Talk Of VIA Getting Back Into The x86 CPU Space With Zhaoxin

[torsionbar28]

Interesting but what the world needs us an ARM based processor available to the whole market. Something to rival Apples ARM cores while supporting desktop and laptop I/O. More importantly the hardware needs to be open, that is full documentation for development including the GPU, CPU, and I/O subsystems. Throw in dedicated hardware to support AI and you have a winner.

Sounds just like AMD K12... here's hoping they get back on that effort now that Epyc is done.

[torsionbar28]

According to Intel, no.

QEMU emulates an x86 CPU, and it is open source software, no intel license required. How is this different from what is proposed here?

[wizard69]

Interesting but what the world needs us an ARM based processor available to the whole market. Something to rival Apples ARM cores while supporting desktop and laptop I/O. More importantly the hardware needs to be open, that is full documentation for development including the GPU, CPU, and I/O subsystems. Throw in dedicated hardware to support AI and you have a winner.

[chithanh]

The purpose of Zhaoxin CPUs is not taking any performance crown. It is becoming less dependent on foreign CPU imports, same for the Loongson and ShenWei CPUs.

Does x86 emulation reduce the patent problems?

According to Intel, no.

[starshipeleven]

The VIA X86 chips cannot be compared to Ryzen processors

It's the new design from this "Zhaoxin" company that is compared to Ryzen. VIA seems to just provide the x86 license for them.

[starshipeleven]

I'd be more curious to see what backdoor bullshit they manage to integrate in this thing to please the Chinese government.

That said, really hope they can make a x86 system with less BS than current Intel and AMD designs.

[hetzbh]

The VIA X86 chips cannot be compared to Ryzen processors for the simplest reason that are not trying to take any performance "crown".
They are designed for a really low end solution and to be a dirt cheap, something like the Intel Atom processors.
Back then when they were available, there was no Atom processor, today there is so I'm not sure if their solution would be worth much. Maybe if the processor won't be glued to the motherboard (As the Atom solution that Intel is selling these days)

[schmidtbag]

Pretty interesting - I'd be really like to see benchmarks of this some day.

[ssokolow]

Do you have much faith in a third-party with an x86 license able to come up with a CPU in 2018 that can compete with AMD Ryzen and Intel Kabylake/Coffeelake?

If they're available without an ME/PSP equivalent, they might be able to remain competitive purely as an alternative to drawing from an inevitably dwindling supply of old processors.

[rene]

still waiting for the VIA Isaiah 2 that was said to be released around 2014, ... ;-)