace Transform? What can be said about the function?
    created 5 hours ago
  • More from Physics Forums - Electrical Engineering

Other News

Oracle logo

EU objects to Oracle's takeover of Sun

Technology / Business

created 4 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

(AP) -- European antitrust regulators have formally objected to Sun Microsystems Inc.'s planned $7.4 billion sale to Oracle Corp., escalating a battle over a deal that has already been cleared in the U.S.


Video fingerprinting offers search solution

Video fingerprinting offers search solution

Technology / Computer Sciences

created 10 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- The explosive growth of video on the internet calls for new ways of sorting and searching audiovisual content. A team of European researchers has developed a groundbreaking solution that is ...


Commercialization of new solar technology to boost solar efficiency

Technology / Energy

created 10 hours ago | popularity 3.5 / 5 (6) | comments 0

A pioneer in solar power in the 1990s before it became "sexy," University of Houston Professor Alex Freundlich recently entered into a collaborative research agreement with U.K.-based start-up QuantaSol for the development ...


Solar LED lamps

Solar Cells with LEDs Provide Inexpensive Lighting

Technology / Energy

created 13 hours ago | popularity 4.8 / 5 (11) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- Of the 1.5 billion people in developing countries who do not have electricity, many rely on kerosene lamps for light after the sun goes down. But now, researchers from Denmark have designed ...


Tesla Roadster

Tesla Roadster Goes 313 Miles on a Single Charge

Technology / Energy

created 13 hours ago | popularity 4.5 / 5 (12) | comments 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- Tesla is becoming synonymous with high performance electric cars. Indeed, the Tesla car company has been making efforts to create a brand of sports car that runs on electricity, and does so ...