Looking for a CPU lesson

[Zaspera]

I'm shopping around for CPUs and always see "nm" everywhere. For example, looking at the FX-8120 I see that it is 32nm. Could someone give me a quick 101 breakdown on what that translates to? Thanks like usual TPU.

 

[Krazy Owl]

The lower the more recent and the less heat producing, power consuming its supposed to be. It's like the measure for the size of the die on the cpu. Thwey can shrink it more and more with newer cpu so it cost less in energy.

 

[Zaspera]

That was less complicated to understand than I anticipated. Thanks for the help.

 

[Krazy Owl]

No problem

 

[ThE_MaD_ShOt]

nanometer

 

[karolpl2004]

so yeah pretty much the less nm the more power consuming, but the higher cost to purchase

 

[Krazy Owl]

karol you made a mistake in statement the less nm the LESS power consuming

 

[Jstn7477]

The nm refers to how many nanometers long the half pitch of a memory cell or transistor gate is. The smaller the process node, the smaller the gates or memory cells are. This means that for the same die area, a smaller process node can pack in more transistors, or the manufacturer can choose to keep the same amount of transistors and reduce the total die area and power consumption of the chip.

Think of transistors as little ball bearings, and you bought a box of a ton of them. The smaller the ball bearings, the more you can cram in the same sized box.

 

[Norton]

The nm refers to how many nanometers long the half pitch of a memory cell or transistor gate is. The smaller the process node, the smaller the gates or memory cells are. This means that for the same die area, a smaller process node can pack in more transistors, or the manufacturer can choose to keep the same amount of transistors and reduce the total die area and power consumption of the chip.

Think of transistors as little ball bearings, and you bought a box of a ton of them. The smaller the ball bearings, the more you can cram in the same sized box.

Great analogy and since the bearings are smaller the energy required to move the bearings is less.

 

[micropage7]

nanometer
which smaller is better coz need less power and at the same time in the same die (like processor size) could have more transistors
more transistors would give you better performance

 

[lilhasselhoffer]

The nanometer, shortened to nm, is a measure of how large the transistors are fabricated. By shrinking the fabrication process more transistors can fit in the same area, so CPUs can become more powerful (in a somewhat vague sense).

The problem in shrinking down the fabrication process is two-fold.

First, materials need to change. Think of the electron as a bullet, constantly being fired at a gate; this image is meant to show what a transistor is, a gateway to either allow eletrons to pass or to stop them. A seven meter thick wooden wall will stop the bullet, but as you have less wood the bullet comes closer and closer to penetrating. By shrinking down fabrication, or in the analogy decreasing the wood, you will need a stronger gate material, as well as a weaker bullet (think smaller voltages). Traditionally doped silicon worked for older processes, but Intel and AMD both now use high-k substrates. This technology can allow current manufacturing techniques, but how much longer until it doesn't work is a topic for vigorous debate.

Finally, you don't build a skyscraper the same way you build a garage. The ability for a given architecture to scale as it gets smaller is a real question. If you read up on Bulldozer, you can find out about an experimental new architecture and smaller manufacturing process all in one chip. The problem there is that new architectures often require several revisits before they are successful and mature. New and unique architectures will be needed in the future, so that all those extra transistors can be utilized.


The net result is that smaller processes produce better quality chips in general. There are some exceptions (this may incite flaming, but I think that AMD's Phenom is still superior to Bulldozer), but that rule is generally one to live by.


Note:
Intel has a tick-tock release cycle. They introduce a new architecture, then shrink the die. Subsequently, the next chip will have the same process size as the shrink, but be a new architecture. For reference:

Edit:
No credits, my bad. Check out the following for the original source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehalem_%28microarchitecture%29

 

[GSquadron]

My lesson would be:
The higher the price, the more you get, the less space u use

 

[Zaspera]

Thanks for all the help guys. I enjoyed soaking this information up.

 

[Krazy Owl]

Thanks for all the help guys. I enjoyed soaking this information up.

For me who speaks french as first language that answer sounds like a girl in a gangbang.

 

[Zaspera]

For me who speaks french as first language that answer sounds like a girl in a gangbang.

French Canadians are yucky .

 

[brandonwh64]

Lower NM does not always mean less heat *IE, Ivy bridge, Bloomfield, and Nehalem*

 

[Jstn7477]

Lower NM does not always mean less heat *IE, Ivy bridge, Bloomfield, and Nehalem*

Yeah, since many chip makers usually switch process nodes for a new architecture that adds more transistors, this is true.

 

[D007]

The lower the NM the more I want it, is usually the rule..

 

[Krazy Owl]

French Canadians are yucky .

The Soaking expression we use it for let's say.... a rag to clean the car. Almost never for a human. That's only why BTW what is the RI you come from ?

 

[Zaspera]

the soaking expression we use it for let's say.... A rag to clean the car. Almost never for a human. That's only why btw what is the ri you come from ?

oh no you didnt

 

[Krazy Owl]

???

 

[Zaspera]

Don't play stupid. You kicked me.

 

[GSquadron]

^ This is what Intel told Amd....

 

[Aquinus]

Actually smaller circuitry tends to mean more heat unless there is a proportional drop in current which is usually signified by a drop in voltage as well.

 

[Yzarcslith]

Identifying a cpu by sight.

I am looking to upgrade my cpu out of another comp I got but I cannot find it by looking up any series of #'s on the cpu. My friend built the comp im robing parts out off, and he doesn't remember what he used. All I kno is it is an AMD Sempron. By the way im running an almost stock HP a807w. I kno its a dinosaur...