Intel shows off a new CPU design, Based on RISC architecture, with 8 cores and 528 threads

At the recent Hot Chips 2023 event, Intel unveiled a novel CPU design. This unique architecture primarily targets specific workloads that demand immense parallel computation capabilities and lead to underutilization of available hardware, predominantly in cache areas, akin to graphical analytics in projects like DARPA’s HIVE.

According to ServerTheHome, the CPU designed by Intel boasts 8 cores with 528 threads, signifying 66 threads per core. It is equipped with 192KB of cache and 4MB of SRAM, manufactured using TSMC’s 7nm FinFET process, featuring 15 metal layers and a staggering 2.76 billion transistors, of which 1.2 billion belong to the CPU cores alone. The chip spans an area of 316mm2, with each core occupying 9.2mm2, and is presented in a BGA-3275 package. Interestingly, it adopts a RISC architecture as opposed to the traditional x86 and also leverages silicon photonics for connectivity. Intel has introduced a chipset-like design within the CPU and utilizes the EMIB interconnect technology to connect the photonic-based chips to the primary CPU chip.

This particular CPU encompasses 16 multi-threaded pipelines (MTP) while its single-threaded pipeline (STP) offers an eightfold increase in single-threaded performance. Each thread comprises 32 registers. Additionally, it supports a customizable DDR5 memory controller, with capacities up to 32GB of DDR5-4400 memory, 32 optical ports, and PCIe 4.0 x8 channels.

Intel indicates that the CPU’s TDP stands at 75W, with a significant portion allocated to the photonic-based chips. The core itself consumes approximately 21% of the power, roughly around 16W, and when operating between 3.35-3.5 GHz, the power consumption remains within the 35-55W range. This platform can be expanded to a maximum of 16 slots, aggregating 120 cores and 8448 threads, supporting up to 512GB of memory.