Intel packs 48 cores into experimental processor

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 3 Dec 2009 at 08:46

Intel has revealed an experimental 48-core processor dubbed the Single-chip Cloud Computer.

The chips's 48 IA-32 cores are each capable of running their own software applications, and share 384KB of memory for message passing.

More impressively, the on-chip power management can scale the performance of the 48 cores, meaning that it consumes only 25 watts when idle and 125 watts under full load.

The chip features 1.3 billion transistors and four DDR3 memory controllers each capable of handling up to 8GB, all on a 45nm processor the size of a postage stamp.

Future laptops with processing capability of this magnitude could have vision in the same way a human can see objects

Intel didn't reveal performance or speed figures, and was keen to stress that the chip is intended as a spur for researchers investigating parallel computing. To that end, 100 samples will be made available to academics worldwide in the first half of 2010.

While Intel says this particular chip will never find its way into mass production, it clearly has high hopes for the technology in the future.

"Future laptops with processing capability of this magnitude could have vision in the same way a human can see objects and motion as it happens and with high accuracy," the company says in its statement.

"Imagine, for example, someday interacting with a computer for a virtual dance lesson or on-line shopping that uses a future laptop’s 3D camera and display to show you a mirror of yourself wearing the clothes you are interested in."

For anybody not interested in being dressed by their computer, Intel is also suggesting a number of significant business benefits. "You could imagine a cloud datacenter an order of magnitude more energy efficient than what exists today, saving significant resources on space and power costs," says Justin Rattner, Intel’s chief technology officer.