Military Industry of Great Powers: Build the Strongest Flanker

This is not the first time in history that Intel hastily launched a problematic processor.

The so-called FDIV Bug is caused by the floating-point division calculation unit in the 586 processor and some 486 processors. When performing special floating-point calculations, errors will occur.

The bug is actually not that big, and the probability of occurrence is only one in five billion. In fact, Intel testers discovered this bug when testing the 586 processor, but they believed that this bug had almost no impact.

In fact, Intel completely miscalculated on this matter.

They completely ignore what consumers think.

Intel sells CPUs, which are the core components of computers.

And if a computer cannot guarantee the accuracy of even the most basic scientific calculations, how can it guarantee other applications?

Consumers will think: "Now that there is a bug, will there be other bugs..."

And once the seeds of doubt are planted, they take root and sprout.

Once the computer runs and gets unexpected results, they may suspect a program error, but they may also wonder whether it is due to a computer bug.

You can also check the applet.

But for some large-scale procedures, how many people are needed, and how much does it cost to inspect very large procedures?

unimaginable.

The Pentium FDIV Bug that Intel ignored has historically cost Intel a very heavy price. In order to maintain their brand image, Intel recalled more than one million 586 processors in one go, causing a direct loss of US$500 million and indirect losses of dozens of dollars. 100 million……

Teacher Xiao Zhao feels that this time Intel may be able to survive and become crippled, and a large number of followers of Compaq and HP who came back from the dead will all die.

These microcomputer-related manufacturers have to reshuffle their cards.

So...

Why are you panicking?

"Let the bullets fly for a while longer!"

"..."

Dame Wang can’t understand!

"What do you mean, Mr. Zhao?"

Teacher Xiao Zhao smiled. He couldn't explain the details to Wang Xuehong yet, but he still had to strengthen his confidence with Wang Damei. Otherwise, how could VIA dare to bet on Zhongxun.

You must know that the entire ARMv5 industry chain has invested no less than several billion. If the products cannot be sold, VIA may be taken away in a wave.

For example, after the release of the ARMv5 platform, the 486 platform immediately became unsaleable. Hundreds of thousands of computers were directly turned into scrap in the warehouse. A large number of companies and OEM manufacturers, including Intel and Compaq, suffered heavy losses...

Wei Sheng is panicking!

Zhao Guoqing brought Wang Damei to Hong Kong Island, where is the ARM Asia Research Institute.

In the modern research institute, Zhao Guoqing said: "The ARMv5 processor was originally suitable for embedded platforms and was not friendly enough for multimedia and desktop applications. However, the originally designed core only had 600,000 transistors..."

Zhao Guoqing revealed his shortcomings. To be honest, the current ARMv5, including the ARMv6 processor with 180 nanometer process, was not originally designed for desktop platforms.

The performance improvement relies on stacking processing pipelines. Although it barely reaches the same frequency performance as the x86 platform, the CPU has flaws.

Among them, there is a lot of idle performance in the optimization of the instruction set, branch prediction, cache design, pipeline processing, etc., and the actual processing power is only 60% of the designed performance.

Just like a modern terminal, it can accommodate giant ships of 10,000 tons, and modern containers can be loaded and unloaded manually...

Zhao Guoqing said: "ARM is now divided into embedded platforms and desktop platforms. The embedded platform uses a simplified instruction set, aiming at high efficiency and low power consumption. In order to cope with the increasing multimedia needs, the desktop platform uses a simplified instruction set. On top of that, multiple sets of complex instruction sets have been added.”

CPU instruction sets are divided into simplified instruction sets and complex instruction sets, each with its own advantages.

For example, eating can be divided into three simplified instructions: picking up bowls and chopsticks, loading rice, and eating.

And complex instructions can be completed in just one meal.

Complex instructions are rarely used, but they are efficient. Often a complex instruction requires multiple streamlined instructions to complete, especially for multimedia processing.

The development of CPU has blurred the simplified instructions and complex instructions to the end. For example, ARM has also added a lot of complex instructions, and x86 has also added a lot of simplified instructions.

The key is to look at the demand.

Teacher Xiao Zhao said: "The IPC performance of the ARMv5+ processor is 70% higher than that of ARMv5!"

Wang Xuehong asked: "Mr. Zhao, what is IPC performance?"

Teacher Xiao Zhao explained: "The performance per megahertz, that is to say, the performance of the ARMv5+ processor is 70% higher than that of the ARMv5 at the same frequency!"

"..." Wang Xuehong was stunned. This is a huge performance improvement! The processing capabilities of 586 and ARMv5 are similar. If ARMv5+ exceeds 70% of the performance of 586, you can imagine its competitiveness in the market.

Teacher Xiao Zhao didn’t say much about the details, superscalar, super-pipeline, Pinotto algorithm for branch prediction...

"ARMv5+ foundry prices will also drop by 30%!"

Wang Xuehong smiled and said: "This is good news. We can make personal computers cheaper!"

Zhao Guoqing said: "There is one more thing that we need support from VIA!"

"What?" Wang Xuehong asked!

Zhao Guoqing went to the laboratory of the R\u0026D center. There were seven or eight sample computers on the huge experimental bench. Zhao Guoqing pointed to the middle one and said to Wang Xuehong: "ARMv5+ has changed the platform, with s378 pins, the latest PCI bus, and supports up to DDR400 dual-channel frequency. Memory, SATA interface..."

The new bus pushes the memory bandwidth to a new level. The dual-channel 400mHz bandwidth and 800mHz throughput fully meet the throughput requirements of ARMv5+. Compared with the previous generation memory, the throughput is increased by 8 times.

The performance of the CPU is no longer limited by the memory bandwidth. The 500m throughput of the SATA interface provides conditions for the performance of NAND solid-state storage. In addition, the PCI graphics card interface is directly connected to the CPU bus. Although it is x4 speed, the throughput is between two and three. It should be able to meet the graphics card throughput requirements within the year, and the PCI bus still has a lot of room for upgrade. It can reach a maximum speed of 16x, which will be enough for the next thirty years.

Wang Xuehong is very interested. The performance of these new technologies is very strong. With the strong performance of ARMv5+, it is completely feasible to promote these technologies into international standards.

This is also what Teacher Xiao Zhao wants.

"Mr. Zhao, what's the price? When will it be launched!"

Zhao Guoqing said: "It is lower than the sci bus. If you choose the public version, it can be produced directly. The tape-out of the ARMv5+ public version has been produced. The testing work can be completed this month and can be released next month. Mr. Wang, I think VIA engineers can come in!”

"Great!" Wang Xuehong said: "Mr. Zhao, I would like to ask, what nanometer manufacturing process does ARMv5+ use?"

Zhao Guoqing smiled and said: "500 nanometer process!"

Teacher Xiao Zhao saw a trace of worry on Wang Xuehong's face, and naturally understood what he was thinking. SMIC can no longer import the world's advanced photolithography machines, and its manufacturing process has also been surpassed by Intel. How long can the current technological leadership be maintained? Wang Xuehong is very worried. It's worry.

Teacher Xiao Zhao is also very helpless. He really wants to let go and fight. The 180nm NAND storage can reach one G, and the ARMv6+ processor has exceeded 1Ghz. It cannot be sold...

Zhao Guoqing said: "It is expected that the 350 nanometer process will be completed before May next year. By then, the new processor can be completed using the 350 nanometer process. The interface will still be the S378 interface. You only need to change the processor to enjoy the new technology!"

"..." Wang Xuehong looked at Zhao Guoqing with some doubts on her face. Is this true? She is no novice. Does Zhongxun have a 193nm laser lithography machine?

Teacher Xiao Zhao smiled slightly and said, “ASML’s argon fluoride laser machine also uses Sinocom’s technology!”

"Forehead!"