China's Godson could be an Intel killer

[4T7]

China's new Godson-3 chip is starting to show that Intel could face some problems from behind the bamboo curtain.

Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the chip aims to make China less dependent on the likes of Intel and AMD. While this could hurt sales for both those companies in China, there could be more trouble ahead. The current chip includes 200 new instructions to assist with x86 compatibility and this means that it will run Intel compatible software efficiently enough that most Chinese may not notice the difference.

True the MIPS RISC processor behind the Godson will not be as good as an Intel machine but it means that if someone has to run x86 software on the Chinese machines it can do it. There might be some problems with patents and so far any attempts at x86 compatible processors, such as Cyrix and Transmeta Crusoe processors all failed miserably. However when your business partner is the Chinese government who will insist your product is installed in every school or state run business you have a bit of a head start.

The chip is not that bad either. When it hits the shops in 2009 it will have four cores, and an eight-core version is also planned. If the spec for the later eight-core gets off the ground it will be similar to Intels Havendale and Auburndale processors. It will be a "heterogeneous" processor, with different types of processors on one piece of silicon.

This will make it a good chip to build supercomputers.

Source

[goobimama]

They'll probably sell them for half the price, but the thing will melt down in a few days.

[MetalheadGautham]

Don't ever try to undermine China's self reliance programs. Their OS, Red Flag Linux, is THE most popular distro in china. They don't worry much about copyright since they are communist.

Their self built hardware is also simply awssome. Its a miracle what low cost hyper large scale labour can achieve when coupled with government sponcered subsidies.

I doubt china's hard working team of scientists had much difficulty to make their chips compatible 100% with x86 execution with lots of help from reverse engineering too.

[Faun]

nice...but why so commies ?

[IronManForever]

^^^ Yes correct but I still doubt its 100% x86 compatible. Though it was intresting that they attempted multi-core.

And Transmeta Crusoe wasnt a totally x86 processor, also it wasnt meant for Desktops and performance laptops; it was for power saving and that way it was damn scalable. They lacked marketing and propaganda which would have gone a long way... I really liked the crusoe intially.
And Cyrix, it fails due to performance issues. Though it was compatible with x86 better and Via even made boards that could accomodate both Intel and Cyrix.

Anyways, looks promising..

[nvidia]

It will be a "heterogeneous" processor, with different types of processors on one piece of silicon.

More like a CPU + GPU?

[mehra.rakesh]

@ 4t7 :: Its a RISC processor and you say it will be used in a supercomputer . RISC is used in mobile devices .

Will be lucky if these last for a month .

[4T7]

Originally Posted by mehra.rakesh

@ 4t7 :: Its a RISC processor and you say it will be used in a supercomputer . RISC is used in mobile devices .

Will be lucky if these last for a month .

In case u don't know PowerPC and SPARC both belong to RISC family

[NucleusKore]

Thanks for the news. It remains to be see how long these processors last though.

[mehra.rakesh]

^^ I meant x86 family and RISC were completely different . So how can a RISC be a x86 equivalent .

Cool didn't know supercomputers were made from SPARC .
Also understood that u were mentioning about the hetero core processor kind of like the PS processor which will be used as supercomputer chips & not the x86 equivalent processor godson. RIGHT ??

LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY. Thanx.

[IronManForever]

Well, such developments always fascinate me, and as they are from China, they wont die soon. China itself can imply the usage in its own country and sustain the development.

Also RISC processors can be x86 compliant. And RISC processors are pretty scalable which makes their usage in supercomputers easy. Parallel computing is easy with RISC. But one thing, x86 and supercomputers dont go a long way.
Someone pro wanting to highlight more on this, eh?

[4T7]

Originally Posted by mehra.rakesh

^^ I meant x86 family and RISC were completely different . So how can a RISC be a x86 equivalent .

Cool didn't know supercomputers were made from SPARC .
Also understood that u were mentioning about the hetero core processor kind of like the PS processor which will be used as supercomputer chips & not the x86 equivalent processor godson. RIGHT ??

LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY. Thanx.

Now u got it

[Kenshin]

Originally Posted by IronManForever

Well, such developments always fascinate me, and as they are from China, they wont die soon. China itself can imply the usage in its own country and sustain the development.

Also RISC processors can be x86 compliant. And RISC processors are pretty scalable which makes their usage in supercomputers easy. Parallel computing is easy with RISC. But one thing, x86 and supercomputers dont go a long way.
Someone pro wanting to highlight more on this, eh?

Because RISC's are hardwired and thus faster

[Faun]

^^the EnT specialist was here

[IronManForever]

Originally Posted by kenshin

Because RISC's are hardwired and thus faster

Actually I wanted to ask that do supercomputers use x86?? I dont think most do. Thats what I wanted to know.

[4T7]

Originally Posted by IronManForever

Actually I wanted to ask that do supercomputers use x86?? I dont think most do. Thats what I wanted to know.

Well the fastest supercomputer has opteron chips inside I guess that answers your question

[apoorva84]

intel has competition....

[comp@ddict]

Well you never know it might just be good.

Yet no reviews so don't jump to conclusions. Sooner or later some new company had to enter the CPU market and yet GPU market which have just 3 contenders each.


BTW beware of China products:
Lolz that's what they r popularly known for, cheap goods, but not sustainable, once you step outta shop, no gurantee, no warranty.

[nvidia]

Originally Posted by comp@ddict

BTW beware of China products:
Lolz that's what they r popularly known for, cheap goods, but not sustainable, once you step outta shop, no gurantee, no warranty.

Thats because they're smuggled. They don't pay any duty/tax anything. Thats why they are cheap and they don't come with warranty.
If you buy something thats legal and Chinese, you'll surely get warranty with it.

[IronManForever]

^^ Exactly. But it will eb relatively cheaper for the performance it gives.

[nvidia]

^^You mean the legal ones?

[comp@ddict]

I guess he does.^^^

[IronManForever]

Yup.. Chinese hardware is cheap legally. Thats, why so many manufacturers are moving their manufacturing/fabricating plants. Isnt it evident?

[freshseasons]

First the motherBoards now the Processor and hell what next ..software..
The net is spreading fast and wide.Run run for your lives...

[ax3]

China is duplicating everything ...... sab kuch "MADE IN CHINA" ...

[x3060]

looks promising , lets hope, they come with really good ones

[comp@ddict]

Corrected:

*Terms and conditions:
1. MADE IN CHINA
2.
3.
4.
.....
99. We are not responsible for any damage that our product can cause to you or other belongings.
....
115. We provide no warranty or guarantee that the products shall continue functioning beyond the life span of say 3 months.
....
150. Please do not complain if we have duplicated this product, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT.