VIA Nano CPU - Codename Isaiah

Reviews?-?Featured Reviews: Processors
Written by Olin Coles???Thursday, 29 May 2008

VIA Nano CPU - Codename Isaiah

VIA Technologies Inc. started shipping its current family of x86 processors in early 2000. Seven major versions-culminating in the VIA C7 processor-have shipped through the end of 2007. While compatible with the x86 instruction-set architecture, the internal architecture of these processors is very different from other x86 processor designs. This unique internal architecture yields processors that are significantly smaller (lower cost) and use significantly less power than other x86 processors from AMD?and Intel.

While the current VIA C7 processors are a perfect fit for many users and applications, a new architecture was needed to keep pace with the rapid introduction of new functions and improved performance from Intel. Accordingly, over the last four years, VIA made a major investment in its U.S.-based processor design subsidiary-Centaur Technology Inc.-to develop a completely new x86 processor architecture. The result is a new architecture, codenamed the VIA Isaiah Architecture, that complements current VIA products by offering significantly more function and performance within the same low-power envelope.

On the 29th of May 2008 VIA announced the Nano CPU, a processor built from Isaiah architecture. Building on the market-leading energy efficiency of their existing VIA C7 processor family, the VIA Nano processor family offers as much as four times the performance within the same power range to extend VIA's performance per watt leadership, while identical pin compatibility with VIA C7 processors will ensure a smooth transition for OEMs and motherboard vendors, and provides them with an easy upgrade path for current system or board designs.

VIA's 'nano' association also extends to VIA's signature silicon and platform design characteristics of power efficiency and form factor size reduction, as demonstrated by VIA's ultra compact Nano-ITX boards and the nanoBGA2 processor packaging used for the current VIA C7 processor family and the first generation of VIA Nano processors.

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc is the foremost fabless supplier of power efficient x86 processor platforms that are driving system innovation in the PC, client, ultra mobile and embedded markets. Combining energy-saving processors with digital media chipsets and advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon enables a broad spectrum of computing and communication platforms, including its widely acclaimed ultra compact mainboards. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA's global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world's top OEMs and system integrators. https://www.via.com.tw/

VIA Nano CPU Features & Specifications

Initially to be launched in two skus, the VIA Nano L-series processors for mainstream desktop and mobile PC systems and the ultra low voltage U-series for small form factor desktop and ultra mobile devices such as mini-notes: The VIA Nano processor family boasts the highly efficient VIA V4 bus interface and brings a host of technology firsts to VIA's processor platform line-up, including:

--?64-bit Superscalar Speculative Out-Of-Order MicroArchitecture: Supports a full 64-bit instruction set and provides for macro-fusion and micro-fusion functionality, and sophisticated branch prediction for greater processor efficiency and performance.

--?High-Performance Computation and Media Processing: The high-speed, low power VIA V4 Front Side Bus starting at 800MHz, plus a high floating point unit, support for new SSE instructions, and two 64KB L1 caches and 1MB exclusive L2 cache with 16-way associativity gives a big boost to multimedia performance.

--?Advanced Power and Thermal Management: Aggressive management of active power includes support for the new "C6" power state, Adaptive PowerSaverTechnology, new circuit techniques and mechanisms for managing the die temperature, reducing power draw and improving thermal management.

--?Scalable Upgrade to VIA C7Processor: Pin-to-pin compatibility with current VIA C7 processors enables a smooth transition for OEMs and mainboard vendors, enabling them to offer a wider range of products for different markets with a single board or system design.

--?Greener Technology: In addition to full compliance with RoHS and WEEE regulations, product manufacturing will be halogen-free and lead-free at launch, helping to promote a cleaner environment and more sustainable computing.

--?Enhanced VIA PadLockSecurity Engine: Industry-leading on-die hardware cryptographic acceleration and security features, including dual quantum random number generators, an AES Encryption Engine, NX-bit, and SHA-1 and SHA-256 hashing.

Product & Model Name

Clock Speed

VIA V4 Bus

Maximum Power (TDP Max)

VIA Nano L2100 processor

1.8GHz

800MHz

25W

VIA Nano L2200 processor

1.6GHz

800MHz

17W

VIA Nano U2400 processor

1.3+GHz

800MHz

8W

VIA Nano U2500 processor

1.2GHz

800MHz

6.8W

VIA Nano U2300 processor

1.0GHz

800MHz

5W

For more detailed information about the VIA Nano processor family, please read the introductory white paper here: https://www.via.com.tw/en/downloads/whitepapers/processors/WP080529VIA_Nano.pdf

Closer Look: VIA Nano CPU

This is VIA's first 64-bit, superscalar, speculative out-of-order processor in VIA's x86 platform portfolio. VIA Nano processors have been specifically designed to revitalize traditional desktop and notebook PC markets, delivering truly optimized performance for the most demanding computing, entertainment and connectivity applications, including Blu-ray Disc HD video playback and the latest PC games, such as Crysis.

The VIA Nano processor family leverages Fujitsu's advanced 65 nanometer process technology for enhanced power efficiency, and augments that with aggressive power and thermal management features within the compact 21mm x 21mm nanoBGA2 package for an idle power as low as 100mW (0.1W), extending the reach of power efficient green and silent PCs, thin and light notebooks and mini-notes around the world.

"VIA Nano processors represent the next generation of x86 technology, providing the fundamental building blocks for a new genre of optimized computing solutions," said Wenchi Chen, President and CEO, VIA Technologies, Inc. "'Small is Beautiful' is more than a design strategy; it's our vision of where the PC market is heading and our new processors will help the market realize that dream."

The VIA Nano processor will initially be offered in five different skus: two "Low Voltage" versions (L2100 and L2200), and three "Ultra Low Voltage" (U2400, U2500 and U2300).

Codename Isaiah Detailed Features

The VIA Nano processor uses proven 65 Nanometer technology delivering the ideal blend of powerful performance and performance efficiency. With roughly twice the numbers of transistors as the 90nm-based VIA C7 processor range, the VIA Nano processor is able to offer state-of-the-art capabilities such as virtualization, advanced thermal management, and innovative security enhancements that provide the foundation for energy-efficient, feature rich computing solutions.

Underscoring VIA's leadership in processor miniaturization, the VIA Nano processor comes with ultra compact dimensions, enabling a new generation of small form factor designs and new, smaller applications for the x86 platform.

• Package size: Compact VIA NanoBGA2 package (21mm x 21mm)

• Die size: 7.650mm x 8.275mm

The last few years have seen significant changes within the microprocessor industry, and indeed the entire IT landscape. Much of this change has been driven by three factors: the increasing focus of both business and consumer on energy efficiency, the rise of mobile computing, and the growing performance requirements of computing devices in a fast expanding multimedia environment. In the microprocessor space, the traditional race for ever faster processing speeds has given way to one that factors in the energy used to achieve those speeds.

Augmenting the VIA C7family of processors, the VIA Nano processor's pin compatibility extends the VIA processor platform portfolio, enabling OEMs to offer a wider range of products for different market segments, and furnishing them with the ability to upgrade device performance without incurring the time and cost expense associated with system redesign.

The VIA Nano processor includes many innovations in the cache subsystem that lead to very efficient use of total cache area (and thus cache power). The cache subsystem comprises the level-1 instruction cache (I-cache), the level-1 data cache (D-cache), the unified level-2 cache (L2-cache), and some specialized caches or buffers. Each of the I- and D-caches contain 64K bytes and is 16-way set associative.

The L2-cache is organized as 16-way associative and is designed to support a wide variety of sizes with minimal implementation effort. The size of the L2-cache in the first VIA Nano processor implementation is 1 MB, but subsequent processors may have different sizes. In addition, the L2 cache is "exclusive", meaning that the L1 caches' contents do not reside in our L2 cache, thus increasing the effective size of the L2 cache over the "inclusive" approach of competitor architectures.

Testing and Results

The VIA Nano processor places significant emphasis on high-performance floatingpoint execution. It can execute four floating-point adds and four floating-point multiplies every clock. It uses a completely new algorithm for floating-point adds that results in the lowest floating-point add latency of any x86 processor-two clocks for any format (SP, DP, DE, packed or scalar). Similarly, the floating-point multiplier has the lowest latency of any x86 processor-three clocks for SP multiply, and four for DP and DE. In addition, the integer data path for SIMD integer (SSEx) instructions is 128-bits wide, and almost all SSEx instructions (including all shuffles) execute in only one clock.

Play-back of DVD content with any modern CPU is now straightforward, however the advent of High Definition content and the rise of the next-generation optical format, Blu-ray Disctechnology, has brought new and far more demanding computing requirements to the PC marketplace. The VIA Nano processor's superscalar, out-of-order architecture facilitates exceptionally smooth play back of Blu-ray and other HD video formats, which can have encrypted media streams of up to 40Mbps.

When combined with an appropriate discrete graphics card, the VIA Nano processor's robust two-clock FPU multiply and 128 bit data path offers an excellent gaming experience, providing silky smooth rendering of 3D images.

Performance per watt is the new metric by which quality is measured, with all the major players endeavoring to increase the performance capabilities of their products, while reducing the amount of energy that they require. Based on the recently announced VIA Isaiah Architecture, the new VIA Nanoprocessor is a next-generation x86 processor that sets the standard in power efficiency for tomorrow's immersive internet txperience. With advanced power and thermal management features helping to make it the world's most energy efficient x86 processor architecture, the VIA Nano processor also boasts ultra modern functionality,
high-performance computation and media processing, and enhanced VIA PadLock hardware security features.

The high performance of the VIA Nano processor, coupled with its ultra low power consumption makes it the ideal mobile computing processor. It will initially power a range of ‘slim ‘n' light' notebooks, fusing all of the VIA C7 processor's advantages in battery-life, size and cool operation together with the higher computational performance of the VIA Nano processor's advanced x86 architecture. The VIA Nano processor will also appear in ultra mobile Mini-Note devices and small form factor, green desktop systems for home and office use.

VIA Nano Processor Availability

VIA Nano processors are available now for OEMs and motherboard vendors, while systems featuring VIA Nano processors are expected to market in Q3 2008. For further information on the VIA Nano processor family, please visit the VIA website at:?https://www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/nano/

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