Go To Latest Video ReviewsFujitsu Touts 'World's Fastest' CPU
| Author | Hugo Jobling |
| Published | 18th May 2009 |
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TrustedReviews NewslettersFujitsu's SPARC64 VIIIfx processor might not have the most inspiring of names, but what it lacks in charisma it makes up for in sheer performance. Touted as the world's fastest CPU, the chip is capable of a blistering 128 gigaFLOPS - one hell of a lot of computational throughput.
The SPARC64 VIIIfx features eight cores and an integrated memory controller, in a die around 2cm square. Fujitsu also reckons that its CPU uses about a third less power than Intel's fastest, while offering about 2.5 times the processing ability.
Built on a 45nm fabrication process, the CPU will apparently be used in next-generation supercomputer installations, dealing with weather, transportation, medical and space systems. Such applications are able to take advantage of the huge throughput capability of the SPARC64 VIIIfx in a manner than, say, your average Windows user wouldn't.
The downside, for those in apposition to use such a CPU, is that the transition from the processor demonstrated in the lab to real-world products is going to take a few years.
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John McLean said on 18th May 2009
smc8788 said on 18th May 2009
@ Stewart - The 2cm figure the die size, not the size of the chip itself, but nonetheless it does indeed look very big.
P.S. - it's 'sheer', not '... more
Hugo said on 18th May 2009
I blame Microsoft Word ;)
Hallainzil said on 18th May 2009
@Stuart: Maybe Fujitsu only employ children?
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@Stewart Payne - I'm guessing that's a heatspreader!