4 ms·

They'll sell neural engine, video coding acceleration and other things like that.

dragontamer 6y ago
> They'll sell neural engine Is there even an API to take advantage of that yet? It looks like an impressive DSP but without an API, then that stuff is locked to Apple-only software / hardware. > video coding acceleration Is that really better than another 96-threads that you'd get with a 64-core Threadripper Pro? The thread-deficit of 32-core Apple vs 64-core/128-thread Threadripper is going to be pretty apparent. When you have another +96 threads available, I'm not sure if "video coding acceleration" is even needed. Just run that in software.
- EricE 6y ago
  "Is there even an API to take advantage of that yet?" Has been for at least three years now (maybe more): https://developer.apple.com/machine-learning/core-ml/ https://developer.apple.com/machine-learning/core-ml/
  - dragontamer 6y ago
    Ah right... I guess whenever I look at that neural-engine's specs, I'm actually personally more interested in the VLIW DSP they got in there. VLIW-DSPs can calculate a lot of things, more than just neural-net training. I guess that API is good enough for the deep-learning hype train however.
    - EricE 6y ago
      Metal also leverages the neural engine. It's transparent, of course. I can't find the reference but it may have been one of the original Metal Apple Developer Conference (ADC) sessions where they let that slip. Of course other frameworks could leverage it too. As for direct access, I'm not sure. I think I did mix up API and framework in my response :)
    - EricE 6y ago
      Is this closer to what you were looking for? https://developer.apple.com/wwdc19/718 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc19/718 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc18/701 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc18/701 Intro of CoreML: https://developer.apple.com/wwdc17/711 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc17/711 Being Apple I'm (sadly) not surprised they don't expose the Neural Engine hardware more directly.

> They'll sell neural engine Is there even an API to take advantage of that yet? It looks like an impressive DSP but without an API, then that stuff is locked to Apple-only software / hardware. > video coding acceleration Is that really better than another 96-threads that you'd get with a 64-core Threadripper Pro? The thread-deficit of 32-core Apple vs 64-core/128-thread Threadripper is going to be pretty apparent. When you have another +96 threads available, I'm not sure if "video coding acceleration" is even needed. Just run that in software.

EricE 6y ago
"Is there even an API to take advantage of that yet?" Has been for at least three years now (maybe more): https://developer.apple.com/machine-learning/core-ml/ https://developer.apple.com/machine-learning/core-ml/
- dragontamer 6y ago
  Ah right... I guess whenever I look at that neural-engine's specs, I'm actually personally more interested in the VLIW DSP they got in there. VLIW-DSPs can calculate a lot of things, more than just neural-net training. I guess that API is good enough for the deep-learning hype train however.
  - EricE 6y ago
    Metal also leverages the neural engine. It's transparent, of course. I can't find the reference but it may have been one of the original Metal Apple Developer Conference (ADC) sessions where they let that slip. Of course other frameworks could leverage it too. As for direct access, I'm not sure. I think I did mix up API and framework in my response :)
  - EricE 6y ago
    Is this closer to what you were looking for? https://developer.apple.com/wwdc19/718 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc19/718 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc18/701 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc18/701 Intro of CoreML: https://developer.apple.com/wwdc17/711 https://developer.apple.com/wwdc17/711 Being Apple I'm (sadly) not surprised they don't expose the Neural Engine hardware more directly.