X1000 CPU is PWRficient PA6T

[ferrellsl]

I think most users will be underwhelmed with its performance.  8,800 MIPS at 2.0 GHz is about where the leading Pentium processors were back in 2003.

Sounds like there was a surplus of them from 2007 laying around and A-Eon was able to buy them up at a discount and them charge Amiga fanatics a premium price.

[Karlos]

I think most users will be underwhelmed with its performance.  8,800 MIPS at 2.0 GHz is about where the leading Pentium processors were back in 2003.

It's a question of perspective. MIPS are not the be all and end all. The overall processor and it's memory interface seems a lot better performing than any G4 hardware that currently runs OS4.

A much better indication of performance can be had through running real code. The SPEC CPU2000 (which are based on several real-world code tests) results for the PA6T appear to rival or outperform figures quoted for PPC970:

PPC970 info here

The stated performance of a single core in the the PA6T at 2GHz is:

SPECInt2000: 1000
SPECfp2000: 1500

Now let's look at a 1GHz G4 Mac : See here

SPECInt2000: 306
SPECfp2000: varied: 147 - 187

So, even downscaling the results for the PA6T for an estimate at 1.6 GHz, we get:

SPECInt2000: 800
SPECfp2000: 1200

So, that's basically 2.6x the integer performance and 6.4x the (best) floating point performance of a 1GHz G4. In other words, the 1.6GHz PA6T is to the 1GHz G4 what the average 50MHz 060 is the 25MHz 040. Except that you get two of them (if SMP in OS4 ever materialises).

I dunno about anybody else, but the speed up from an 040 to an 060 was pretty conspicuous.

[ferrellsl]

Well, only the most fanatical users will pay $2225 USD for technology that performs on par with systems back in 2003.  I guess if your hobby is buying obsolete hardware, then knock yourself out.

[Iggy]

I'm surprised that all of you didn't realize this yesterday when Aeon's design partner was announced. I discussed PA Semi based systems with Varisys months ago (they build a PA6T based CPU card). Once Aeon announced that Varisys helped design the X1000 motherboard, the PA6T was the only CPU that could be on the board on (considering the specs quoted and Varisys' design experience).

Plus, there were clues all over pointing to this for months. What other unique product does Varisys work with? XMOS processors!

Funny, everyone using MorphOS had this one pegged months ago.

[Karlos]

Well, only the most fanatical users will pay $2225 USD for technology that performs on par with systems back in 2003.  I guess if your hobby is buying obsolete hardware, then knock yourself out.

Well, reflecting on your statement I bought (well, built) a nice quad core PC 2 years ago (see sig). It cost lest and is vastly more powerful than any G4 class machine. So, well done me. That was a job well done.

Does it run OS4? No.
Does it run MorphOS? No.
Does it run AROS? Sort of.

So, if my interest was to run OS4 or MorphOS, said system is useless. All the "much faster hardware is available for far less" arguments don't really change that.

[Karlos]

Funny, everyone using MorphOS had this one pegged months ago.

When they first said low power, dual core 64-bit PPC at 1.6-1.8 GHz, it was my first thought. It's in that "what is X" thread somewhere

[Iggy]

When they first said low power, dual core 64-bit PPC at 1.6-1.8 GHz, it was my first thought. It's in that "what is X" thread somewhere

Yep, that was too easy a clue. I had an XMOS development board on hand at that point. I was confused by the specs on the PPC component (could have been an AM Titan core or PASemi), but the XMOS reference was clear.

When they announced the XMOS component I felt a little more assured, but the Varisys announcement cinched it. That company offers to help create PASemi based designs. Bingo!

[desiv]

...  I guess if your hobby is buying obsolete hardware, then knock yourself out.

er...  You do realize where you are, right???
:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

desiv

[Tripitaka]

Couldn't have put that better myself desiv!

[trekiej]

Are they able to stay in business long enough to make it work?
I do not know but I hope so.

[mikeymike]

I wonder if/when they will come up with a demonstration of the Xena/xcore chipset's capabilities.  Otherwise it's going to take a year or two at least before some interesting apps come out that use the chipset after the sale of the X1000 begins (by which time judgement of X1000's success will have already been judged).

It's all very good to say "look! amazing chipset! part of the reason why this is so expensive", but if they want to attract some serious interest, there has to be a demo as well.  No, I'm not talking about a 21st century juggler  But in terms of potential customers saying "wow", it needs to be something that has a similar relative impact.

[takemehomegrandma]

I wonder if/when they will come up with a demonstration of the Xena/xcore chipset's capabilities.  Otherwise it's going to take a year or two at least before some interesting apps come out that use the chipset after the sale of the X1000 begins (by which time judgement of X1000's success will have already been judged).

It's all very good to say "look! amazing chipset! part of the reason why this is so expensive", but if they want to attract some serious interest, there has to be a demo as well.  No, I'm not talking about a 21st century juggler  But in terms of potential customers saying "wow", it needs to be something that has a similar relative impact.

The XMOS chip in the "X1000" will probably be as much fun as the FPGA on the Sam.

[Amiga_Nut]

The question I have, where do you go from here since there is no follow up chip to the PA6T, so you've got to choose altogether a new chip (even if its ppc based).  There is not another ppc chip even in the pipeline for the power/watt combo that PA6T has, so immediately you have painted yourself into a corner regarding a follow up.

IBM are still actively developing PPC architecture, ALL three games consoles out there use a PPC in some form. We have Xenon, CELL and Broadway. OK Broadway is rubbish and pre G4 speeds but that still leaves two completed CPUs that are PPC compatible. I doubt very much Microsoft would change from PPC back to Intel either, so expect to see a revised Xenon II within a few years (not the rubbish 16 colour s-l-o-w game from the bitmap bros!!)

As others have said it is really an issue of 'will they go bankrupt?' not 'I can build an i7 PS3 beating gaming rig for £500 less!' though. And it is the fastest OS4 box you can buy so if that's all you want and money is no object then have a nice time

Working AmigaONEs for sale are pretty rare and for some people SAM isn't fast enough. I totally agree, a 933mhz AmigaONE is probably my limit to how 'simple' I would go if I was to build a machine.

[xeron]

"some pretty cool cpu we don't want to tell you about just yet"

...except you did in the output.

FTW, guys!

They didn't "just miss" that, they replaced showconfig with an exe that just printed a message and quit. If thats genuine showconfig output, then someone must have found a copy of the real showconfig somewhere.

[trekiej]

Maybe someone could put ppc linux on it.
Hopefully it would show what it could really do.

[mikeymike]

The XMOS chip in the "X1000" will probably be as much fun as the FPGA on the Sam.

You know, if you ever get tired of repeating your general opinion, a bot could be written that does it for you