RISC-V development platform ROMA features forthcoming quad-core RISC-V processor

[TheLostSwede]

DeepComputing and Xcalibyte today opened pre-orders for the industry's first native RISC-V development laptop. The hotly anticipated ROMA development platform features an unannounced quad-core RISC-V processor with a companion NPU/GPU for the fastest, seamless RISC-V native software development available.

"Native RISC-V compile is a major milestone," said Mark Himelstein, Chief Technology Officer for RISC-V International. "The ROMA platform will benefit developers who want to test their software running natively on RISC-V. And it should be easy to transfer code developed on this platform to embedded systems."




The ROMA platform features:

• A quad-core RISC-V CPU with free SoC and SOM upgrades
• Security enclave processor
• A GPU/NPU feature accelerator for video and AI
• Up to 16G LPDDR4/LPDDR4X RAM
• Up to 256G storage
• Supports most Linux variant operating systems
• Early access to next-generation laptop and accessory upgrades at generous discounts or for free

A Web3-friendly platform with NFT creation and publication plus integrated MetaMask-style wallet, ROMA will create an even more integrated experience with future AR glasses and AI speakers operating entirely on RISC-V software and powered by RISC-V hardware.

"The ROMA native RISC-V development platform laptop demonstrates the power of collaborative culture and the potential of the RISC-V ecosystem," said Calista Redmond, CEO of RISC-V International. "This design is a crucial bridge between development boards and RISC-V based business laptops that will be used for day-to-day work. We applaud the contributions of the entire development team that collaborated to achieve this important moment."

Companies contributing to ROMA's development include DeepComputing (engineering), PW (assembly), Xcalibyte (system tuning), ECP (security), XC (crypto), Rexeen (voice), LatticeX Foundation (PoS blockchain, NFT).

"With built-in PoS, NFT, and MetaMask-style wallet, ROMA is born for the Metaverse," said Yuning Liang, Founder and CEO of Xcalibyte and DeepComputing. "This is the laptop of the future. We will spare no effort to provide the best RISC-V native development experience for developers."

The first 100 customers to pre-order ROMA will receive a unique NFT to mark the birth of the world's first native RISC-V development platform laptop. And you can have your ROMA personally engraved with your name or company name. Quantities are limited.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[TheLostSwede]

It might be based around this SoC and early unit pricing is said to be around US$3,000.
https://www.t-head.cn/product/c910?lang=en

 

[Daven]

“The hotly anticipated ROMA development platform features an unannounced quad-core RISC-V processor…”

How can an unannounced processor be hotly anticipated?

You want something you never knew existed. Now that’s ballsie marketing.

 

[trsttte]

This sounded really interesting, Risc-V in a laptop form factor, until the rumoured price and all the NFT bullshit

 

[sam_86314]

Looks cool...

...until they get to all of the metaverse and NFT bullshit. Why do companies keep trying to peddle this crap when no one is interested in it?

I'll stick to hoping someone eventually ports DOOM to my RISC-V-powered soldering iron.

 

[trsttte]

Looks cool...

...until they get to all of the metaverse and NFT bullshit. Why do companies keep trying to peddle this crap when no one is interested in it?

I'll stick to hoping someone eventually ports DOOM to my RISC-V-powered soldering iron.

I think they missed their moment since the NFT market seemingly crashed and burned . As for metaverse, it seems only corporate managers seem to care about it, everyone with a technical background I ever talked to seem to dismiss it as bullshit.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

Me, RISC-V laptop yes! Want. Must have. Buy Buy! Then, metaversa and NFT....... no I'll pass.

 

[lexluthermiester]

How can an unannounced processor be hotly anticipated?

The SOC itself is not the part hotly awaited, it's the dev platform as a whole. Context is important.

Why do companies keep trying to peddle this crap when no one is interested in it?

They're trying to force to be interested..

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

The SOC itself is not the part hotly awaited, it's the dev platform as a whole. Context is important.


They're trying to force to be interested..

Except native RISC has been around for a while now. Just not in a laptop.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Except native RISC has been around for a while now. Just not in a laptop.

As prototype systems, yes. Not as an actual development system. Again CONTEXT is important..

 

[Denver]

It might be based around this SoC and early unit pricing is said to be around US$3,000.
https://www.t-head.cn/product/c910?lang=en

Low performance and low compatibility = Higher price lol

 

[GreiverBlade]

"With built-in PoS, NFT, and MetaMask-style wallet, ROMA is born for the Metaverse,"

well they recognize NFT and MetaWhatever are PoS aka Piece of Sh!t

other than that, mmmhhhh, RISC-V laptop, me like... (also i dig the Matterhorn wallpaper ... ahahah that's close to home )

 

[R-T-B]

“The hotly anticipated ROMA development platform features an unannounced quad-core RISC-V processor…”

How can an unannounced processor be hotly anticipated?

You want something you never knew existed. Now that’s ballsie marketing.

RISC-V is a hot platform and a lot of devs are chomping at the bit to buy something like this for native compile.

This sounded really interesting, Risc-V in a laptop form factor, until the rumoured price and all the NFT bullshit

Price is a nonissue if you need something like this. The NFT thing may be out of place agreed, but it isn't an obstacle for someone needing such a platform.

 

[First Strike]

Anyone care to explain how this differs from a RISCV development board + an external monitor/keyboard set? No one would use this thing as a daily driver anyway.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Anyone care to explain how this differs from a RISCV development board + an external monitor/keyboard set? No one would use this thing as a daily driver anyway.

Seriously? It's NOT intended to be a daily driver. It's intended as a...

native RISC-V development laptop

...for developing RISC-V OS platforms and software. TADA!!

Why are people having a hard time grasping this concept and context?

RISC-V is a hot platform and a lot of devs are chomping at the bit to buy something like this for native compile.

This!

 

[R-T-B]

Anyone care to explain how this differs from a RISCV development board + an external monitor/keyboard set?

You don't take that with you anywhere portably.

No one would use this thing as a daily driver anyway.

For web browsing and the main development role it would be fine. That may be enough for some.

 

[R0H1T]

I think they missed their moment since the NFT market seemingly crashed and burned . As for metaverse, it seems only corporate managers seem to care about it, everyone with a technical background I ever talked to seem to dismiss it as bullshit.

What the eff is a metaverse anyway? It's like some Marvel/DC fans just graduated out of college & came up with this dumb marketing buzzword

 

[lexluthermiester]

What the eff is a metaverse anyway?

Right? Been asking myself that since first seeing the word. Then I remembered, I don't give a flying rats bum..

 

[Denver]

RISC-V is a hot platform and a lot of devs are chomping at the bit to buy something like this for native compile.


Price is a nonissue if you need something like this. The NFT thing may be out of place agreed, but it isn't an obstacle for someone needing such a platform.

I don't think any mental gymnastics justifies that price: $3K, if they want to stimulate the adoption of such technology they should make it as accessible as possible or even give it away for free to developers.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I don't think any mental gymnastics justifies that price: $3K, if they want to stimulate the adoption of such technology they should make it as accessible as possible or even give it away for free to developers.

That statement shows you really have no experience with development systems and the ecosystem that drives them. For example: A dev workstation(not the dev kit) for the Nintendo Switch is $56,000ish. That includes the the Switch system that is fully unlocked and capable of running raw code, the debug kit that connects to workstation that has the dev OS and software running on it. For PS5: $67,000ish. I don't know what XBO is but it's likely just as high. $3000 for a dev system? Lots of devs are going to say: "Yes please!! Thank You!".

 

[Denver]

That statement shows you really have no experience with development systems and the ecosystem that drives them. For example: A dev workstation(not the dev kit) for the Nintendo Switch is $56,000ish. That includes the the Switch system that is fully unlocked and capable of running raw code, the debug kit that connects to workstation that has the dev OS and software running on it. For PS5: $67,000ish. I don't know what XBO is but it's likely just as high. $3000 for a dev system? Lots of devs are going to say: "Yes please!! Thank You!".

Do you really want to compare the Nintendo switch (a successful console loved by many) with a market-seeking risc-V CPU?

 

[R-T-B]

I don't think any mental gymnastics justifies that price: $3K,

It doesn't take much mental gymnastics when you literally make money with this.

market-seeking

TIL RISC-V is market-seeking, not market-created.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Do you really want to compare the Nintendo switch (a successful console loved by many) with a market-seeking risc-V CPU?

Strawman argument. And yes, I am from a development cost perspective. The measure of success is not an argument with merit.

 

[trsttte]

The measure of success is not an argument with merit.

Sure but they are still not comparable platforms. One is seeking adoption by devolopers and users (dev device for tinkerers and companies to start trying out the platform and seing possibilities), the other is offering an adoption and user base to established businesses (i.e. nintendo mega corp. who will sell millions of devices on their name alone, a game developer will want to launch their game on the platform and will pay extra for early hw).

The two devices (i.e. this laptop or a nintendo dev kit) are also very different in terms of hw capabilities: this uses a regular-ish risc-v soc in production, that will likely be used in other devices and aplications, a nintendo dev kit uses a prototype of the final device much earlier than release (before mass production volume to spread the cost for example) and with extra interfaces for debug and extra capabilities because the stuff is not ready and they are kind of bruteforcing performance.

Not to say regular dev kits like this laptop or the other risk-v boards like the sifive stuff can't be expensive but they are very different markets.

Or in a very short way this laptop is a solution looking for a problem (who would want to use it?), a console dev kit is a solution to a specific problem (where can I sell my game and how can I make it good?)

 

[lexluthermiester]

Sure but they are still not comparable platforms.

I wasn't comparing the two platforms to each other from a market focus standpoint. I was making an example of development tool costs. Context is important.