VIA reveals a penny-sized processor

VIA has produced a version of its C5 processor, called C5P, which measures
about 1.5cm x 1.5cm, including its packaging. The processor & package are
half the size of a Pentium-M, approx. the same size as a penny:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...129TX1K0000532

The VIA die size is 47 sq. mm. Compare that to the monster cores of AMD and
Intel processors, which range in size from 120 sq. mm upto 200 sq. mm. They
expect the VIA chips will also consume less power than the Pentium-M or the
Transmeta Efficeon -- neither of which are exactly space heaters. They are
talking about 0.25W in deep sleep mode, or upto 21W @ 1.4Ghz; 1.4Ghz is
probably not available yet, so the highest speed will likely be 1.0Ghz, and
it will only consume 7W at that speed.

Another interesting thing about this processor is that it has a built-in
hardware random number generator, which uses the processor's own electrical
noise to generate random numbers. This would make it a true random number
generator.

Yousuf Khan

"Never anonymous Bud" wrote in message
...
Having skipped an E.L.F. meeting to be here, "Yousuf Khan"
scribbled:

VIA has produced a version of its C5 processor, called C5P, which
measures
about 1.5cm x 1.5cm, including its packaging. The processor & package are
half the size of a Pentium-M, approx. the same size as a penny:


http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...ETRSS02129TX1K
0000532

The VIA die size is 47 sq. mm. Compare that to the monster cores of AMD
and
Intel processors, which range in size from 120 sq. mm upto 200 sq. mm.

But 15mm x 15mm is 225 sq. mm...

Yes, but as I said, this is not just the CPU die, but also the socket
connector package. So the whole VIA package is not much larger than just the
CPU die from some competing manufacturers!

Yousuf Khan

Yousuf Khan wrote:

Yes, but as I said, this is not just the CPU die, but also the socket
connector package. So the whole VIA package is not much larger than just the
CPU die from some competing manufacturers!

Yousuf Khan



I seem to remember that the 16MHz 386SX chip packages were quite tiny
although it was some time ago so I may have faulty memory on this one....

"qIroS" wrote in message
...
I seem to remember that the 16MHz 386SX chip packages were quite tiny
although it was some time ago so I may have faulty memory on this one....

Yeah, they were quite tiny, but I doubt they were this tiny.

Yousuf Khan