Die size

[Jerakl]

So I hear people talking about die size for processors.

I.E

"The die size is 20 nm!"

 

What does it mean?

[WoodenMarker]

They're referring to the distance between the transistors. 

nm = nanometer

[Lays]

It's how they make the processor, you know this part?

The shiny part is the die, every so often intel/amd shrink the process they use to make it I believe, which is supposed to help with efficiency/power consumption + performance

 

[Freaky_spider]

https://www.google.be/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=BcLF2OyatQ-YjM&tbnid=ABsmbC_IZ-BvXM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gadgetfreak.gr%2F2010%2F11%2F24%2Fwestmere-%25CE%25BF-%25CE%25BD%25CE%25AD%25CE%25B1%25CF%2582-%25CE%25B3%25CE%25B5%25CE%25BD%25CE%25B9%25CE%25AC%25CF%2582-%25CE%25B5%25CE%25BE%25CE%25B1%25CF%2580%25CF%258D%25CF%2581%25CE%25B7%25CE%25BD%25CE%25BF%25CF%2582-32nm-intel%2F&ei=AVlVU7P5B4a-OamqgMgN&bvm=bv.65058239,d.ZWU&psig=AFQjCNEetIj9JZTErMgmOHXNA9JQ8XEntA&ust=1398188642600320

 

You see the 2 cores? the distance between every transistor is 20 nanometer, so the closer the transistors the more transistors on a smaller surface and thus making it more space efficient

[Mo5]

The die size is measured in square milimeters (usually) and it tells you how big the die is. The bigger the die, the more transistors they can squeeze on it. More transistors = more performance. That is also why the transistor size is important (measured in nm). Smallers transistors means you can pack more of them on the die.

[Faa]

They're referring to the distance between the transistors. 

nm = nanometer

Distance? It's the size of a transistor

[WoodenMarker]

Distance? It's the size of a transistor

Thanks for the correction.   --accidentally substituted words when I was thinking ahead about something else other than the question. I've given some nonsensical replies due to this in the past..

[FloRolf]

The die size isnt 20nm, thats the production size. The die itself is like 500mm^2 (gk110 is around that big)

[maazster]

So I hear people talking about die size for processors.

I.E

"The die size is 20 nm!"

 

What does it mean?

The die size is not 20nm, that would be crazy, what they are refering to is the lithography, the size of the transistors, the smaller the lithography the more transistors you can fit in a given space.

[D3MON]

node=size of transistors i.e 28nm
die size=overall dimensions of a given cpu/gpu die factoring in cache etc, usually in mm/square

smaller node=smaller die size for a given number of transistors OR same die size but more transistors (more computation ability)
theres always a trade off..

[Kamina]

The die is the actual piece they get from the silicon wafer.

 

20nm is a fabrication processs with how transistors are made, they shrink about every 2 years and double in count. Shrinking the die means more profit and more processors made per wafer.