The Most Affordable & Open-Source POWER9 System To Date Can Now Be Pre-Ordered

[phoronix]

Phoronix: The Most Affordable & Open-Source POWER9 System To Date Can Now Be Pre-Ordered

Last month we reported on Raptor Computing Systems announcing the Talos 2 Lite as their most affordable POWER9-based, open-source down to the firmware system and at least for now also happens to be the cheapest POWER9 configuration we have seen from any vendor...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Talos-2-Lite-Pre-Order

[Nth_man]

Nice!

[onicsis]

$375, for CPUs from this category, it's relatively inexpensive but in a typically desktop PC, the CPU costs much than the motherboard not viceversa.
But, anyway, overall a starting point Power

[-MacNuke-]

I fear that "day-to-day" software optimization will always be a problem with POWER machines. It already was a big problem when PowerPC was the main CPU of Apple computers. Compilers generated worse code, JIT-compiler did not exist or were much slower, SIMD optimization is missing in most software...

ARM has the main benefit that you can get a complete ARM computer for like 50-100 bucks with all parts included.

I know that IBM has no interests in the consumer marked anymore but a cheap POWER dev board really could help to get Open Source software flying on those things.

[onicsis]

I fear that "day-to-day" software optimization will always be a problem with POWER machines. It already was a big problem when PowerPC was the main CPU of Apple computers. Compilers generated worse code, JIT-compiler did not exist or were much slower, SIMD optimization is missing in most software...

ARM has the main benefit that you can get a complete ARM computer for like 50-100 bucks with all parts included.

I know that IBM has no interests in the consumer marked anymore but a cheap POWER dev board really could help to get Open Source software flying on those things.

In this days anyone can send feed backs to devs or optimize an compiler for ARM by themselves, having access to a phone with Android or SBC. And yes a development board for Power will open the doors to average users developers or enthusiasts. Some time ago, IBM has switched from solo development of manufacturing CPUs to a licensing model (in a transparent manner) via OpenPower foundation by accepting outside contributions.

[sykobee]

The prices aren't too unreasonable reasonable when compared against HEDT systems from Intel and AMD. Let's see what Intel will charge for their 28 core chip eh?

[blacknova]

The prices aren't too unreasonable reasonable when compared against HEDT systems from Intel and AMD. Let's see what Intel will charge for their 28 core chip eh?

If we're talking about CPU price then yes. MB is really underpowered for this price. I don't mind that it cost around 1000$, but it is basically useless for desktop as it is. To little usb ports, to little PCI-E, no SATA ports in default build and of course no m.2 connectors. Well, that's my mine gripe with it. Talos II Lite MB just make to little sense for me as desktop/workstation MB. It make much more sense as single socket server MB though.

[blacknova]

As it is I'm looking forward to get myself a full, 2CPU, Talos II system in a year or half

[cybertraveler]

I fear that "day-to-day" software optimization will always be a problem with POWER machines. It already was a big problem when PowerPC was the main CPU of Apple computers. Compilers generated worse code, JIT-compiler did not exist or were much slower, SIMD optimization is missing in most software...

ARM has the main benefit that you can get a complete ARM computer for like 50-100 bucks with all parts included.

I know that IBM has no interests in the consumer marked anymore but a cheap POWER dev board really could help to get Open Source software flying on those things.

The benefit and main selling point of these Raptor POWER systems is privacy and security on new & fast hardware. It's unmatched in this category. The prices being charged seem more reasonable when you factor this in.

[Kendji]

If they made one in the Raspberry pi form factor they might get some initial devs to try it out and start developing