NVIDIA Announces Grace CPU For ARM-Based AI/HPC Processor

[coder]

Our computers are already hybrids. SSDs have own processor to manage data. GPU is own kind of processor with own principles. Samsung I think was supposed to make a prototype RAM with some sort of logic as well implemented in it for simpler computing. Heck even AMD and Intel use own "inner" processor for security workloads, and it is ARM architecture.

Your computers are already hybrids.

I think that's not what they meant. I imagine they had in mind that one OS kernel should be managing hybrid ISA CPU cores, which share a global pool of RAM. This would be an interesting project, but I'm not sure we really have anything like it, today.

[Jumbotron]

" The new SVE features for the V1 Neoverse core draw on Arm’s experience working with Fujitsu on the A64FX platform, the SVE-enabled processor that is at the heart of Fugaku, the world’s top-ranked and first #1 Arm-based supercomputer. "

" Silicon partners will have full control over SVE voltage and frequency transitions, said Bergey. This enables them to run at full frequency while executing SVE code, as Fujitsu’s A64FX CPU is able to do. "

https://www.hpcwire.com/2020/09/22/arm-targets-hpc-with-new-neoverse-platforms/

The Grace SoC will be V1 (Zeus) as N2 (Perseus) will be more for massive scale out and for TDP restricted use cases as Edge compute nodes. It could be Poseidon (V2 / N3) but ARM states that won't be out until late 2022 or 2023. Grace has to be engineered, tested and verified before then. So...V1 it is.

You know...after reading Michael's article again and the press briefing from Nvidia AND looking over ARM's own roadmaps again, I'm changing my opinion.

Nvidia's ARM based "Grace" SoC will PROBABLY indeed be built on ARM's upcoming Poseidon. The uplift Nvidia is touting seems to fit well with ARM's boilerplate about Poseidon's performance uplift of Poseidon over its Neoverse V1 and N2 brethren.

I first surmised that Nvidia would take an established ARM platform like Neoverse V1 and expand on it with the approriate NVLink memory hooks and other system tweaks like Apple did with its M1, which actually casued ARM arch versions to bump up to 8.6-A. I initially thought that a similar thing would happen with Nvidia and Grace.

Now I am convinced that Nvidia will not only build Grace on the upcoming Poseidon platform but it will also be ARM v9-A.

[coder]

Unless the transition from x86 to ARM on desktop/workstation is smooth, almost nobody currently depending on x86 apps will be willing to make an ARM CPU their main desktop/workstation CPU.

With emulation, transitioning from x86 -> ARM is even easier than Windows -> Linux (yes, even taking into account Wine).

The thing is that anyone who's spent time with a Raspberry Pi v4 or ARM-powered chromebook knows it's a viable platform. If you're not also changing your environment, then it's probably not such a big deal for most.

BTW, Apple has successfully transitioned ISAs 3 times, if you include their current move.

[coder]

ARM doesn't give anything to you, except avoiding duopoly of AMD-Intel. Why? Because internally all CPUs are RISC in nature.

There are knowledgeble folks who would sincerely disagree on the latter point, as well as whether ARM is really even RISC. Rather than take a position on that, I just want to point out that the advantages of AArch64 include:

• simpler ISA -> simpler, more energy-efficient decoder
• fixed-sized instruction word -> wider front-end
• larger GP register file -> less spilling
• relaxed memory-consistency -> greater instruction-reordering flexibility

These are undeniable, though you can certainly debate the impact each has on performance.

[ezst036]

AMD already made an ARM CPU that's socket-compatible with x86, but it's not AM4:

https://www.amd.com/en/amd-opteron-a1100

I'm looking forward to them making it AM4 compatible.

[numacross]

AMD already made an ARM CPU that's socket-compatible with x86, but it's not AM4:

https://www.amd.com/en/amd-opteron-a1100

The A1100 is not socketable, it's BGA

[coder]

What would really kill X86 fast is if you could pop an ARM chip into your existing 1151 pin Gigabyte Z390 Gaming X motherboard or your Asus ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha X399 motherboard like in the socket 7 days. With a simple BIOS flash, and ARM just automagically works on what you already have. I welcome the day when AMD makes AM4 ARM chips. But I don't see them yet.

AMD already made an ARM CPU that's socket-compatible with x86, but it's not AM4:

https://www.amd.com/en/amd-opteron-a1100

[coder]

Point being: there is literally no ARM alternative to mainstream x86 desktop platform, and I won't give a rat ass about ARM until it is. AGE of non existing consumer high performance and affordable ARM

I know they don't exactly fit the bill, but here are two desktop-ish ARM machines:

• https://store.avantek.co.uk/ampere-a...rkstation.html
• https://liliputing.com/2020/07/huawe...esktop-pc.html

The first one is quite promising, until you see the price. The second is more reasonable, but still not exactly competitive with PCs -- and I'm not exactly trying to buy anything from Huawei (on principle, in this case).

But there you have some steps being taken into the desktop/workstation space, without even mentioning Apple.

[coder]

" The new SVE features for the V1 Neoverse core draw on Arm’s experience working with Fujitsu on the A64FX platform, the SVE-enabled processor that is at the heart of Fugaku, the world’s top-ranked and first #1 Arm-based supercomputer. "

https://www.hpcwire.com/2020/09/22/arm-targets-hpc-with-new-neoverse-platforms/

Even reading what you quoted doesn't support your claim! Seriously, are you okay?

[coder]

Not only will that Neoverse ARM SoC be tied to Nvidia GPUs through NVLink but the Grace cores will be ARMs Neoverse V1 cores like the Fujitsu Fugaku Supercomputer.

Check your facts!
Check your facts!
Check your facts!

By now, you should have learned not to make any factual claim without checking it.

ARM didn't even announce V1 cores until Sep. 20, 2020. That's 3 months after Fugaku set its record on the Top 100. ARM always announces new cores well in advance of any CPUs being launched with them, because ARM is in the business of selling that IP. It doesn't sell chips, it sells IP. There's no reason for them to delay announcing their IP, once it's ready for customers to use! In fact, that would make zero sense, since their IP has a very limited timespan of commercially viability!

Fujitsu presented A64FX all the way back in 2018, at Hot Chips:

https://www.anandtech.com/show/13258...core-live-blog

Your timeline and facts are so badly out-of-joint, it's like saying that the bombing of Pearl Harbor started WW1!

I get that you're enthusiastic, but that's no excuse to be so sloppy with the facts,