Evolution of the multi-core processor architecture Intel Core: Conroe, Kentsfield...
Intel Smart Memory Access
The Intel Smart Memory Access technology
allows boosting the system performance through optimization of data
exchanged with the memory subsystem, thus reducing the latency in
accessing the memory.
There is also an absolutely new feature implemented during the
development of the Intel Smart Memory Access technology called Memory
Disambiguation. The Memory Disambiguation feature allows
increasing the efficiency of out-of-order data processing through
providing the cores with speculative data fetching in executing
instructions - long before a number of pre-queued instructions are
executed.
 Normally, when the out-of-order processor reorders
instructions, it can't transpose Load to Store because these is no
information on the position of respective data yet. Use of the Memory
Disambiguation principle allows eliminating ambiguities with special
algorithms which determine if a Load command can be executed prior to
the preceding Store. If the result is positive, the queue may be
rearranged for a better parallelization of the instruction handling
process. In those rare occasions when it is impossible the technology
locates the conflict, reloads correct data and repeats executing an
instruction.
Along with the Memory Disambiguation, the Intel Smart Memory
Access technology includes improved prefetch units which are able
"predicting" the memory contents and determining if the data placed in
the cache can be used once needed. Of course, increase in the number of
loads out of the cache versus fetching from the system memory has a
positive effect on reducing the latency and improving the performance.
The Intel Core architecture implies using two prefetch units
per each L1 cache and two per L2 cache. These caches detect the threads
and jointly distribute access, which allows for timely placement of
data in the L1 cache. The L2 cache prefetchers analyze calls from the
cores and provide the L2 cache with data which may be of use to the
cores in future.
Intel Advanced Digital Media Boost
The Intel Advanced Digital Media Boost
feature improves the CPU performance during execution of SSE
instructions. Both classes of operations - 128-bit integer arithmetic
SIMD, and 128-bit floating point double-precision SIMD - are meant to
reduce the total number of instructions required to execute specific
program tasks, they are able boosting many applications to do with
video and photo processing, speech recognition, encryption, financial
and scientific calculations.
In many processors of the previous generations, processing
each 128-bit SSE, SSE2, and SSE3 instruction is regarded as an
instruction executed in two cycles. Due to the Intel Advanced Digital
Media Boost technology, execution of such 128-bit instructions becomes
possible at the peak speed in one cycle. The use of Intel Advanced
Digital Media Boost is especially effective for processing multimedia
content like graphics, video, audio, and other data that makes
intensive use of SSE, SSE2, and SSE3.
Summing up. Future prospects for the Intel Core micro
architecture
This is in brief a whole overview of major improvements implemented in
the new Intel Core micro architecture with multicore optimization. As
you can see, each of these technologies separately is able
substantially improving the CPU efficiency. Taken as a whole, they
appear to be a serious force in setting new performance standards in
combination with economical power consumption.
Therefore, the new Intel Core micro architecture has made use
of all the advantages already implemented in the first generations of
mobile Intel Pentium M processors, inherited the best of the Intel
NetBurst architecture, and has been enriched by the most fresh
innovative ideas of developers.
Today, we are not talking about a specific performance of the
Intel Core architecture. The time has not yet come. However, the fact
that Intel will use Intel Core in all the key sectors of computing
equipment – servers, desktop, and mobile systems - means the
company has put so much at stake. Judging by various indirect evidence,
we can make precise enough conclusions that the stake is indeed
worth it, but… let's not talk about that today
and wait for the announcement and results of laboratory tests.
Reminding it once again that the Intel Core architecture will
be implemented in specific retail products for various market sectors
already in the second half of 2006. Processors with the working name
Conroe for the desktop PC market are expected to emerge earlier than
the others. Evidently, the new-generation economical chips will let
system integrators start developing a new generation of quiet, thin and
powerful PCs in absolutely unexpected form factors.
As regards the most immediate future, the next generation of
chips built on the Intel Core architecture with even greater number of
cores is looming out there on the horizon. In particular, Kentsfield,
Intel's first 4-core processor for the sector of most powerful desktop
PCs, based on the Intel Core architecture with outstanding power
efficiency indices will be the processor for desktop PCs. Launch of
deliveries of these processors is planned for the first quarter of 2007.
At that, I am parting hopefully for not long, because we are
in for really grandiose events...
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