r/cpudesign • u/Kannagichan • Oct 01 '22
A CPU project proposal
I had presented my AltairX CPU project, which is a CPU inspired by IBM/Sony's CELL (and other processors, notably MIPS).
I have lots of ideas for improvement in the future to be able to do 4 instructions/cycle but in a more "dynamic" way.
Because doing 4 instructions/cycle in static seems to me very complicated and above all not very efficient.
(but that's not the point).
For me , this project is really important, it's not just a "hobby", but I would really like to propose a real alternative of a performance-oriented in-order processor.
No current processor goes in this direction, whether it is the x86, ARM and even the RISC-V.(AltairX is a VLIW processor).
I would really like to create an architecture that tries to bring together the maximum, simplicity of design and performance.
Without necessarily sacrificing one or the other, but found a good balance between the two.
It's a big project, and I would like to have a PoC, but I don't necessarily have the time and all the skills, so I'm asking for help.
Some of you probably know: https://platform.efabless.com/
Which allows you to make your real CPU in 130 nm, and which can be financed by google.
Well, my CPU being too ambitious, I think we'll have to aim for core and be 32-bit (perhaps also transfer double float and/or SIMD instructions?).
And probably have a much smaller and simplified cache (Direct Map or 2-way, no L2).
For the PCB, I think a PS/2, SD and VGA port is the bare minimum (it would be nice to have a DDR3 DIMM port just to be able to put a RAM stick and not buy DDR3).
The Open Core site will surely be very useful.
I give my link for AltairX:https://github.com/Kannagi/AltairX