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Since the architecture of Intels Larrabee Graphics processing was revealed there has been speculation of the specification and implementation of the processor.

When I read my first article on the GPU I thought it was embedded into the current x86 processor with a built in memory controller! Removing the need for PCI-E bus I don’t think so some how.

Intel’s current graphics market includes low ended onboard GPU processing. Their market covers laptops and office based desktops, less demanding video processing. Intel have now decided to venture into the competitive 3D acceleration market and much more.
Larrabee is Intels answer against Nvidia and ATI in the graphics war. Intel has decided to create an architecture which uses their current x86 instruction set. Current graphics processors use a customised instruction set for its shader cores.

This is a good move for Intel with GPGPU (General Purpose Graphics Processing Unit). Over the last couple of months in fact, Graphics cards are being used for general purpose processing. Graphics processors can calculate more than their initial intention. The processors are considered co-processors and are capable of running a variety of applications. ( GPGPU is worth an article in its own right!).

Any way, Intel has made the best move by using the x86 instruction set. Nvidia and ATI may need some sort of SDK to run their GPUGP applications. Will Larrabee processors run window OS based code? I cant imagine running Nintendo emulators on your new Graphics Processor :P.

Right let’s get on with the juicy information. According to Intel the Larrabee will run at 1.7 to 2.5 Ghz and feature between 16 to 24 cores! All of which run the modified x86 instruction set.

Larrabee will be available on PCI Express 2.0 and was initially fabricated at 45nm process. Interestingly the architecture can also be integrated within servers. The processor will sit directly in the motherboard sockets using Intels QuickPath interconnect apposed to AMD’s Hyptertransport interconnect.

What does the future hold? If Intel can pull Larrabee off then the future desktop may not even include a traditional X86 processor! Could the GPU be used for physics of computer graphics? Remember the Ageia PhysX processor? If GPGPU is going down this route then a Larrabee card could do this and a whole lot more.

So in conclusion Larrabee can be seen as a new graphics processor for the gaming market but will Intel also see this as maybe an add on card for mathematical calculations for science based computers? CAD for instance?

Larrabee was previously expected during early 2009. Press release may be towards the end of 2009 early 1010. Intel is moving fast, will the Larrabee processor even use a 45nm process? It may even be fabricated on the 32nm process.

Below are two pictures of the architecture. The first picture shows the on-chip design and the second shows the physical layout of the card with the processor and DDR3 memory structure.

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