4 ms·

This is packaging, the chips are still square (though they do have several layers). A solid brick of compute would have to run pretty slow, square chips have t

This is packaging, the chips are still square (though they do have several layers). A solid brick of compute would have to run pretty slow, square chips have the surface area for heat removal.

KptMarchewa 5y ago
Theoretically, could we run small heatpipes through chips to cool them down?
- toqueteos 5y ago
  It's already proven to work[0], now we just have to cross our fingers that no big corp makes it super expensive for the masses. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdUgHxxVZcU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdUgHxxVZcU
  - ryder9 5y ago
    > now we just have to cross our fingers that no big corp makes it super expensive for the masses. don't waste your energy twisting your fingers, it's going to happen
- girvo 5y ago
  I believe there is active research in micro fluidics to do exactly that.
01100011 5y ago
> A solid brick of compute would have to run pretty slow That's not necessarily a problem if the cost of fabbing logic drops enough. It actually could make a lot of sense: throw more and more transistors and solving problems higher up the stack but use them with a lower duty cycle to avoid thermal issues. We may end up living in a world build of logic bricks, gently throwing off heat and solved problems while hiding as structural or aesthetic components.
geertj 5y ago
> A solid brick of compute would have to run pretty slow, square chips have the surface area for heat removal. If we’re talking science function anyway, could it be a superconductor at room temperature? Or would it be impossible to build logic out of that?
- sp332 5y ago
  Even if it's very conductive, it still has to dump all that heat somewhere, so it will get very hot or just melt/burn eventually.
  - flumpcakes 5y ago
    A superconductor is a material with zero resistance, so it does not generate heat with electrical flow.
  - MayeulC 5y ago
    Unless it's doing adiabatic computing, of course. When computations are reversible, you don't have to waste energy to destroy bits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversible_computing#Reversibility https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversible_computing#Reversibi...
mmis1000 5y ago
But the electric path can be ultra short if arranged properly, result in smaller heat disposal. If designed properly, probably it can do the exact same thing with far shorter wire length. Result in higher power efficiency.

This is packaging, the chips are still square (though they do have several layers). A solid brick of compute would have to run pretty slow, square chips have the surface area for heat removal.

KptMarchewa 5y ago

Theoretically, could we run small heatpipes through chips to cool them down?

toqueteos 5y ago
It's already proven to work[0], now we just have to cross our fingers that no big corp makes it super expensive for the masses. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdUgHxxVZcU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdUgHxxVZcU
- ryder9 5y ago
  > now we just have to cross our fingers that no big corp makes it super expensive for the masses. don't waste your energy twisting your fingers, it's going to happen
girvo 5y ago
I believe there is active research in micro fluidics to do exactly that.

01100011 5y ago

> A solid brick of compute would have to run pretty slow That's not necessarily a problem if the cost of fabbing logic drops enough. It actually could make a lot of sense: throw more and more transistors and solving problems higher up the stack but use them with a lower duty cycle to avoid thermal issues. We may end up living in a world build of logic bricks, gently throwing off heat and solved problems while hiding as structural or aesthetic components.

geertj 5y ago

> A solid brick of compute would have to run pretty slow, square chips have the surface area for heat removal. If we’re talking science function anyway, could it be a superconductor at room temperature? Or would it be impossible to build logic out of that?

sp332 5y ago
Even if it's very conductive, it still has to dump all that heat somewhere, so it will get very hot or just melt/burn eventually.
- flumpcakes 5y ago
  A superconductor is a material with zero resistance, so it does not generate heat with electrical flow.
- MayeulC 5y ago
  Unless it's doing adiabatic computing, of course. When computations are reversible, you don't have to waste energy to destroy bits. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversible_computing#Reversibility https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversible_computing#Reversibi...

mmis1000 5y ago

But the electric path can be ultra short if arranged properly, result in smaller heat disposal. If designed properly, probably it can do the exact same thing with far shorter wire length. Result in higher power efficiency.