If you could design your own CPU, what would it be?

[da na]

Thought it would be fun to share what our custom CPU designs would be! Pretend you have all of the money/resources you could need. However, keep it within reason; don't wish for a 512 core 100 gHz processor or anything ridiculous like that. Also keep it within reasonable spec of what current fabs can produce. And this is only for CPUs, not GPUs or other components.

Mine would be a blend of cores and a blend of clocks, like Intel's 12th gen. It would have 8 hyperthreaded, moderately clocked (3.9-4.5 ghz) cores as well as an additional, super high clocked single core. 6-7 ghz, and it would be programmed so that only specific applications could use it (the idea is it would be better for single threaded processes). It would seriously help with singlethreaded work. Yes, scheduling would be an absolute nightmare but let's just pretend that it would work. Would use ECC DDR5 (I assume that will be a thing?) with an 8 channel memory interface. It'd have ample 64 PCIe lanes. L4 (because I can invent what I want, no I don't mean RAM, that'd technically be L5 in this case I guess) would be shared between all the cores, L3 would be for the multicore section and the single threaded section separately, and then L2 and L1 would be specific per core. 

[MistahHaskins]

I would personally make a COU so useless that it's a joke CPU.

 

Maybe looking at the same specs you stated but have it automatically undervolt whenever you launch something, then I would make a software that would show fake data

[Action_Johnson]

I think what Apple's done with the M1 Max is pretty cool, the memory bandwidth is bananas. I'd basically do that, but take out the GPU part, make it x86 and a socketed design so it can be upgraded without having to replace an entire motherboard.

 

In general, by the time I need more RAM in my computer, I'm doing a whole new build by then anyway, so I'm not concerned about that part alone being non-upgradable.  

[RONOTHAN##]

It would probably just be Epyc Milan 7763 but with Threadripper clock speeds and more consumer oriented motherboards. Another way to put that would be the Threadripper 3990X with Zen 3, 8 channel memory, more PCie lanes, and support for buffered DIMMs. The best of both worlds. I don't really understand the want for hybrid CPU designs for desktops since they don't need to worry about battery life, so I'd want to make it with the highest performance cores possible. I appreciate high numbers of cores (I like virtualization and things like that), so the more I can pack into a CPU the better, and more memory just means I can have more memory available to each one of the VMs. 

[Guest]

Well, I'd design an APU that had exceptional GPU horse power making it a worthy gaming contender. On die Vmem as well. 

Based off that, different variations, from quad core with SMT/HT to sixteen cores without SMT/HT + badass iGpu.

Would bring back bus clocking (BCLK) as well. So 200mhz bus clocks.

BGA/LGA/PGA variants. 

 

Would try to aim for semi-performance passive designs for those seeking silent. 

A good segment towards that, desktop Octa-core with HT/SMT low watt = 39-45w TDP. 

Clocked at base 3.5ghz at 950mv No Turbo. OC capable.

 

Come to think of it, Processor design is tricky. 

More cache = more heat + I/O design of NB on chip = +heat (minimal - but adds up) + User OC 

=Decide to move "NB (I/O)" back to the board. Data bandwidth transfer is fine. Infinity fabric scales no different than a NB would. But a locked bclk 100mhz  = +OC 110mhz bricks the OS install at least lol. Well no fun there. 

=Why processors wall at a multiplier, not a frequency change at the minimum level = 1-2mhz = +6mhz. 

=No more "binned" chips.

So erase all of that from my design idea lol. 

 

High end Segment would be LARGE transistor count per core. Not additional core count. 

Think about single core programs for example. CSGO, 2 billion transistors per core sounds good. 

So cut a 5800X in half but double the transistor count per core, then double those cores back to an Octa-core.

 

Phew. Maybe shorten the pipelines a bit further. Not much, but a touch. Lower the base frequency maybe down to 3.2ghz and run that 875mv 16 threads. No turbo clocks, let people get their moneys worth overclocking again. Software can be downloaded to control the CPU with factory designed overclock tunes, but the user gets to OC first. (Make OC great again)

 

Server market would follow the high end path off desktop, triple the core and thread counts. Hexa-socket boards total wattage goals under 1Kw per board. 2.8ghz frequency .500mv or less. 

 

Long term goals for my CPU company, Be able to map a human brain and simulate it fully. General intelligence AI@Home - Patent pending! (not for real though)

[Freakwise]

id probably design a chipset-less cpu (Soc?) thats scaleable with a lot of I/O (usb, pcie, sata) and a dedicated bus for a gpu/accelerator, on the physical side of things maybe design so it was some what "symmetric" looking but idiot proof so people cant insert it other than what it supposed to 

 

 

[thekingofmonks]

a single 2nm transistor that burns up when powered

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, thekingofmonks said:

a single 2nm transistor that burns up when powered

I've seen socket A chip do that once. First chip I ever blew up without a heat sink attached! XD

[Jurrunio]

I mean ARM CPUs pretty much perform like I want a CPU to, it's just sad that a lot of apps I use are x86 only.

[thekingofmonks]

2 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

I've seen socket A chip do that once. First chip I ever blew up without a heat sink attached! XD

I'm currently working on an athlon xp and you're giving me chills

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, thekingofmonks said:

I'm currently working on an athlon xp and you're giving me chills

They are not equipped with a thermal trip. So, yeah, be sure the heat sink is good and snug.

[da na]

8 hours ago, ShrimpBrime said:

I've seen socket A chip do that once. First chip I ever blew up without a heat sink attached! XD

 

8 hours ago, thekingofmonks said:

I'm currently working on an athlon xp and you're giving me chills

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Mel0nMan said:

 

 

That video is fake actually. The core just gets red hot and smokes. 

 

Processors don't blow up and out of the socket. They stuck an M80 under it.

[da na]

35 minutes ago, ShrimpBrime said:

That video is fake actually. The core just gets red hot and smokes. 

 

Processors don't blow up and out of the socket. They stuck an M80 under it.

YeH, I’ve got a feeling a cpu wouldn’t explode into 5 pieces…

[thekingofmonks]

1 hour ago, Mel0nMan said:

 

 

ltt should add a rage reaction

[Mister Woof]

1 hour ago, ShrimpBrime said:

That video is fake actually. The core just gets red hot and smokes. 

 

Processors don't blow up and out of the socket. They stuck an M80 under it.

Reminds me of Last Action Hero. Every vehicle in the car chase catches on fire for no apparent reason.