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Posted by Andrzej - Thu 27 Sep 2007 09:59
Absolutely fascinating !

AMD say Low-K is the future

Intel say no way, choose High-K

But who is right ?

If I understand this correctly, then AMD are saying that by putting in traffic calming measures, with speed bumps and a reduction in ‘alternate path short cuts’ for errant electrons - the world will be a better place…

…while Intel prefer to make the highway connecting 2 items much faster - so that any deviation is automatically discouraged because electrons follow the path of least resistance

(if I have the fuzzy end of this lolly-pop, then please feel free to jump in and correct me!)

Both are on schedule to deliver mass-market volume on next-gen parts by 2009/10 and then - I guess - the stock market will vote with its wallet

.
Posted by Funkstar - Thu 27 Sep 2007 10:06
Thats pretty cool.

Surely both AMD and Intel could be right with their differing approaches to metal gates? They are just approaching the problem from different angles.
Posted by arthurleung - Thu 27 Sep 2007 10:36
Can't they use high-K for some part of the chip and low-K for another part of the chip?
Posted by DR - Thu 27 Sep 2007 10:43
I'm not sure you can mix it due to it being a manufacturing process, I'm no expert on silicon manipulation but I'm confident that it would take a ‘double pass’ on the line and you would need to mask the other area. I will find out though
Posted by Lee H - Thu 27 Sep 2007 11:02
Andrzej
AMD say Low-K is the future

Intel say no way, choose High-K

But who is right ?


Kellogs and their Special K ;)

As long as both the processes work as intended then they can use any they want :)
Posted by Andrzej - Thu 27 Sep 2007 11:37
DR
…I'm no expert on silicon manipulation…
That's blown my perceptions of you :surprised:
Posted by James Morris - Thu 27 Sep 2007 13:52
DR
I'm not sure you can mix it due to it being a manufacturing process, I'm no expert on silicon manipulation but I'm confident that it would take a ‘double pass’ on the line and you would need to mask the other area. I will find out though

You geek. :mrgreen:
Posted by Whiternoise - Thu 27 Sep 2007 19:32
Octo-core anyone?
Posted by [GSV]Trig - Thu 27 Sep 2007 22:54
Could this again be where AMD pick up the ball and in 5 years time Intel do another U-turn and do what AMD do?
Posted by moogle - Fri 28 Sep 2007 04:40
'[GSV
Trig;1224129']Could this again be where AMD pick up the ball and in 5 years time Intel do another U-turn and do what AMD do?

*fingers crossed!*

:heckle:

yeaaa i hope so, or at least match some of intels performance.
Posted by DR - Fri 28 Sep 2007 08:08
I've got to say - Intel and their manufacturing process, both design and deployment is far advance than that of AMD - with working 32nm wafers publically shown and acknowledgement that 11nm works - is something seriously impressive.

It also has to be said - you get a lot of tech for your money, microprocessors are seriously cheap for the amount of work and R&D in to them - remember that next time you sell your old chip for equiv for a round at your local….

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=9888 also an interesting read
Posted by Funkstar - Fri 28 Sep 2007 08:55
so is 11nm the next step on from 32nm?

Or do they also have something in the 20nm range as well?

And yes, that is impressive. Intel dropped the ball a few years back, but i can't see them doing it again for at least a few processor iterations.
Posted by [GSV]Trig - Fri 28 Sep 2007 09:52
tbh I think AMD will be better changing direction and trying something new, dual core CPU/GPU combo's could be good for the laptop/PDA market, maybe aim in a similar direction to VIA but with a CPU and GPU in the same die could lead to some seriously low power low cost stuff.
Posted by DR - Fri 28 Sep 2007 10:15
Funkstar
so is 11nm the next step on from 32nm?

Or do they also have something in the 20nm range as well?

And yes, that is impressive. Intel dropped the ball a few years back, but i can't see them doing it again for at least a few processor iterations.

They got complacent…. and have had to step up to the game.

However, look at market caps too - 150$B vs 7.34$B for AMD… I wish I could get historical figures for a year ago…

I think it's like this
- 130
- 90
- 65
- 45
- 32
- 25
- 11
Posted by DR - Fri 28 Sep 2007 10:15
'[GSV
Trig;1224312']tbh I think AMD will be better changing direction and trying something new, dual core CPU/GPU combo's could be good for the laptop/PDA market, maybe aim in a similar direction to VIA but with a CPU and GPU in the same die could lead to some seriously low power low cost stuff.

They are trying to and planning with this Fusion model, which can't come soon enough for them.

The trouble is they have issues in the notebook market since Intel have got some great battery life out there….
Posted by [GSV]Trig - Fri 28 Sep 2007 11:10
Ahh, well there u go then, maybe AMD's buyout of ATI was an indication of there own knowledge that they couldnt beat Intel with there direction re C2D et al. so have decided to concentrate on a different market..
If they are entering the segment currently swimming with the VIA stuff then we will hopefully see the same kinda jumps in performance that the Athlons brought to the table all them years ago lol…
Posted by Funkstar - Fri 28 Sep 2007 11:18
It would be good. It might also make VIA release their systems in a timely manner. It seems to take them far too long to get a new board from prototype to producting, and even longer for it to appear with retailers.
Posted by Andrzej - Fri 28 Sep 2007 18:13
Don't know why it did not come up in this interview, but I am sure that Mario Paniccia was saying somewhere around IDF that the processes being worked on now by the various teams within Intel should be OK down to around 2nm… http://www.hexus.tv/show.php?show=156

The whole IDF event was very interesting this summer - and I really hope that HEXUS.tv being able to deliver the ‘Insider Beanz’ (complete with video!) was useful for those who could not make it

I can't remember the last time I was this excited by technology :woowoo:

Moving from a 3.73EE to a top of the range Quad Core box, means that the progress bar for rendering in Premiere now moves at a fair rate of knots

When Intel lay out a clear roadmap for the next ‘x generations’ of processor…

…all I can see is my ‘rendering bar’ going across faster and faster !

:mexican: